There is a story from many years ago of a primary school teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of the 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked her students and said that she loved them all the same.

这个故事说的是多年前一名叫汤普森夫人的小学老师，在开学第一天的时候，她站在五年级全班学生面前，对孩子们撒了一个谎。像大多数老师一样，她看着同学们，说她会一视同仁地爱他们每一个人。

But that was impossible because there in the front row, slumped¹ in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

但这是不可能的，因为前排座位上就坐着个萎靡不振的小男孩，他叫特迪·斯托达德。

Mrs.Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, his clothes were messy and constantly need a bath. And ,Teddy could be unpleasant.

汤普森夫人去年就开始留意特迪，发觉他不大和其他孩子一起玩耍，衣衫不整，身上总是很脏，而且，特迪还不讨人喜欢。

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in making his papers with a broud red pen, making bold Xs and then putting a "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to relieve each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.

汤普森夫人甚至喜欢上用粗红笔在特迪的考卷上打上些大大的叉，并在卷子上方写个大大的“F”。汤普森夫人执教的学校要求老师阅览每个孩子的档案，她把特迪的放在最后才看。

However, when she relieved his file, she was in a surprise, Teddy's first grade teacher wrote," Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly² and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

可是，她翻阅特迪的档案时，不禁大吃一惊。特迪一年级老师的评语是：“特迪是一个聪明的孩子，笑口常开，作业工整，礼貌待人……与他在一起很开心。”

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."

二年级老师的评语是：“特迪是个优秀的学生，同学们都很喜欢他。但是，他母亲得了绝症，他很苦恼，家里生活肯定也很艰难。”

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

他三年级老师的评语是：“他母亲去世对他打击很大。尽管他试图努力表现，但他父亲不大理会，家庭问题失控加剧。”

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn³ and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."

他四年级老师的评语是：“特迪性格孤僻，有厌学情绪。他朋友不多，有时候上课睡觉。”

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 paper and tied with pretty ribbons, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.

看到这里，汤普森夫人明白了问题所在，她为自己感到羞愧。当同学们送给她圣诞礼物时，她更无地自容了。那些礼物都用漂亮的包装纸包着，扎着美丽的彩带，惟有特迪的例外。他的礼物是用杂货袋上弄下来的厚厚的棕色纸粗陋地包着的。

Mrs.Thompson opened it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone⁴ bracelet⁵ with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled⁶ the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing⁷ some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to."

在一堆礼物中间，汤普森夫人拆开了特迪送的礼物。当她看到里面放的是一串少了珠子的莱茵石手镯，还有1/4瓶香水的时候，有些孩子开始笑出声来。汤普森夫人制止了孩子们的嘲笑，并大声赞叹手镯是多么漂亮。她戴上手镯，还在手腕处喷了点儿香水。那天放学以后，特迪·斯托达德留下来对汤普森夫人说：“汤普森夫人，您今天身上的味道像我妈妈。”

After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On the very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead she began to teach children how to be a man.

孩子们走后，她哭了至少一个小时。也从那天起，她不再单纯教阅读、写作和算术，而是开始教孩子们如何做人。

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.

汤普森夫人特别关注特迪。在她的悉心教导下，他的思维似乎变得敏捷起来。她越鼓励他，他的反应就越快。到了年底，特迪已在全班名列前茅。

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

一年后，汤普森夫人发现门下有张特迪写来的便条，说她仍然是他碰到的最好的老师。

Six years later 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 his whole life.

又过了6年，她又收到了特迪的短笺，说他以全班第三名的成绩高中毕业，而她仍然是他遇见的最好的老师。

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that he would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. Then four more years past and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided⁸ 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.

又过了4年，她又收到特迪的来信，说他很快就要以优异的成绩大学毕业。又一个4年，又来了一封信。这次他解释到，拿到学士学位后，他继续深造去了。他在这封信中说明，她依然是他一生中最好、最喜欢的老师。不过， 这次他的署名长了一点，信的落款是：西奥多·F·斯托达德医学博士。

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met his girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of yeas ago and he was wondering if Mrs.Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom⁹. Of course Mrs. Thompson did.

故事并没有就此结束。你瞧，那年春天，又来了一封信。特迪在信上说，他交了女友，俩人就要结婚了。他解释说，他爸爸几年前就去世了，所以他想知道在他们的婚礼上，汤普森夫人是否愿意做在他母亲的位子上。汤普森夫人当然愿意了。

At the wedding ceremony,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."

婚礼上，他们互相拥抱，斯托达德博士对汤普森夫人耳语道：“汤普森夫人，谢谢您对我的信任，非常感谢您对我的重视，是您让我明白了自己的价值。”

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."

汤普森夫人热泪盈眶，低声答道：“特迪，你搞错了。是你让我明白自己可以有所作为。在遇到你以后，我才知道怎样教育孩子。”