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The first third-grade class she taught at St. Mary's schoolThirty four students and one big old Golden RuleSister Helen had a way with the kidsToo much talking was about the worst thing they didOne boy in particular was suited to gabThough the good Sister Helen was not prone to get madOne day he called her bluff, so she had to go through with itShe taped up his mouth because she threatened to do itThe months flew by, that school year passed Sister Helen was moved up to junior-high mathThat's where she instructed for several yearsWhen a student, a young man named Mark reappearedMore handsome than ever, now in the ninth grade"Thank you for teaching me, Sister," he saidShe remembered his scene with the tape that one yearAnd when she finally had laughed how the whole class had cheeredMission accomplished, the kids were amazedAnd a cloud had been lifted that lasted for daysAnd the talking in class had been cut down to sizeOh, Sister Helen was wise One particular Friday in 2 PM classLetras de cancionesThe students were struggling with all the New MathSo she told 'em to close up their books and their brains"Take out two sheets of paper and list all their names."Then she asked them to write down at least one thing they couldThat they liked about every one else in the roomShe collected the papers as all were dismissedAnd on Monday each student got his or her listMission accomplished, the kids were amazedAnd a cloud had been lifted that lasted for daysAnd the New Math was easier to tally and twistIn the ninth grade where Sister Helen made up those listsSeveral more autumns and more graduationsSister Helen returned to the school from vacationTo the news that a boy she'd seen go to the promDidn't quite make it home from VietnamThe funeral was Monday and Mark's parents had askedIf Sister Helen could come to the massAnd so she was the last one in line at the casketWhen a young man in uniform walked up and asked her"You were Mark's math teacher, weren't you?" he stared"He talked about you quite a lot over there."Then then funeral gathering went off to Chuck's placeA classmate of Mark's from way back in third gradeMark's father approached her "We've something to show you"He pulled out Mark's wallet "We feel like we owe you so much"And he handed her two sheets of paperTaped over and over and over againAnd there in her hand she was holding Mark's listWhile Mark's mother said, "Thank you so much for this."And then one by one Mark's ninth-grade classmates came 'roundTo tell Sister Helen they still had their ownVicki took hers from her handbag right there"Mine's in the front of my diary," said MarilynCharlie kept his on his office desk"Mine's in our wedding album," Chuck saidMission accomplished, the kids were amazedThough "the kids" were now grown men and women these daysAnd the New Math was easier to tally and twistSince the ninth grade where Sister Helen Had made up those lists From Letras Mania