The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-08-09
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s The New )
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SchOOlmarm
By FAY STUART
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY FAY STUART
Copyright. by Joseph E. Bowles.)

Energetic Miss Martha Pryor
opened the picket gate in front Of the
Gordon homestead, closing 1t with a
sharp click that made Mrs. Gordon
glance out from the flower-screened
window at her approaching guest.
Good afternoon, Martial" she ex-
claimed heartily as Miss Pryor en-
tered, bringing with her a gust of
fresh air. do take your things right
off and sit down"
Il can't stop long, but l thought I'd
just run over for a spell, seem l had
the work done up" said Miss Pryor.
I'm glad you come, Martha. Folks
in Fairfield amt, half neighborly
enough"
After discussing various minor mat
tiers, Miss Martha held forth Upon the
subject uppermost in her mind, which
was, indeed, the sole object of her
visit.
Have you heard about the COINS
on over to the schoolhouse since that
new schoolmarm come, Maria?" she
asked in an impressive tone that con-
IdlneQ uuSpOReu volumes.
Mrs. Gordon frightened visibly. 81
amt heard no particulars, as you
might say, but James sister, Sarah
Ann, was sayin' last night hat her
young ones was head over heels in
love with Miss G-ayson. Now l call
that a bad sign. I'm afraid she's goin'
to turn out kind of easy goin', without
much notion of government"
"Notion!" cried Miss Martha, sharp
ly, she's all notions! That is the
trouble exactly. OF all the new
tangled ideas you ever heard-well, l
ought to know what 1 am talkin' about,
SEEM 1 live right side of the school
house, and 1 tell you, Maria, some
things got to be done! Why, last
Saturday she had the boys diggin' up
the schoolyard to make flower gar
dens! And she's forever trampin'
around in the woods after evergreen
and princess vine to decorate with.
There's precious little studyin' goin'
on these days, I'm thinkin'!" and Miss
Martha pursued her thin lips together.
Its too bad" sighed Mrs. Gordon,
h%elplessly. II did hope we'd get a
smart teacher after that ridiculous
Mr.. Porter; he just let everything go
to rack and ruin! l suppose it's a
pretty hard school to manage by this
time"
She don't try to manage! She
amt got no idea of managin'! And
I've about made up my mind to com.
plain to the schoolboard. Now there's
Johnnie, dear; I'm bound to do my
duty by my dead brothers child and
l won't have his head filled with high
flown notions. He's almost stark mac
already over DRAWN lessons and
speakin' pieces with motions to EN-
'Tain't right! Why can't she be plain
and sensible and teach plain readin'
writin' and 'rithmetic? What do you
think, Maria? Would it be any use
to see DR.. Whitcomb? l think a good
deal Of your advice in important mat
ters."
well, Martha, seems to me
'twouldn't do any harm at any rate
Might be worth tryin'. Twill depend
a good deal on the way the doctor
happens to be feelin'."
Meanwhile, Miss Leslie Grayson
that new schoolmarm," went ~serenely
on her way, not wholly unconscious O.
the commotion that she was creatins
in the little village.
To this village, where she had spen'
several years Of her childhood, fresl
from college and bubbling over will
enthusiasm, came Leslie Grayson. Sh,
saw with wondering, pitiful eyes tn,
narrow, monotonous life of these PEG
pie, and her heart grew fairly a-trem
Bile as she longed to show them all tn,
beauty and sweetness that surrounde,
them. oh, the boundless out-of-doo
world, with it's wondrous natur'
studies! The glory and delight of i
was all theirs-and they did not know
It. Here was the corner where sh
could work; here, the opportunity TO
which she had longed; so, with
light heart she made her plans. An
she began with the children.
The result of her interesting exper
ment at the end Of the first mont
was very gratifying. Already she ha
won the goodwill of every scholar
and instead of the studied indiffe1
ence so impossible to combat, peopl
were beginning to open their eye:
stare, wonder and talk.
At the close of the Friday a~fternoo
exercises, Miss Grayson omitted he
usual reading from Miss Alcott's Iii
tie Women" and talked to the chi
dren instead.
ut is a month to-day, children" sh
began, since I first looked into you
faces. l want to tell you that 1 az
proud Of my choice Of a school,"
The children looked at each othe
with pleased faces.
ut is a pleasure to teach boys an
girls who are interested. 1 can Sc
Improvements already. Now that W
are so we'll acquainted / expect be,
ter work to be done next month
When l first came here 1 thought thi
room the most dismal place in tn
world, but eve in this short time W
have succeeded in making it neat an,