Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-12-02
WhenCIass "A"
Gave Thanks
% LUCY coPIN G E 2


D tute, under whose guidance Miss Luc.
5 still continued, there was a sort o
, postgraduate club. small in its mum
bers and snobbish ia its attitude
This club was, as It were, the innei
circle Of teacherdom, and from its su
perior heights its members could af
ford TO turn up their pedagogical
! noses and stick out their pedagogical
J tongues at their less favored sisters
II was known as the Society Of Schol
astic Sociology, which high-soundine
title was. however. perverted by en-
vious outsiders into the Sour SpinsteE
Social Miss Lucy and her frivolous
companions had been among these ir.
4 reverent scoffers until the time came
when Miss Lucy herself was invited
TO aspire to its membership. She then
took to speaking in rhetorical periods
only, and to snubbing her former as
sociates.
The requirements for admission to
this society were few but rigorous.
The candidate wrote q thesis upon
some problem OF school life, and was
then visited by a committee Of three.
who listened to the working out of the
problem. With her usual cheerful
conceit, Miss Lucy had scorned the
humber phases OF her work, and had
taken for her subject "A Teachers In
fuence Upon the Moral Tone Of Her
Class" A week before Thanksgiving
she received notice that the commit
tee Of three would visit her.
The next morning Miss Lucy.
clothed In foolish confidence and her
very best white shirt-waist, stood be-
fore Class A. while in the back Of the
room sat judicially the dread commit
tee, made up of the principal. the SUI
pervisor and a visiting teacher
long, thin, specialized person whom
Miss Lucy in her unregenerate days
would have designated as one Of the
Sour Spinsters. but whom she now
viewed with the reverence given to a
high priestess In the ranks OF Schol-
astic Sociology. Miss Lucy had taken
for her sub-topic why We Give
Thanks" and, fortified by her new
waist she swallowed the lump in her
throat and began.
Children" she said, smilingly, Il
want to talk to you little about a
holiday we are going to have soon.
Who knows what II is? Hermann"
"Holler eve" said Herman.
''oh. no, Herman, not Hallow eve,"
said Miss Lucy. TT is Thanksgiving.
And now who can tell me what
Thanksgiving means? What do we
do then? sophie7"
Miss Lucy" began Sophie Bauer
schmidt. "efery year we haf a party
init beer, and my father gifts drunk,
and my mother says he amt nothing
but guzzler."
In these heart to heart talks with
her class Miss Lucy allowed a GER
tain freedom Of expression. but at
the disclosure OF this exchange Of
connubial compliments she looked
shocked.
Eyes. Sophie. dear" she began. but
the laxative Sophie was not SO easily
checked.
And Miss Lucy" she continued,
my sisters got a beau, but my
mother says he amt nothing but a
kissing-bug."
At this Miss Lucy looked apprehen-
sively at the committee. The prin- |
cipal was shamelessly amused, but
the supervisor. a correct gentleman,
looked panied. and the blush of out |
ragged modesty was rising upon the
spinster cheek of the visiting teacher.
That will do. Sophie" said Miss
Lucy. severely; you are not telling |
me what | asked you at all. Children, |
some of you can surely tell me what
Thanksgiving meansl Anna. what do
we do them"
Anna Karenina, in her seat at the |
foot Of the class, had been sitting in
scornful silence that she always Cd. |
posed to these attempts of Miss Lucy
to uplift her moral tone. Even this
obvious appeal did not affect her.
'Nothun," she said. rudely.
AT these repeated refusals to re-
spond to her questions a suspicion
was growing upon Miss Lucy that as
a subject of scholastic sociological re-
search Glass might be a failure
Her cheeks were beginning to show
flaming signals OF distress, but she
kept bravely on.
"oh. yes, Anna. surely you can
think Of something you do on Thanks
giving"
"Nothun." repeated Anna, blankly.
Having thus spoken. she withdrew
herself from further discussion by
sulkily putting her head down on her
desk
Just at this moment an inspiration
seized Bum o'Reilly His quick Irish
tact had told him that there was some |
especial answer desired by Miss Lucy.
He remembered that she had always |
shown an interest in the numerous ad
ditions to his family.
we got a baby last Thanksgivun,"
be volunteered. obligingly, but we
amt goin' to git none this year"
At this point Miss Lucy, without |
even daring to look at the committee.