Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03
Valentine Day IN
the School Room

tic; moreover, she was well beloved
by her pupils. When, therefore, she
proposed to turn off her annual deluge of
all sorts and conditions of valentines by
celebrating the day in the school there was
chorus Of eager assent
Inc morning was to be spent in work, as
usual, with the difference that there would
pc twice as much to do, so ss to leave the
AFTERNOON free for the festivities The class
was grammar one, composed of thirty
girls. about eleven or twelve years of age.
For a week before the day arrived all the
girls had been very busy making valentines
at home The rule was that each girl must
make one for each classmate, that she
must have no outside assistance of any
kind. and that no one should spend more
than 30 cents of materials, and as much
less as she could.
Such bustling and hurrying as there
was In the noon lunch-hour of February
IA! Anxious mothers implored Mary or
Dollfe to eat something before she went
back to school, always to receive the an
swer that there were fifteen more valen-
tines to address,
AS each pupil came into the class room
she handed to the teacher thirty mysterious
envelopes, which promptly found their way
into large basket on Miss Smiths desk,
disclosing fascinating pile beneath.
Strange to say. there were hundred err
rands to be done. preventing small brains
from puzzling themselves too much about
forbidden things!
Miss Smith had been busy, too all lunch
con hour. and the blackboards were re-
splendent. The plain February calendar on
the side board had suddenly become thing
OF beauty by reason of much colored chalk.
some appropriate stencils and little labor.
Big red hearts. provided with dancing arms
and legs, adorned all the other boards,
while in front was a large red chalk square,
which the children were sure portended
some glorious surprise. Miss Smith her
self looked prettter than ever In q new
shirt waist and a dainty collar.
The distribution Of the valentines took
place Immediately. as too long wait would
have produced boredom. and nothing could
have received any great degree of atten-
ton so long as this important matter was
not attended to. Amid breathless excite
ment the envelopes were distributed thirty
for each. every one tightly sealed and re-
vealing no mark Of the identity Of the
sender. Some of the children had never re-
ceived q valentine before, and their delight
was pathetic. Most Of the valentines were
pretty. and some of them were very funny.
All sorts of materials had been used in
their making, and a great deal Of original
ity and cleverness was displayed.
All this consumed about half an hour,
anu 80 MISS Smith, fearful loSC tnere SnOulQ
be no time for the rest Of the program,
finally called q halt Then ior fifteen min
utes she read them the story of Valentines
day. the origin of the custom and a sketch
of the life Of st. Valentine.
This done, she proposed a novel contest
In the large red square in the front of the
room a class valentine was to be made.
Each member of the class was to add
the class was to vote on the most expert
artist
Never was there such an elaborate val
entine as this! From the cupid In the GEN.
ter to the really artistic lace at the edge
it was medley Of tints and shades. Two
girls worked at the same time, and each
couple was given two minutes at the board
The box of colored chalks was at their dis
posal. and they made good ;e Of it. BY
the time 1t was finished the principal came
in to see 1t. and he pronounced 1t a work
Of art.
By universal acclaim the prize fat, red, |
little heart-shaped cake, stuck through |
lame little Italian girl, who executed the |
beautiful lace paper (realy white chalk |
and charcoaD edge.
Finally Miss Smith passed around large
box, from which each girl was to take out |
three things, and with them make valen- |
tine. There was any amount of variety |
from which to choOse-peanut candy hearts, |
scraps Of silk and of crepe, and tissue |
paper, gilt and silver cord, bits of baby rib |
bon, tiny pictures-the selection was limit ]
less. Ten minutes was the time limit, and |
by that time every one had finished. This |
time the prize was awarded to Bertha, the |
baby of the class. for fat peanut ballet |
lady, dressed in red crepe paper. and hold |
ing In her twisted crepe paper arms a |
candy heart bearing the legend Il love
thee!" She became the proud possessor Of |!
a small heart-shaped photograph frame.
for which. after many entreafies, Miss Il
Smith promised her photograph.
The clock pointed to quarter-past 8, al
most closing time. and Miss Smith was
wondering how to I'LL in the extra quarter
of an hour when her own surprise oc-
CURED. After many nudges and giggies the
class arose in q body, exclaimed breath
lessly, Miss Smith. will you be our val
entine?' and subsidized suddenly, while