“One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.” – Albert Einstein (LIFE Magazine, 1955)

When Bill Gates attended View Ridge Elementary (School) in Seattle, he was nowhere close to being the successful, confident and well-spoken personality that he is today. He was “nerdy” and unconfident, tormented by other deficits, unlike his other friends. It was at this stage that a kind Librarian called Mrs. Blanche Caffiere decided to mentor him. She embraced and accepted young Bill, and slowly instilled in him the priceless love for knowledge. Mrs. Caffiere fuelled Bill’s passion for reading, encouraging him to ask introspective questions. She built a beautiful, personal rapport with the hesitant young boy, always being a genuine listener, as Bill fondly recalls.   

May I conclude my message by encouraging all my staff to be another ‘Mrs. Caffiere’, who encouraged her students to ponder, imagine and think; who made her students feel safe under her wings, strengthened by a beautiful one-on-one rapport—something for which St. Thomas’ Day School is always known for.

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