Eastern Mennonite School - Shenandoah Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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And a job for each Every man to his work.

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v. 'i •»' :::Tf feSfain l? Mv-v R«H Mi»»- 'fUftii • • .i mmm There is work together A Church for all

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WE BUILD THE MEANING Walking along the street of time, we look into life’s buildings “through a glass darkly.” Such a circumstance does not find us lost in a blind alley, but stimulates our mental and spiritual curiosity. More specifically, the stu- dent may see through'a class darkly, but finally see the clearer for it, for the teacher is a guide, not a guard, and teaching is suggestive rather than dogmatic. Perhaps it is sometimes worthwhile to ask the question of what and who is a guide. Blunted by commonplace routine, a student may conclude that the professor is the man with the pack of white roll cards whose main concern is to see if he bothers to be present, or the man with chalk dust on the shoulder blades of his dark suit. He may appear to be the authority in all matters, one who will bend with the wind only wThen it is found to be reasonable and right; he is the welcomer of the student’s ideas and contributions, but in the final analysis he passes the judgment which must be accepted with submission. Yet when one looks into the heart of a true guide, he decides that the teacher has a greater purpose than merely to breathe an enlivening spirit upon those on the other side of the lectern. Rather his purpose is to stir a purpose within the hearts of his students and to teach them as though he did not teach them. He is not ignorant, but he is humble before the paradoxes of knowledge, and the humility is wisdom rather than resignation to a closed mind. His desire is to inspire as well as instruct, and “if he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.” 18