The Dolores star., 1909-12-24
.WhenClass "A"
Gave Thanks
Copyright. BY J. B. Llpplncott Co)
BY LUCY COPIN e r

I Copyright. by J. b. Lippincott Coz
| Connected with the Teachers insti-
tute. under whose guidance Miss Lucy
still continued. there was a sort Of
postgraduate club, small In its num-
bers and snobbish in its attitude.
This club was. as 1t were, the inner
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
tongues at their less favored sisters.
II was known as the Society OF Schol.
astic Sociology. which high-sounding
title was. however. perverted by en-
y!ous outsiders into the Sour Spinster
| Social. Miss Lucy and her frivolous
companions had been among these ir-
reverent scoffers until the time came
, when Miss Lucy herself was invited
to aspire to It's membership. She then
took 10 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 thesis upon
some problem Of school life. and was
then visited by 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.
fiuence 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 Glass A. while in the back OF the
room sat judicially the dread commit
tee. made up Of the principal. the su-
pervisor and visiting teacher--a
long. thin, spectacled 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
I hanks" and. fortified by her new
waist she swallowed the lump in her
throat and began.
Children" she said, smilingly, II
want to talk to you little about q
holiday we are going to have soon.
Who knows what It is? Hermann"
"Holler eve," said Herman.
"Oh. no. Herman. not Hallow eve."
said Miss Lucy. ut is Thanksgiving
And now who can tell me what
Thanksgiving means? What do we
do then? Sophie?"
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 a guzzler."
In these heart to heart talks with
her class Miss Lucy allowed GER
tain freedom OF expression. but at
the disclosure of this exchange OF
connubial compliments she looked
shocked.
Yes. Sophie. dear" she began. but
the talkative Sophie was not SO easily
checked.
And Miss Lucy" she continued.
my sisters got beau. but my
mother says he amt nothing but =
kissing bug
At this Miss Lucy looked apprehen-
sively at the committee. The prin.
cipal was shamelessly amused. but
the supervisor. 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 means! 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 op-
posed to these attempts Of Miss Lucy
to uplift her moral tone. Even this
obvious appeal did not affect her.
"Nothun." she said. rue.ly.
At these repeated refusals to re-
spond to her questions a suspicion
was growing upon Miss Lucy that as
subject Of scholastic sociological re-
search Class A 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