Sister Mildred was a Benedictine Sister of Chicago, in service for 66 years, making her final vows in 1949 and passing away this year. In her belongings, they found a little letter, addressed to no one in particular, entitled First is Best. It lists 11 reasons why she loved to teach first grade.

1. TEACH
BY SISTER MILDRED
11 REASONS TO

2. Sister Mildred was a Benedictine Sister of
Chicago, in service for 66 years, making her
final vows in 1949 and passing away this year.
In her belongings, they found a little letter,
addressed to no one in particular, entitled
First is Best. It lists 11 reasons why she loved
to teach first grade.

3. I was asked what I did. Answer: “I am a
Benedictine Sister and a teacher.” When I said I
taught first grade for many years, I generally
heard a very flat “Oh!” I was not sure whether
this was an expression of pity or disinterest. So I
repeat: “Yes, I taught 1st grade for many
years.”

4. YES, I did teach the first grade. I saw the love of God in
each one “Mr. and Mrs. America,” and I loved it!
Celebrating and teaching were peak moments between
the ordinary happenings of life.
And the teacher in me continues to say “Celebrate life!”
for it is precious. Say “yes” to life, for God sees us as we
should be, but loves us as we are.
Smile! God loves you and so do I,
Sister Mildred Zember, OSB

5. 1. Where else
would I tie so
many hair
ribbons and
shoe strings,
and button
coats every
day?

6. 2. Where
else could I
see a style
show of
pretty
dresses
and shirts?

7. 3. Where
else could I
wear the
same dress
day after day
and be told
each day
that “it is
pretty”?

8. 4. Where
else could I
eat a sticky
piece of
candy from
grimy little
hands and
not get ill?
(I had to eat it because the child would smile and watch me eat it).

9. 5. Where
else could I
walk down
the rows of
desks and
have a warm
hand touch
me?

10. 6. Where else
could I guide
the first letter
formation of a
chubby little
hand that may
someday write
a book or sign
an important
document?

11. 7. Where else
could I forget to
listen to the State
of the Union
address because
little Stevie isn’t
grasping reading
as he should, so I
had to give him
more time and
help?

12. 8. Where else
could I forget
my own aches
and pains
because of
many cut
fingers,
scratched
knees, and
broken hearts
that need
care?

13. 9. Where else
would my mind
have to stay so
young as the
group whose
attention span
is so short that
I had to keep a
“bag of tricks
up my sleeve.”

14. 10. Where
else can you
see their
happy eyes
as I told
them stories
about about
Jesus and
God our
Father?

15. 11. Where else
could I feel so
close to my
Creator as I did
each year,
when I help
God’s children
learn to read,
write, spell,
sing, dance,
pray and play?