‘어느 초등학교 여교사의 이야기’는 사실인가?

‘어느 초등학교 여교사의 이야기’로 널리 알려진 감동적인 이야기는 사실인가? 결론은 ‘사실이 아니다’이다. 이 이야기는 본래 1976년 미국의 Elizabeth S. Ungar라는 여성이 한 잡지사에 픽션으로 기고한 글이었다. 2001년, 피츠버그 포스트가젯이라는 신문사와의 인터뷰에서, 그녀는 그중 망가진 팔찌와 향수, 갈색 종이봉투 선물의 이야기는 작가 자신의 친구로부터 들은 사실이나 전체 이야기는 사실이 아님을 밝혔다. 그리고 이 이야기가 마치 사실인 것처럼 퍼져있는 것에 실망하고 있음을 말했다.

 

이 이야기는 80년대 로버트 슐러 목사에 의해 퍼지기 시작했으며, 1998년에 라디오와 책, 연설 예화 등으로 미국 전역에 다시 한 번 퍼지기 시작했다. 이것이 한국에 수입이 된 것이다. 사실무근을 떠나 단지 감동을 주어 교훈과 인상을 남기기 위해.

 

 

http://www.teachnet.com/speakout/inspiration/

 

Teddy Stoddard (author unknown)

 

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on her very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But 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 didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And 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 Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 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 which 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, and 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 her "teacher's pets."

 

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. 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 his whole 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 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, M.D.

 

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd 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 in the place at the wedding 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. And 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."

 

 

http://livingstonech.net/god/sharing/69261

 

미국에 톰슨 선생이라는 초등학교 여교사가 있었다.

 

개학 날 담임을 맡은 5학년 반 아이들 앞에 선 그녀는 아이들에게 거짓말을 했다. 아이들을 둘러보고 모두를 똑같이 사랑한다고 말했던 것이다. 그러나 바로 첫 줄에 구부정하니 앉아 있는 작은 남자 아이 테디가 있는 이상 그것은 불가능했다.

 

톰슨 선생은 그 전부터 테디를 지켜보며 테디가 다른 아이들과 잘 어울리지 않을 뿐만 아니라 옷도 단정치 못하며, 잘 씻지도 않는다는 걸 알게 되었다. 때로는 테디를 보면 기분이 불쾌할 때도 있었다. 끝내는 테디가 낸 시험답안지에 큰 X표시를 하고 위에 커다란 F자를 써넣는 것이 즐겁기까지 한 지경에 이르렀다.

 

톰슨 선생님이 있던 학교에서는, 담임선생님이 아이들의 지난 생활기록부를 다 보도록 되어 있었다. 그러나 그녀는 테디 것을 마지막으로 미뤄두었다. 그러다 테디의 생활기록부를 보고는 깜짝 놀랄 수밖에 없었다.

 

테디의 1학년 담임선생님은 이렇게 썼다.

“잘 웃고 밝은 아이임. 일을 깔끔하게 잘 마무리하고 예절이 바름. 함께 있으면 즐거운 아이임.”

 

2학년 담임선생님은 이렇게 썼다.

“반 친구들이 좋아하는 훌륭한 학생임. 어머니가 불치병을 앓고 있음. 가정생활이 어려울 것으로 보임.”

 

3학년 담임선생님은 이렇게 썼다.

“어머니가 돌아가셔서 마음고생을 많이 함. 최선을 다하지만 아버지가 별로 관심이 없음. 어떤 조치가 없으면 곧 가정생활이 학교생활에 까지 영향을 미칠 것임.”

 

테디의 4학년 담임선생님은 이렇게 썼다. “내성적이고 학교에 관심이 없음. 친구가 많지 않고 수업시간에 잠을 자기도 함.”

 

여기까지 읽은 선생은 비로소 문제를 깨달았고 한없이 부끄러워졌다. 반 아이들이 화려한 종이와 예쁜 리본으로 포장한 크리스마스 선물을 가져왔는데, 테디의 선물만 식료품 봉투의 두꺼운 갈색 종이로 어설프게 포장되어 있는 것을 보고는 더욱 부끄러워졌다.

선생은 애써 다른 선물을 제쳐두고 테디의 선물부터 포장을 뜯었다. 알이 몇 개 빠진 가짜 다이아몬드 팔찌와 사분의 일만 차 있는 향수병이 나오자, 아이들 몇이 웃음을 터뜨렸다. 그러나 그녀가 팔찌를 차면서 정말 예쁘다며 감탄하고, 향수를 손목에 조금 뿌리자 아이들의 웃음이 잦아들었다.

 

테디 스토다드는 그날 방과 후에 남아서 이렇게 말했다.

“선생님, 오늘 꼭 우리 엄마에게서 나던 향기가 났어요.”

그녀는 아이들이 돌아간 후 한 시간을 울었다.

 

바로 그날 그녀는 읽기, 쓰기, 국어, 산수 가르치기를 그만두었다. 그리고 아이들을 진정으로 가르치기 시작했다. 톰슨 선생은 테디를 특별히 대했다. 테디에게 공부를 가르쳐줄 때면 테디의 눈빛이 살아나는 듯했다.

 

그녀가 격려하면 할수록 더 빨리 반응했다. 그 해 말이 되자 테디는 반에서 가장 공부를 잘하는 아이가 되었고 모두를 똑같이 사랑하겠다는 거짓말에도 불구하고 가장 귀여워하는 학생이 되었다.

 

1년 후에 그녀는 교무실 문 아래에서 테디가 쓴 쪽지를 발견 했다. 거기에는 그녀가 자기 평생 최고의 교사였다고 쓰여 있었다.

