The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-11
THE DISTRICT SCHOOL

Annie Lee had gotten four-year
high school diploma and was now
very anxious to teach school and make
enough money to go to college All
the summer she and her mother worked
very hard trying to make ends meet
Annie also had one sister and brother
TO go to school in the fall. Elsie ana
John.
The time passed swiftly and Annie
had gotten her a school In the valley
about ten miles from where they lived.
Annie persuaded her mother to go over
In the valley and live there so she
could stay with her and thereby save
her board that way. So Annie and her
mother and brother and sister went
In the valley. They now had six
weeks In which to get acquainted with
the people and to get their things
straight. The school was about mile
from where they lived. and had only
one room. II WAS very comfortably
fred. 1t had nice desks for the chill
dreu also very nice teachers desk.
Also some very desirable pictures on
the wall On the morning Of the 9Th
Annie with Elsie and John. went to the
sehoolhouse early 80 As to get the
room neat before the other children
came They busted the desks and re-
arranged the pictures and placed some
xoldenrod which they had gathered.
In the vases. Tho room looked bright
and cherry. when o'clock came there
were about twenty-five children gath
ered at the little schoolhouse. Some
ready to start with their A. c. C.s and
others almost ready for high school
work. Annie was perfectly delighted
when she saw their bright faces for
she had always loved children. When
- III bat and n.
signed them their lessons. sha gave
them recess. after which she made out
her program for the session. Elsie sat
by Fannie Rudd,, = little girl In her
Glasses. II IL quite hard for anyone
10 teach school without having 4 few
favorftes. and II was quite hard for
Annie not to be partial 10 Elsie and
John sometimes.
The children went home and the
usual question OF How DO you tike
your new teaeher:. and the response
was: I'VE dearly lore her. Everything
was progressing In the school tine and
the children seemed % devoted to An
ME that she asked tho board to give
her another month and have seven In
stead OF q six month school, The board
readily granted this request to the
delight Of tho children.
Annie would have spelling matches
on Friday evenings and was proud for
John nearly always won To get them
more Interested she offered a dollar
watch to the boy or II 1t was girl
Il would be a sewing box. Some Of
the children said II know John will
get It. he always wins anyway" But
several made up their minis II he got II
he would have 70 work for II, The
spelling match was called up on that
particular evening and John was
spelled down on the NTH word that
came to him. Willie Bell won the prize
and 1t was given him that very even
ing. 1t was very hard to get the
better OF John after that.
school ended on the 18th Of May, and
Annie had the children rAcite and sing
and after that thar had picnic in
the grove just beyond the school, The
sadAast time had to eeme yet and that
was the time to tell their dear teacher
goodbye, They bsgged her to teach
next year. Annie new had enes hun
dred dollars for hAr eeliege eGpenseA
She went to the summer nermal that
sumnsr and when fan came again she
toek charge OF the Attle seheofheuss
IN the valley, How delighted the ahil-
dren were 70 see her, rhey breuaAt
her 1ewers every nsFntag to adesA ha1