The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-08-12
THE.
CHILDREN'S HOUR
!.
WORRYING THE NEW TEACHER

1 AAAa eyes uduCGu With lulSCLlGl
as she watched Sister Rose Marie's
face. 1t had been a trying day for
the teacher of English. 1t was her
first year as high school teacher
and she had supposed that she would
have to do with young people so
near womanhood that they would
have outgrown the pranks to be ex-
pected from the boys and girls in
the grades. But, instead, this year
had proved the most trying in her
experience.
1t was Anna Morse who was the
ring leader. Anna was a rather
handsome girl of sixteen, brimful of
life and radiating energy. Some of
Annals teachers had found her very
satisfactory pupil, but they were the
ones who would have dealt severely
with any infraction of discipline. To
the more gentle, Anna was irksome.
She was a clever girl who could send
laughter, without any outbreaking vic,
lation of the proprieties.
| Anna had wound up the day by
demoralizing the class which was
studying Shakespeare. Just how
she had done it, none of them could
have said. She had asked several
foolish questions with an air of
feigned innocence which had not de-
ceived any of her classmates, and
had left the. young nun uncertain as
| to her intention. Mischief is con-
| tagious and while no one else went
to such lengths, there was no serious
work done in the class that day.
Anna watched Sister Rose Maries
bewildered face with the keenest en-
| joyment. 3 The teachers expression
was the visible proof that she had
succeeded in what she had set out to
do. The young sister put her hand to
her forehead with curious gesture
back of the room. 1t still lacked
fifteen minutes of the hour for dis
missal !"
You may continue" she looked
hard ct the girl on the front seat
and seemed trying to recall her
name. Again she put her hand to
her forehead. ''You may be dismiss
ed,'' she said abruptly. Tin not
feeling quite myself"
| The class filed out whispering.
Sister Rose Marie had not remem.
| bered to assign a lesson.
| The next morning her place was
empty and a substitute took the
class for the afternoon. At the in
PERMISSION Laura Bates brought
Anna the news.
Anna, did you know that Sister
Rose Marie has had nervous break
down and they don't expect she will
be able to be back in school this
year? l wish you had been more
kind to her-you were trouble to
her"
Anna resented Laura's words. II
didn't know you were SO devoted to
her." she said coldly.
Il don't know as / was especially
devoted, but anyway I didn't make
light of her like you in way that
made her teaching of no account"
Annals eyes flashed. "You were
as ready to laugh as anyone for all
| could see.''
| What she did not expect was that
Laura's attitude was typical. AS the
information Laura had given regard
ing the English teachers breakdown
| proved correct, there was a reaction
in the school in favor of the teacher.
Everyone remembered how gentle
she was, how painstaking, and how
interesting she made the work And
Anna was aware of an UNUSUAL and
most unpleasant attitude of disap-
prevail.
For some time this made her re-
sentful She considered that her
schoolmates were unreasonable.
1t was the interview with the doc
tor that helped Anna to see things
differently. She had gone into the
drug store for soda with Louise
Bliss when Dr. Johnson came in.
Louise left the ice cream to melt, and
jumped off her STOOL
| ooh, DR.. Johnson" she cried,
"how is Sister Rose Marie getting
| on?'
| The doctor looked at her hard
through his glasses. "See here" he
said, what kind of life have you
been leading Sister Rose Marie?"
| Louise flushed.
| 81 wasn't half as much to blame
as some of the Others" she protest
| ed.
sWell, she's pretty SICK" said the
doctor. She'll probably get well
but it will be long struggle You
girls, some of you or more likely all
of you, are to blame"
| The doctors words haunted Anna
and the realization grew on her that
she had done very grave and
terrible thing. She had set out to
torment a gentle and high strung
young teacher and her act had had
consequences far more serious than
she had ever dreamt. She thought
with pang of horror, "Supposing
she never gets well. I'll have been
the one most responsible"
| 1t was while she was in this chas-
| tened humor that she came on group
of the girls. They were discussing
some flowers they we're going to send
the sick teacher. Eagerly Anna of
| fered to contribute generously but
| Pauline Brooks, the class treasurer,
L -4sdu l. L