Milford chronicle., 1940-10-04
ONE PATTERN
LUCIA MALLORY

LUCIA MALLORY
The Mary Schaffner Scholarship
in Home Economics is awarded e
Joyce Rowley."
A tall, fair girl stepped out from
her place among the gray-clad SEN
iors to accept the gift from her high
school principal. Before she resum-
ed her seat, she turned to smile hap
PLY at her mother, who sat in the
front row Of the section reserved for
parents.
From my own seat on the other
side of the auditorium, caught a
glimpse of the love and pride in the
mothers answering smile.
Walking home from the Com
mencement Exercises with my
friend, Flora Barron, l recalled that
smile and spoke of Joyce RowIey's
achievement.
There is a little story behind
JOyce's success that think you'd
llk. to hear. Lucia" Flora told me.
Knowing how much Flora had
contributed to the welfare of her
own and other peoples children, /
Wes not surprised, as the story un-
f0lded. to learn that she had had a
part in JOyce's success.
The Rowley's have been our
neighbOrs for years." nv friend he
gan. There are three girls in the
femily. Ruth and GenevieVe were in
high school when Joyce was born.
Both were brilliant students, gradu-
ating with the highest possible hon
ors They went through the state
university with the same fine schol- |
astic records and became successful
teachers. Ruth is now at the head |
OF the history department in a large |
high school, and GeneVieve is mar
ried
Joyce was a chubby, happy child !
whom everyone in the neighbOrhood |
loved. She liked nothing better than
to come over to help me take care
OF Jack and Helen when they were
babies, though she was only a few
years older than they.
Mrs. ROwley found her youngest
child entirely satisfactory, until she
started to school. Then she was dis
mayed to discover that Joyce could
not or did not, win hOnOrs by her
achievements. as her sisters had
done. II was true that she did not
IGil' she simply passed with aver
age grades.
Joyce was cOntented in school
until her mother began to nag her
md urge her TO do better work. The
'hild was kept in from play and
made to study after school, She was
icolded because she brought home
epOrt cards with grades instead
4 the is her mother thought she
hould be able TO attain. Everyone
ould see that the little girl was ,
Osing her happy disposition and be-
Oming conscious OF inferiOrity.
My chance to help came one eve .
ing when Mrs. Rowley brought the !
Tending report card over and ask
d me, as an old teacher. how she
Ould wake the child up! {
Don't you know that children :
ant all be cut to one PATTERN l
sked her. Ruth and Genevieve =
ere fine students, but Joyce has q
5r own excellencies. Don't you re- s
ember the day that our club met
ith you last winter. and Joyce came .
Dme from school and slipped out Il
to the kitchen and quietly washed y
! of the dishes for you? How many N
could prepare a simple d.
cal for their fathers as Joyce does 81
hen you have a headache? I'll tell 81
u. Mrs. Rowley, all of the fine h,
AIDES in the world could not enable n,
e to keep my house clean or take N
'od care of my babies. That was ~
melting had to learn when l ~
Opped teaching school. There isn't "a
greater career for a girl than w
and Joyce has already
lde fine start in that directiOn!' n,
ITO my great relief, Mrs. Rowley te
cepted my advice in the spirit in of
itch it was offered. You saw the re
d of the story when Joyce receiv- ~
her scholarship. Mrs. Rowley W.
eded only to learn that one pat W
n of ability and achievement sc
rld not ft all of her children
ice that time, she and Joyce have fo,
IN the happy mother and daugh- Sh
that you saw this evening""