Teachers Can Make Such A Difference

This story is widely circulated as true. Some versions list Teddy's name as Stoddart.
This was sent to me in an email and I checked it out.

The story was written by Elizabeth Silance Ballard and published in Home Life magazine in 1976. It was not represented as being a true story but rather as a piece of fiction. It was later republished in the magazine with the notation that it was one of the most requested stories in the magazine's history.

"As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very
first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most
teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all
the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row,
slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and
noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his
clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition,
Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would
actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making
bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was
required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off
until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a
surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright
child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners..
he is a joy to be around..'

His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent
student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his
mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'

His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has
been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show
much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps
aren't taken.'

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn
and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends
and he sometimes sleeps in class.'

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was
ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her
Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper,
except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown
paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs... Thompson took pains to open
it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to
laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones
missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she
stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the
bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her
wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to
say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'

After the children left, she cried for at least an
hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and
arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid
particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed
to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By
the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in
the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the
same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets.'

A year later, she found a note under her door, from
Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his
whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from
Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his
class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying
that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had
stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of
honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and
favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter
came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he
decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still
the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little
longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet
another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was
going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of
years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at
the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the
groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that
bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made
sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother
wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in
Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank
you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could
make a difference.'

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back..
She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me
that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met
you."