The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-18
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

go along with him.
Like many another father, shared
in the excitement around the home Of
getting up early in order to have an
early breakfast so that the boys could
get to school on time to get placed
for the fall session.
All day Sunday 1 could see the boys
in the neighborhood gathered in
groups. They were a bit subdued, for
there was something in the very at
mosphere which seemed to penetrate
into their very beings that vacation
days were at end and that the weary
round of classrooms would begin on
the morrow.
Now here and there few abnormal
children might have felt quicken.ng
at the thought of chance to get down
to study, but am sure that the normal
boy and girl felt a bit sorry that the
happy days OF play were to give way
to tasks imposed upon them by teach
'ers whose greatest JOY in life seemed
70 De IN giving lonS leSSonS'
Sunday morning always brings con-
fusion in regard to the clothes to be
worn. and I have always wondered
how mother with a large family OF
assorted children ever managed to get
then. dressed in time to make Sunday
schoo, without suffering nervous pros
tration. for it's childhood habit to
never know where any article of dress
is and to depend on mamma to find It."
Die you ever know boy who could
be made to shine his shoes on Satur-
day night? If so he is not the slight
est kin to the two out my way, for
they both are firm believers in not d.
ing today what can possibly be done
on the morrow, and / dare say you
who read this have one or more built
on the same plan, for mine are jhst
just mixed.
Frank Willis, JE. being the proud
owner of Islay May. the famous ,Jer-
sey bought at Bob Bells sale, when
I underwent brainstorm, had to get
his milk to few neighborhood Gus
toners, for she gives more than we
can possibly consume, so Proctor and
went on ahead of him and were
picked up on the way by one OF our
neighbors in her handsome new car.
This gave me chance to stand around
the school grounds for quite Nbit
until Frank came along
Did you ever watch a lot Of school
children assemble? It's good fun on
any day, but it's extra good sport on
opening day. I could write story
about the difference IN the way boys
Of greeting among the girls. The boys
are eager to try one another out to
see which one grew the stronger dn--
ing the vacation. while the girls are
more inquisitive about the way their
former playmatess are dressed.
I was standing near one of the en-
frances twirling my cane in a very
unconcerned manner. for l saw that
the boys were looking me over to
see ii they could classify me- I pre-
tended to be oblivious of their pres
ence. but 1 had my eyes open and my
ears waiting to catch their remarks.
heard one say, II bet you he is
new teacher" Another one replied,
mo he amt; no teacher carries
stick. He is just a visitor"
Finally one of the holder drew nigh
and. siding up to me, said, "Mistec,
are you teacher?" 1 answered, wait
and see. but l want to put you on no
tice that 1 believe in making boys be-
have. and when they don't l lick
en- This brought forth the remark
from the one who thought he had
spotted me as pedagogue. Didn't 1
tell you he was a teacher I knew he
wasn't going to take no foolishness off
of anybody" This kind of satisfied
their curiosity and the crowd which
had surrounded me melted away to
discuss me in private.
I never forget any of the Eufaula
girls and when one came along lead
ing a dainty little miss, looking more
like big doll than a pupil, 1 asked
If she was going to enter her, to be
told that she was the fifth and last.
that four had passed through Lake.
view. but several are still in the high
school. 1t made me feel bit old, for
when 1 left my home town she herself
was no larger than the pretty child
of who was to get her first glimpse
of school life.
Interesting as were the children, it
was pleasant to watch the mothers ard
fathers as they came with their chill
dren. The beauty about Lakeview IS
that while in it are some who are rich
and some who are poor, but no sno5-
bishhess exists, as tho children OF the
well-to-do have no better chance than
those whose parents have to struggle
for living. I saw one man in over
alls with his little boy, who had
dropped by. tools in hand. to get him
registered. 1 saw others who drove
up in their fine cars
The thing I like about our public
schools is that they incarnate the true
spirit of Americanism and are not
founded for or by class. 1 have al
ways been glad that father had the
|good sense to send me to the public
schools of st. Louis when was a boy,
for I got to see that the only thing