The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-05-15
A CHAPTER OF REVELATIONS



Every teacher in the building had ar
rived an hour earlier than usual Black
boards had been polished, blunt pencils
sharpened, plants watered, and book
shelves rearranged, while little dis
courses upon altruistic topics were men
tally prepared
Even unto the august Board of Direc-.
tors had this Illuminating day extended
Its subtle influence. Ghosts of unat-
tended Board meetings fitted before the
members, pointing unmistakably to the
Flag OF the Free which foated from the
school-house staff. And SO it happened
that into Miss Genevieye Thornton's first
primary room the Principal ushered
Deacon Dillsburv who had become a
member of the Board in accordance with
the tinle-henored custom Of electing one
representative from the rural portion Of
the district.
Miss Thornton's room was scene of
beauty and order The example of
Mother Nature had been widely copied
by other mothers, and the children had
come to school in spotless rainent,
hands and faces cleaning, and hair won
derfu1 to behold. Several Sunday gar
4nents had been ushered forth into the
light of everyday. Might as we'll be
worn now-too warm for summer, and
oufgrown by next winter" an argument
neatly propounded by Annie Jones, who
sllone Respondent in gaudy plaid and
silver braid, and whose wrists and knees
emphasized the logic of her mothers
reasoning.
The Principal, inspired by the attitude
of interest and attention, rose to the
occasion with the usual remarks con-
corning his pleasure at seeing so many
little children in their respective places.
at looking into so many bright faces and
knowing that they were all eager TO learn
their little lessons-and the children
took on beatihc expressions and pinched
their cIasped fingers in an ccstacy of
f-appreciatiori-and beneath this radi- |
ance the Principal smilingly Withdrew.
As Miss Thornton proceeded with the
daily weather record. the Deacon leered |
cheerfully at the pupils from behind his |
steel-rinmed spectacles. Good idee |
Good idee p he repeated again and again
Teach EN- to observe the phenomeny of I
Nature-good idee, very good ideep
Presently the science lesson COM
menced. One of the children had I
brought some peanut plants, and as they |
had been Observing reading about, writ
ing about modelling, drawing, painting
(and occasionally eating) various kinds
of nuts, Miss Thornton conscientiousiy |
put the little plants through the usual
PAGES, in accordance with the latest APP
proved method of correlation. The Dea
con evidently enjoyed the lesson and
when, as a mark of Difference, he was
given an opportunity to examine the
plants, he waxed eloquent in praise of
the teacher, pupils and plants, bringing
bushes to the face of the former, and
reducing the children to craven images
OF awe and reverence.
And now, pursued the Deacon,
"siflce you have observed the properties
and structure of these little plants, can
any one tell me what use Nature, IN her
great economy, has allotted to them 2!
The little jaws dropped, the eyes open
ed wide with wonder, Miss Thornton's .
face became suddenly the target of forty
separate inquiries She forced back a z
smile and nurmured softly, What is II {
good Tor. Tomrnie ?" She always stood I
near Tommie when there was company
lit was safer. {
Tonlr11ie arose promptly. Big words {
had no terrors for him; he never hesitat- c
ea TO incorporate thera into his own a
vocabulary, irrespective of meaning. I
The Deacon repeated, What use has c
Nature. in her great economy, allotted
to fhenl?" II
st is economy to eat a lot of 'ern. S
And as Tonlrnie sat down, Charlie piped !
up sfrilly, aThey are used to feed the. S
monkeys and elephants at the circus |" K
The Deacon's jaw took turn at drop
ping. He felt vaguely that something y
was wrong In
All, yes-ail, yes, my little lads-lo
people eat them animals eat thenl-qtnte {,
right And now, who can further in 4
form rne-shese little plants are grown 8
In what localities p In
LLOYD has no such assurance as TORI Il
mic Localities What's them?' he Il
demanded. i 9
Where do they grow, Lloyd z" asked .
Miss Thornton vague uneaslness taxing o
possession of her as she felt the children a
slipping slowly but surely toward the
verge of mental and moral disintegra-9t n
ton. Io
They grow in the ground, of course;
he ought to know that, replied Lloyd,
with decided sniff. In
The element of unrest was momentar- =.
lily developing, when a light tap at the &
door heralded the entrance OF Mrs Caro- /.
line Hilton Gibbs. the only member OF
her sex who had ever served on the D
Board. Following her spirited and cor =.
dial greeting, the Deacon departed, =,
knocking with a sigh of relief, at the h;
Second Grade door. =;
Mrs. Caroline Hilton Gibbs was
very impressive figure in local society; :.
She was President of the Mothers Club, ~ ~
Superintendent of the Association for q
Assorted Charities, and Chairman OF a =
Committee OF Six TOR the =. :.
and Improvement OF Pub =. ).
Il Instruction. She rustled across the ~ ~
1oor with a hearty greeting to the chill ~ rs
iren. She shook hands With Miss 4, =
Thornton and presently turned again to -
he pupils. remarklng t;e
aNow / must ask all you little people ~ -
o be very quiet and see what beamtifui 1t