The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-08-12
"HOOSIfR SCHOOL
MASTER" TONIGHT


Schoolmaster, by Edward Eggleston,
has for foundation one of the deepest
and most intensely human themes to
be found in the entire field of litera-
ture. 1t tells of the two parties which
have forever been battling for social
supremacy: he party of the future and
the party of the past; of the new
ideas which come and of the old ones
which die hard. 1t the story of the
man who wears a necktie and his
Leighbor who objects to the custom
;,n everyday story of plain people in
vested with a deep human interest
which is common to all subjects that
deal with real flesh and blood men and
women. In their comedy there is trag
edy and in their tragedy there is com
edy, because in them you get a good
birds eve view of yourself and your
/ friends
The story is laid in 1881 in rural In
diana-then the western frontier of
the United States. Political parties were
| largely dominated by organized bands
or robbers. The farmers had a hard
time keeping up with their supersti
tions and the most unwelcome arrival
was he who brought new ideas into the
community. And as for education, IL
was case of "liekin' and l'arnin
liekin' and l'arnin',' the good old
way.
Ralph Hartsook, a bookish man with
high sense of moral obligation but
"not much in tussle,' drifts into
Flat Creek district and before he
leaves demonstrates that "l'arnin /"
| is keener edged tool than "lickin' -
But which is important to the story
even before the arrival of the school.
master in Flat Creek, Hannah Thomp-
son, girl educated beyond her sur
roundings, sensitive and of a retiring
disposition, is bound out as a servant
| il. the Means household. She becomes
drudge and a slave because she is
not made of the stuff necessary to com
hat the brutality of the Means. Under
the soiled clothes of the bound girl,
Ralph sees the "queen rose of the
rosebud garden of girls" Strong as
her aversion is to education, Mrs.
Means does not object to taking il into
tie family and she plans that Ralph
marry her daughter. Where ignorance
errs Vanity is wise She detests Ralph
as schoolmaster but would boast of
him as a son-in-law. The situation of
Sis Means, egged on by her mother.
playing for the favor of Ralph, and
| Rslph---his heart burning up for love
of the bound girl--doing his best to
niaintain peace with the Means-the
situation gives rise to sequence of
the richest comedy.
From the day of his arrival the
sehoolmaster is looked upon as the
natural enemy of the Flat Creek peo-
rle. Bud Means is the champion school
rnaster-hater. He is six feet two inches
tall and has "licked' every unfortu-
nate schoolmaster who has ventured
into the district.
Although rumors of the past and
threats for the future bear him down,
Ralph decides to stay and organize his
"'church of the licks.'' Ralph 3 first
day at school-the tricks played upon
him and the dark ways of the back
woods schoolboys-al these things con-
stitute comedy episode which has
never been outdone for spontaneous
fun.
| When his pupils fail in their attempt
to drive the schoolmaster out of the
district the patriarchs undertake the
job, under the leadership of Pete
Jones, a politician and baneful infu-
ence in the community. The RESPONSE
billity of a grave crime is fastened
upon Ralph. Crowds gather and public
sentimen runs high. There is always
crowd of men waiting with a rope to
lynch a man when he is down and so
there is in Flat Creek this day.
1t is a well-known story how Captain
Pearson, who :" fit with General Scott at
Lundy's Lane proved a friend ia
need; how Bud Means joined the
4" church of the best licks' at the last
moment and how at the trial Pete
Jones, by an unexpected turn of events,
is branded as the guilty party. Like
wise, how Shocky, Hannah 8 brother,
whom God forgot for a long time, is re-
membered in the end.
| This feature film will be shown at the
Nixon opera house this evening. Admis-
sion, children 10 cents, adults 25 cents.
Silver State and 8. T. Call SOC month