Trent Franks: “this last Sunday one of America's grandest ladies turned 97 years old. And tonight it is a sincere privilege for me to…”

“this last Sunday one of America's grandest ladies turned 97 years old. And tonight it is a sincere privilege for me to stand here in this well to speak a few words of heartfelt tribute to a woman whose impact on three generations of children will be felt in the human family I believe even after this Chamber is dust. I knew this special lady as Mrs. Freeman. Four decades have passed since I gathered my belongings as a fourth grader and left the warmth and safety of her classroom for the very last time. As we all reflect on our childhood, I suppose each of us has that one teacher in our memory who affected our lives more than any other. My memory of her is always that of a truly warm and elegant lady who completely personified class, dignity, and grace. Mrs. Freeman was the model teacher that I believe every teacher truly aspires to be. She made books come alive in class. She made every lesson exciting, every life was important. She made us realize that each of us had an important part to play that only we could play. This gracious lady encouraged us to pursue a standard of integrity simply by the way she lived. And in those times when we disappointed her, Mr. Speaker, she never failed to correct us truthfully but gently, and she was always willing to forgive us and to affirm that we were fully restored in her eyes.”