Diplomacy & Grace Beyond Measure

Authors personal note: In a modern instantanious digital world... is the value of real personal diplomacy dead?

As a result, I am posting this as a story from my grandmother's time.

The value of "education" and lessons from my grandmother's example resonate well with me. I am a student still learning important life lesson's every single day.
Here's is a good example of Diplomacy and Grace Beyond measure. In my book, it's still worthy of discussion and reflection, even today.

I am honored to have heard of this story first from my father, and I share with you today. Please see the previous post before this one as well for a tad bit more information.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Word of Edith Faulstich/Fisher's dynamic influence, diplomacy and vast experience in the philatelic arena spread to international philatelic groups.

Many people desired to have her speak and judge at international philatelic exhibitions and other related functions.

On one such occasion, Faulstich received a very glowing and edifying letter from a man stating that his club would be very honored to have such an internationally famous person speak at their stamp club meeting in southern New Jersey.

The letter was signed by the president, Mr. Smerber.

Faulstich recognized the name Smerber as it was not a very common name. She also remembered that he was the same Mr. Smerber from her tenth grade math class.

At that time he did not link Edith M. Faulstich as being the same person as Edith M Vanderpoel.

She was the same person from his 1925 tenth grade math class (author’s interview, 1996).

She wrote a very nice letter back to Mr. Smerber and graciously accepted his invitation. When Faulstich arrived at the meeting, Mr. Smerber did not recognize her when she arrived at the formal luncheon.

Faulstich began her opening remarks about the importance of knowledge and commitment in the successfully promoting philatelic work.

She then began to weave a captivating tale, recounting a forty year-old story about a tenth grade student and how much a teacher can impact and contribute to helping shape the future lives of students. She then coyly but ever so diplomatically turned a smile to Mr. Smerber. She said, ". . . and that student who was Edith M. Vanderpoel became Edith M. Faulstich.

I stand before all of you today to say that my personal education has been and still is the key to promoting the importance of our philatelic work and research." She then very skillfully intertwined her enthralling story so that it resonated well with the members present by providing relevant motivational material and many gracious thanks for inviting her to speak.

Faulstich never mentioned Mr. Smerber’s name in front of the audience. Faulstich and Smerber maintained contact for many years after that gracious speech (author’s interview, 1996).

A Few Tid Bits About "Dee" & A Pivitol Moment

As a child she developed the nick name "Dee."

The development and transformation of the name came from her Swiss-German grandfather, Conrad Bollinger. When ever he tried to pronounce Edith it always came out "Edit." It sounded like he was always saying "eat it".
To avoid embarrassment he began calling her Dee.
Throughout her life she was known as Dee.

A Pivitol Moment, in High School

One occurrence appears to have become a pivotal point in Faulstich’s life. Faulstich knew she was intelligent and despite what others thought, she was not a quitter.

At Park Ridge High School in 1925, Edith had enrolled in Mr. Smerber's tenth-grade geometry class. It was not that she needed the class to graduate, but all her friends were in the class. She was a very social person, but be it known, Edith was not a flighty person by nature and always gave her best at any given task. Part way through the geometry course, Faulstich realized she and math did not mix. Never having done so before and after considerable deliberation, she asked to withdraw from the class. Mr. Smerber brought her up from her wooden desk to the front of the class and stood her up on top of the platform where his desk reigned. Before the entire class of 25 students, Mr. Smerber proclaimed that she was a quitter, a looser and that she would never amount to anything" (author’s interview, no. 1, 1995). Despite the embarrassing incident in front of her classmates she graduated from high school in 1927.

Later in her life, this incident would become the opening remarks of a speech she would make to a large philatelic audience in southern New Jersey.