 

6년이 흘러 그녀는 테디에게서 또 쪽지를 받았다. 고교를 반2등으로 졸업했다고 쓰여 있었고, 아직도 그녀가 자기 평생 최고의 선생님인 것은 변함이 없다고 쓰여 있었다.

 

4년이 더 흘러 또 한 통의 편지가 왔다. 이번에는 대학 졸업 후에 공부를 더 하기로 마음먹었다고 쓰여 있었다. 이번에도 그녀가 평생 최고의 선생님이었고 자신이 가장 좋아하는 선생님이라 쓰여 있었다. 하지만 이번에는 이름이 조금 더 길었다. 편지에는 ‘Dr. 테디 스토다드 박사’라고 사인되어 있었다.

 

이야기는 여기서 끝나지 않는다. 그해 봄에 또 한 통의 편지가 왔다.

 

테디는 여자를 만나 결혼하게 되었다고 한다. 아버지는 몇 년 전에 돌아가셨으며, 톰슨선생님에게 신랑의 어머니가 앉는 자리에 앉아줄 수 있는지를 물었다. 그녀는 기꺼이 좋다고 화답했다. 그런 다음 어찌 되었을까? 그녀는 가짜 다이아몬드가 몇 개 빠진 그 팔찌를 차고, 어머니와 함께 보낸 마지막 크리스마스에 어머니가 뿌렸었다는 그 향수를 뿌렸다.

 

이들이 서로 포옹하고 난 뒤 이제 어엿한 의사가 된 테디 스토다드는 톰슨 선생에게 귓속말로 속삭였다.

“선생님, 절 믿어주셔서 감사합니다. 제가 중요한 사람이라고 생각할 수 있게 해주셔서, 그리고 제가 훌륭한 일을 해낼 수 있다는 걸 알게 해주셔서 정말 감사합니다.”

 

톰슨 선생은 또 눈물을 흘리며 속삭였다.

"테디 너는 완전히 잘못 알고 있구나. 내가 훌륭한 일을 해낼 수 있다는 걸 알려준 사람이 바로 너란다. 널 만나기전 까지는 가르치는 법을 전혀 몰랐거든"

 

 

http://jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2014-01-31/story/fact-check-heartwarming-story-teddy-stoddard-true

 

Fact Check: Is the heartwarming story of Teddy Stoddard true?

 

Times-Union readers want to know:

 

An email tells the heart-warming story of Teddy Stoddard, a little boy who inspired his teacher, Mrs. Thompson, through the years. Is it real?

 

The story explains how fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Thompson noticed on the first day of class how messy Teddy’s clothes looked and how he seemed to need a bath. As the class progressed, she noticed how he didn’t play well with the other children, he was unpleasant and his schoolwork was almost always failing.

 

But when Mrs. Thompson finally got around to looking at his record, the story goes on, she found that his previous teachers characterized him as an excellent student — until third grade when his mother died. She realized what his problem just might be.

 

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That Christmas, students brought presents for their teacher wrapped beautifully in colorful paper and ribbons. Teddy’s was wrapped in a paper bag; when Mrs. Thompson opened the gift to the laughter of the other children, she found a half bottle of perfume and a bracelet with stones missing.

 

But she stifled the kids’ laughter, dabbed on the perfume and put on the bracelet, saying how beautiful it was.

 

Teddy stayed after class to tell Mrs. Thompson that she smelled “just like my mom used to.”

 

After all the children left, Mrs. Thompson cried for an hour. She realized that she was supposed to teach children, not just teach the subjects. And, from then on, she worked closely with Teddy, who became one of the smartest children in the class.

 

The story goes on to say that, a year later, she found a note under her door from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had.

 

Six years later, she received another note from Teddy saying he had graduated from high school, third in his class, and that she was still the best teacher he ever had.

 

Four years later, he wrote her that he had graduated from college with high honors; he assured her that she was still his favorite teacher.

 

Four years later, another note came. This one was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

 

Then, another message came with a request. It said that Teddy was getting married, his father had died and would Mrs. Thompson sit at the place normally reserved for the mother of the groom?

 

Of course she would. On the wedding day, she made sure to wear the bracelet and the perfume. As they hugged after the ceremony, Teddy said, “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, “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.”

 

Wonderful story, isn’t it?

 

But it isn’t true.

 

This Teddy Stoddard (or, in another version, Teddy Stallard) isn’t real, according to Snopes.com; TruthOrFiction.com; Ted Emery, who researches urban legends for About.com; and newspaper columnist Dennis Roddy, who tracked down the author.

 

The fictional piece was written in 1976 by Elizabeth Silance Ballard and printed in HomeLife magazine, a Baptist family publication, where it was clearly labeled as fiction.

 

Ballard, now Elizabeth S. Ungar of Virginia Beach, Va., based some of the details in the story on life events, according to Dennis Roddy of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who interviewed her for a story in 2001.

 

She took the story of the broken bracelet and perfume from a teacher friend who had gotten such a gift from a child in the class where she was a long-term substitute, Ungar said. And she did use some details from her own life — the brown-bag Christmas wrapping paper that she had to use as a poor child, for example. But she said in the interview with Roddy that she was disappointed her piece continues to be circulated as a true story.

 

“I’ve had people use it in their books, except they made it as if it happened to them,” Ungar said. “In the ’80s, I heard [former televangelist] Robert Schuller tell this story on one of his broadcasts. He told it as if it was someone he knew.”

 

Teddy’s story has been circulated across America, Roddy reported. In Colorado in 1998, copies were sent to every teacher. On radio in that same year, Paul Harvey read it as a piece of news. Marian Wright Edelman, president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, includes the story in some of her speeches.

 

It obviously has had a real impact on many people — even if Teddy, Mrs. Thompson and their story aren’t real.

 

Carole Fader: (904) 359-4635