Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-08-19
HER YEAR OFF
BY n. LOUIS RAYBOLD

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 at the start, very fair salary,
but she would in time be eligible for
Curtis Hunts Sabbatical Year.
Curtis Hunt was the comparatively
new superintendent of schools of
Montrose Highlands. He had insti-
tuted many reforms, none of them,
however, more popular than his Sab
batical Year. High school teachers,
as well as college professors" he
stoutly maintained, SHOULD be allowed
a year off, every seventh year, for re-
cuperation and study. In time we
hope to grant this years vacation with
full 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 years! 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
a quarter of nine in Room 206 on the
third floor.
And so her Sabbatical Year came
to Emma. And at its close, back in
school, she appeared at the first
teachers meeting of the season, where
she knew from experience she would
be called upon for a report of what
she had done during her absence.
When her opportunity came Emma
arose and, grasping the chair-back in
front of her, swept her audience with
a brave glance. "Some of my Sabbath
cal year." she told them, twas spent
at the university; some of it was
spent taking a course in PhOenician
archaeology, the rest of it [ put in
making myself ready for-for mar
riage-studying how to be a COM
panion thrifty helpmate and home
L..
that was audible.
Then smoothly, tactfully, under
John Wentworths hand, the meeting
flowed on in the usual channels.
Emma had unconsciously accom-
plished a strange thing. She had
focused upon herself the attention. Of
every fellow teacher, man and woman.
And that attention, once captured, re-
manned riveteI. For it 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 a
course in dressmaking and weekly
visits to a reliable beauty specialist
had been a part of Emmas 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, alluring, provocative lie
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 marvel such a woman
was these modern days!
If Emma cared for Wentworth she
gave no outward sign of it that winter,
but pursued her pedagogical way
serenely, accepting equally the atten-
lions of the principal, the head of the
science department. the history
teacher and the young instructor in
English. A trife bitterly the other
women teachers compared notes and
laid little bets among themselves as
to the final outcome. And every one
privately resolved at a try for one of
the unsuccessful competitors. Emma
had blazed a trail they condemned in
public but secretly longed to pursue.
Then came the spring vacation,
from which Emma returned with a
radiantly happy look in her eyes and
ring that sparkled triumphantly on
its appropriate finger
Was it John Wentworth or the his
tory man Or?
But after school in the teachers
restroom Emma satisfied their curl
osity. "It's Curtis Hunt, girls. I'm
sure you're not surprised
But, as a matter of fact, they were,
and crowded about her with ejacu-
Iations and congratulations
"Come, Emma, loosen up!" begged
Mabel Southwick. "My year off is
due. Tell us what you did that got
all the men interested"
'Well," said Emma, twisting her
ring with a whimsical glance II
studied up clothes and l studied up
the gentle art of conversation. l
made the most of my looks and I
took a correspondence course in house
hold economics, interior decorating
and cooking. But, well, to be frank
about it. I'll have to confess that
Phoenician archaeology did as much
for me as anything"
"Phoenician archaeology" The two
~, ohC