Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-03-24
Education VS..
Marriage
BY CLAIRE SMITH

their children to your school, Frances,
advised her friends. "Why, what the,
need is civilization, not book-learn
ing. They get that in the mills, 20,
know. Those mill towns are to then
What trip to New York would b,
to u.s.
Miss Turner listened indifferently
To educate the children Of the poo
mountaineers had always been her am
bltlon A chance legacy had enabled
her to begin this work. And so the
school was started
Later boys wing was to be added
For the present only girls could be
accommodated These, ranging in age
from seven to seventeen, proved apt
pupils.
The six months course ended, and
when the new term began, Miss
Frances, back from New York, where
she had been explaining her idea be-
fore the Chautauqua conference, dis
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every face was new. And ii was evil
dent that the parents considered six
months ample time in which to ac-
Qure a very fair education, as was
witnessed by the dozen or more
pathetic notes that We're received.
"Denr Miss Frances wrote Sadie
Ellison whom the elderly splnster had
selected in her mind FOR principal Of
the great school structure which was
to succeed the little school-house Of
the present, 81 am sorry to say shant
be abel to com back to scool next
term joel Upman has a.ed me to mary
him and as i'm seventeen thot II was
best to take him besides the corn has
to be rot in loyinglnly SADIE"
OF the little slsterhood on whom she
had built such high and dazzling
hopes only Pauline Ditton had re-
NAMED faithful to her trust. Pauline
was sixteen, a quiet, gentle girl, not
brilliant, but an enthusiast about the
future. Naturally Miss Frances made
her her confidant during that term.
I'm going TO have an educational
institute she said impressiyely, as
they sat together at dinner-Paullne
occupying the post Of honor on Miss
Frances right I'm going to extend
It's influence throughout the noun.
tain districts. Pauline, my dear, don't
bite that potato off your fork but cut
II in your plate
The second term started suspicious
ly.
"A woman's vocation she ex-
planned. is To teach mankind. The
old days when marriage was girls
d. stiny have passed, never TO return.
At mature age, when girl meets
the man Of her choice, when she has
satisfied herself as to his moral, ma
terial, and physical and educational
qualifications she may possibly relin-
Qulsh her duties In favor of matri-
mony. 1t is this principle that | wish
to lnculcate among our southern
womanhood'
Yes Miss Frances" echoed the
girls enthusiastically
1t was toward the end of the Sec
ond term when Miss Frances received
a strange, illiterate letter which
caused her to ponder deeply; then che
sent for Miss Ditton in dismay.
Pauline" she said severely, did
you ever hear of a person named John
smith,
"Yes, Miss Frances" answered the
girl. Capt. John Smith married
Pocahontas, an Indian maiden, who,
under romantic circumstances had"
81 mean John Smith of-of Oak
Valley interrupted Miss Frances, gaz-
Ing angrily at letter in her hand.
This person, whose education is APP
extremely defective, says that
he is engaged to you and wants you
to leave school and marry him. En-
gagged at sixteen Preposterous p
Yes Miss Frances whispered
Pauline.
Days passed, Miss Frances had
forgotten the triflng incident. The
school was flourlshng So much so,
n fact that Miss Frances resolved to
legin the construction of the boys
wing
The carpenters, with local shiftless-
less, appeared about ten days after
hey We're due-one Of them, rather;
| lOw-browed, sulky-looking fellow,
whose elaboration of movement con-
inually affronted the energetic north
srn lady.
"You see, my DEAR explained Miss
frances to Pauline, that is the result |
If lack of education"
ayes, Miss Frances" answered
pauline
snow | am going to train you In
power" continued the teach
II day or two later. 81 am going
nto town for couple of days to try
o interest Mr.. Joyce, the cotton mil
'wner, in our school. When / return
shall expect to see great progress.
Keep that carpenter up to the mark"
"Yes, Miss Frances" said Pauline.
Miss Frances, returning two days
alter, found the work at a standstill.
The school was In disorder; the girls
at about in groups, eagerly discuss
ne something. Pauline was nowhere
o be seen.
"What's the matter?" demanded
Hiss Frances. "Where is Pauline Dit.
on"
There was general glance at the
On 1t Miss Frances read:
"Dear Miss Frances John was the
arpenter and he think I ought to get
married. now I'm nearly II so | cant
ome back mex year. Thank you for
he astsr and physic but John says
domestic stems suits both of US just
low. Resphy Pauline Smith,"
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