Keynote Speaker (2003)
Mrs. Mildred J. Sanders was born on September 11, 1922 to the proud parents of Samuel D. and Susie E.  Jefferson. She graduated from Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she majored in English and minored in Librarian Science. Mrs. Sanders taught for six years in the Magnolia School System. In 1955, Mrs. Sanders came to Stephens and remained teaching there for 27 years. Mrs. Sanders is the mother of four sons: Samuel Ray Sanders, James Earl Sanders, Lee Morris Sanders and Tony Darryl King. The grandmother of two grandchildren: Shekita Lorrine Sanders and David Ino Sanders. Mrs. Sanders enjoys traveling and reading in her spare time. Her aspiration in life, "I have lived my life four score and ten and I am looking forward to the century mark." In closing, Mrs. Sanders would like to leave with you, "Above all things — to thine own self — be true."
Keynote Address The delight of duty — Doing the right thing vs. Doing things right Too often people focus on efficiency — doing things right instead of on effectiveness — doing the right thing. Working on the right things is what makes work effective. Those are wise words for anyone seeking business success, and for those trying to live a good life. There is no doubt that obedience brings blessings to us. Today there is a great need to re-emphasize obedience, whether such actions make us feel good or not. Love inspired duty ought to control everything we do. Keep your ears open — Hearing and Listening I’d like to tell you a story about the mockingbird. When I was a little girl a mockingbird would wake me up most mornings early, singing on the roof of our home. I heard him for a long time and then, I was no longer hearing him. Then one morning I heard him again-this time I wasn’t just hearing him sing — I understood something different in his singing. What? I was really listening and I understood his message because it revealed his happiness and joy. You see his singing had become routine before, but this time I understood it and listened. Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will not grow — this is achievement. Reminisce with me for a few minutes on: [1] who are we or you; [2] what are we; and [3] where are we. Since we began this reunion for Carver-Stephens, much has been achieved. I think in the waves of change we have found our true direction. We have developed teamwork — the ability to work together toward a common vision and the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. [so says Oliver Wendell Holmes]. Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it. Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens; not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst — a spark that creates extraordinary results. Excellence is the result of caring more than others. To think is wise; risking more than others think is safe; dreaming more than others think is practical; and expecting more than others think is possible. The greatest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity — choosing right over wrong, choosing ethics over convenience, and choosing truth over popularity. These are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing. Priorities — A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the kind of car I drove — but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. Let me close with this: Ten gifts that don’t cost a cent The gift of listening The gift of a compliment The gift of a favor The gift of a cheerful disposition The gift of a written note The gift of solitude The gift of saying thanks The gift of laughter The gift of affection The gift of prayer
What are you giving? To whom are you giving? And where are you giving? Thank you for this invitation and I pray that god blesses each one of you in this reunion, your return home, and for the rest of your lives.
| Reprinted with permission. Full text of keynote address delivered by Mrs. Mildred J. Sanders at the Carver-Stephens School Reunion Banquet on July 5, 2003. Copyright ©2003 by Mildred J. Sanders. |
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