During school years Clara made many friends. I, on the other hand, was too shy. Her friends would become accustomed to my sticking close by, gradually accepting me into their circle. Clara had made the friendship, yet seldom was I excluded.Clara was a brilliant student, and was recommended out of grade eight without having to write exams. Her teacher, Mrs. Jordan, was very favourably impressed with the beautiful maps she would draw. Her abilities in writing compositions and poetry were developing as well. Also about this time her talents in singing and in artwork were beginning to be recognized. I was not jealous of her abilities, or even of the recognition she received because of her accomplishments. Nonetheless, this focus on her served to awaken me to the realization that I was not doing very well myself. At the end of grade seven I was not eligible to be promoted to Mrs. Jordan’s upper level of grade eight students because my marks were not good enough. If only by mid-term I could improve my marks sufficiently I could then be transferred to the upper half of the class. This stimulated a great effort. I craved recognition too. Perhaps, I reasoned, I could inch into the circle of the good favour that Clara had won with Mrs. Jordan, but it didn't work that way. Nevertheless, from that time on, until the end of my schooling I tried very hard to improve my standing. I was rewarded. I was promoted to that upper half of the class by New Year. I watched my grades climb steadily. It was gratifying to recognize that I, too, could produce good work if I just extended the effort. I continued in school much longer than my sister had the privilege of doing. Gradually I, too, had the satisfaction of making many fast friends for myself. In Bible School days later on, Clara always came out with marks high in the nineties when writing themes, essays, and term papers. When I tried to match this I discovered that I could also obtain nearly as good marks. Her achievements became an incentive to me. Art was one of Clara's specialties. Although I did discover that I had some latent artistic abilities, yet, because her accomplishments in oil paintings were so far above average, the goal seemed too remote. I never attempted to develop this gift.
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