Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-08-22
The Peach Orchard School.

in a western state where / once
taught school. Such parts of the
region thereabout as were suitable
had been occupied by farms and
orchards for more than thirty years
but these were ruthleSSly sacrificed
to Mammon in the first mad rush for
wealth which followed the discovery
of the precious metal. Fruitful fields
were laid waste. orchards were cut
down and gardens Strewn with fiinty
rocks torn from the neighboring hill
sides. Even the Zig-Zag streets which
separated the struggling rows of
haStily-built Shanties were full of
pitfalls, yawning for the unwary
worth when its preservation was
opposed to the sudden acquisition of
a fortune.
Mankind, in general, vacillates be
tween extremes. The inhabitants of
Short Creek while wooing tickle for
tune discovered that not all is gold
which glitters and that the bitter
may not always be unmixed with
sweet.
As the town grew and began to put
on an appearance of stability, ma
chinery was brought in and furnaces
erected for the reduction of the ores
which brought affiuence to some and
poverty to others. In the beginning
all was hurry and confusion, coming
and going; but as it began to appear
that some of them would actually re-
main indefinitely and rear their
children there. the more SOber-minded
ones turned from thoughts of Nam
mon to thoughts of morals and resolved
to build churches and schoolhouses.
Accordingly two SchoOlhOuSes were
built. One was a long, narrow, two
story structure with a hall and stair
way across one end. 1t was located
near the site of an old peach orchard
and, hence, was called the Peach
Orchard School. Two teachers were
employed at this school and | was
placed in control of the lower or
primary department. Here in room
originally intended for fifty pupils
were often crowded as many as ninety.
What mass of pushing, wriggling.
Juvenile humanity daily crowded into
that room to be counted, named and
instructed and then Surged out again.
They were of all conceivable DISPOSE
tions and shades of color, natural or
acquired, from the dusky-black mis-
chiefmaker called Penelope to the
bright and atfectionate little girl
whose Christian (?l name was Atcha-
falaya. hourly growing more pale and
fragile under the burden of her cogno-
men. There was the boy called
Lawless which he was both by name
and by nature. There was the fifteen
year old boy in the first reader. natur-
ally quick ana smart but strongly in
clined to graduate from the street
Finally there was the big, awkward
girl. unkempt and strangely clad. a
physical gianteSS but a mental dwarf
Ida Guy-wboSe brighter but mis-
chieyouS brother Ed was Il member OF
the classes above mine. L never heard
her attempt to recite without a feel
ing of pity. as she stood there, the
tallest girl in the room, and yet the
simplest task seemed too much for
her intellectual strength. The fol-
lowing event threw some light upon
her strange conduct and appearance:
One evening. toward the close of a
hot summer day, after school was dis
missed | sat down to rest and wait
for my fellow teacher who taught the
school above mine. as we usually
walked home together. The shouts
of the liberated children died away in
the distance. The rays OF the sinking
sun came streaming in at the western
windows where a score of flies We're
vainly endeayOring to make their
exit. Their drowSy hum. mingled
with the subdued noise of distant
''crusher" was fast lulling me to sleep
when L was aroused by the sound of
voice which came floating down the
stairway and in at the open door of
the hall. 1t was the voice of the
teacher for whom | waited. My
curiosity was excited by his earnest
ness. l went up to his room and in
IL IL
His erect form met my inquiring gaze
and before him stood Ed Guy with
downcaSt face. Their left hands were
Joined and the teachers extended
right hand held an uDlifted stick.
Apparently desisting in his first in
tention, the teachers voice of stern
admonition changed to earnest eX-
hortation. He appealed to the boys
pride: ''What will your schoolmateS
and neighbors think of you?" Il
don't care was the sullen response
What will your father Say?" He
doesn't care either: he's drunk half
the time" Then as a final resort.
s'What will your mother say when she
hears of your diSobedience?-
Here was the key to the stubborn
heart. No boy. however unruly, who
has once known a mothers loving care
and tenderness, will ever quite forget
her That last question reminded
Edward Guy of great loSS-the
greatest loss ever sustained by boy or
girl. The pent up tears burst from
their fountains and flowed down his
flaming cheeks to drop on his bare
feet. Beneath a ragged jacket his
bosom heaved violently as he replied
between cOnyulSiye SobS, Mothers
deadi-
The teachers eve lost its fire and
the threatening cudgel fell harmlessly
at his side. In voice husky with |
emotion he asked ''What shall l do
with him?" / advised him to give |
the boy another opportunity TO re-
form and Ed Guy. really penitent. /
promised obedience and kept his /
word