One of Marash Girl's most memorable teachers was not really her teacher, although some students were lucky enough to have Mrs. Goldstien for English. Miriam Goldstein was Marash Girl's homeroom teacher in 10th grade at Newton High School, in a homeroom which encompassed students of all levels, from all walks of life, all religions, and all reading levels; the only thing they had in common was the first initial (B) of their last name.
Mrs. Goldstein exuded caring for each student as she called the roll in homeroom every morning and read aloud a chapter from the Psalms to her homeroom class before she led them in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and then prayed with us aloud as we recited the Lord's Prayer. Her caring was contagious; we all cared for each other that year. Thank you, Miriam Goldstein, for being there for the students of Newton High School.
Mrs. Goldstein exuded caring for each student as she called the roll in homeroom every morning and read aloud a chapter from the Psalms to her homeroom class before she led them in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and then prayed with us aloud as we recited the Lord's Prayer. Her caring was contagious; we all cared for each other that year. Thank you, Miriam Goldstein, for being there for the students of Newton High School.
Miriam Goldstein was my English teacher five years or so later. Given your description of the ritual of spiritual oblations that prevailed, and no longer do, it is not at all surprising that peace and love was the mortar of your home room experience. It also explains why, once the foundation of western civilization, the Bible, old and new testaments, was abandoned, so was peace and love.
ReplyDelete