The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1922-11-17
HER YEAR OFF


Emma Browns classmates we're all
agreed that she had drawn the plum
from the pedagogical pie when, the
September after she graduated from
college, she received an appointment
TO teach. In the high school At Mont
rose Highlands. Not only would her
work be under the most delightful
conditions Of splendid equipment and
inspiring surroundings, and draw.
even 1T the start, q very fair salary,
but she would In time be eligible Tor
Curtis Hunts Sabbatical Year.
Curtis Hunt was the comparatively
new superintendent Of schools OF
MOntroee Highlands. He had insti-
tuted many refOrmA none Of them,
however, more popular than his SAD
batical Year. "High school teachers,
az well a. college professors" he
stoutly maintained, should be allowed
q year OF, every seventh year, for re-
cuperation and study. In time we
hope to grant this years vacation with
fun pay; at present, all we can do Is
to allow a small bonus and hold the
position open"
Emma, strange to say, was not
vitality interested In this feature OF her
Job. Seven yearsl Why, by that time
she hoped to be married and have
three children at least.
Yet one year passed, then several
And still Emma reported faithfully at
quarter Of nine in Room 2O0 on the
third floor.
And 30 her Sabbatlcal Year came
to Emma. And at Its close, back In
school, she appeared at the nrst
teachers meeting of the season, where
she knew from experience she would
be called upon for report OF what
she had done during her absence.
When her opportunity came Emma
arose aad, erGaping the chair-back in
front OF he's, swept her audience with
q brave glance. ''Gome Of my Sabbath
cal year." she told them, twas spent
at the university; some Of It was
spent taking q course in Phoenician
archaeology, the rest Of 1t ! put In
making myself ready fOr-for mar
Understanding how to be com
panIon, thrifty helpmate and home
maker She sat down amid silence
that was audible.
Then smoothly, tactfully, under
John WentwOrth's hand, the meeting
flowed on in the usual channels.
Emma had unconsciOusly accom-
plished q strange thing. She had
focused upon herself the attention OF
every fellow teacher, man and woman.
And that attention, once captured, re-
NAMED riveted For 1t was impossible
not to observe that Emma wore DIFF
ferent clothes and wore them in new
way, and that her personal appearance
had grown more youthful, yes, more
beautiful. The women would have
understood had they known that
course in dressmRking and weekly
visits to q reliable beauty specialist
had been DATt of Bmma's past year.
The men accepted the change at face
value. but were none the less inter
ested.
John wentworth, walking home with
Emma, discovered that she was
womanly, alIuring, provocative. He
began to regret HIS many years OF
bachelOrhOOd and to wonder how soon
he could bring them to an end. Here
was a woman. drawing good salary,
who had come out bravely and de-
clared she wished to marry. What a.
treasure and a marvel such a woman
was, these modern days!
II Emma cared for Wentworth she
gave no outward sign of 1t that winter,
but pursued her pedagogical way
serenely, accepting equally the atten-
tiOns of the principal, the head Of the
science department, the history
teacher and the young instructor In
English. A trife bitterly the other
women teaChera compared notes and
laid little bets among themselves as
to the anal outcome And every one
privately resolved at try for one Of
the unsuccessful competitors. Emma
had blaEed a trail they condemned in
public but secretly lOnged to pursue.
Then came the spring vacation.
from which Emma returned with a
radlantly happy look in her eyes and
a ring that Sparkied triumphantly on
Its appropriate finger.
Was 1t John Wentworth or the his
tory man orr ft
But after school in the teachers
restroom Emma satisfied their curl.
Oslty. "It's Curtis Hunt, girls. I'm
sure you're not surprised"
But, as q matter OF fact, they were. |
and crowded about her with ejacu.
IatiOns and congratulations
"COme, Emma, loosen upw begged
Mabel Southwick. my year OF is
due. Tell us what you did that got
all the men interested"
"Well," said Emma, twisting her
ring with q whimsical glance II
studied up clothes and l studied up
the gentle art Of conversation. II
made the most OF my looks and ]
took correspondence course in house
hold economics. interior decorating
and cooking. But, well.>tO be frank
about It. I'll have to confess that
PhOenlcian archaeology did as much