The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-03-10
Her talk in full fol

| completely L nave always respected
teachers, especially the teachers of
little children. | count among my
friends many who follow this noble
j rofession-always to me wonderful
men and women. 1t is the most beau
tiful mission of all, teaching, the most
splendid of all the professions, but
the women whose mission in life it is
to guide the little baby feet are above
and beyond all others, crowned in my
imagination
BABY feet!s They come to you in
many forms-Sometimes little dane
ing feet, easily led, sometimes the
little hayward ones, more difficult to
guide, and alas, so often the little
crippled feet, S tumbling towards your
outstretched hand, trustfully looking
to your strength to make their way
easier.
! rs there any drawer or bigger or
| better mission in life than to guide
those little feet into the right path,
| the path of trh nth, the hatred of all
unbeautiful things? If there is a big
ger mission l do not know of it. You
stand at the door of the house of life
to them, and yours is the task to lead
them only into the clean, sunny rooms,
| where all is wholesome, and keep
| them from entering or even wishing
to enter the dark, crime-infected
crime breeding corners. Big task
that, my sisters, and the only sure
way is through love. Win their love-
In your hands is the preparation Of
the foundation of the world, the mold
ing of good women and fine men, who
in their turn will make the world bet
ter and more possible to live in be-
cause of your loving care; and we're
ruler of this world you should be
the best paid workers in it. But,
alas, | can only love and honor you
beyond mere words because you go
on bravely, strongly, lovingly doing
this work when | know there are
many of you who do it with aching
hearts and tired brains and burdens
hard to bear. You thrust them all
aside and go to your task with hope
in your hearts of leading the baby
feet straight in the path that leads
to Truth ana God.
eff we would truly guide the baby
feet.
And place them firmly on the way
to God,
We must have love within our hearts !;
A smile is better far than any rod.
Maynard and wilful, still the Saw
our drew
The little souls within His shelter.
ing arm.
Can we do less than follow Him,
Protect these little lives from fear
and harm?
Teachers of children, yours the task
sublime
To guide the little feet to paths OF
light,
bYours the great mission of our Lord
To fill these little hearts with love
of Right
Il am honored to have the privilege
of just saying how much | respect
the women who can set aside their
own hurts and remember that the
baby feet need guiding and that the
baby minds are like delicate flowers
which once crushed or even bruised
seldom regain their freshness or
sweetness.
Love is the note-the note the
|
Suffer little children to come unto
Me and forbid them not, for of such
!, is the kingdom of heaven.
Il would read to you some verses
called Just Four Years Old, written
by Katherine lyman, which appealed
to me strongly some time ago, when
I heard them sung. Alas, l cannot
sing we'll enough to give them that
way:
"'Give me no mansions ivory white,
Nor palaces of pearl and gold
Give me child for all delight
Just four years old
"tGive me no gold and starry crown
NOR harps, nor palm branches I'M
rolled:
Give me nesting head of brown
Just four years old.
give me a cheek that's like the
peach,
Two arms to clasp me from the cold,
And all my heavens within my
reach
Just four years old.
Dear God, you give me from Your
skies
A little. Paradise to hold,
AS Mary once her Paradise,
Just four years Old"
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