Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-11-08
CHAPTER vIi-contInued.

no teacher vas supposed to do, ant
had left undone so many things tina
teachers were bound by custom L
perform. that Newton's father and Mr.
Bonner and Mr.. Peterson had made
up their minds that they would cal
upon him to resign. and II he wouldn't
they would turn him out" In some
way.
what wrongs he done committedf'
asked Raymond. II don't know what
teachers air supposed TO do in this
kentry, but Mr.. Jim seems to be the
only shore-enough teacher / ever see T.
HE don't teach out Of the books
the school board adopted" replied
Newton. s
But he makes up better lessons,
urged Raymond. "An' all the things
we do In school he'ps us make a
Twin"
HE begins at eight In the m%ornin', .
said Newton, AN he has some of us
there till half past five. and comes
back In the evening. And every Sat
urday. some of the kids are dom
something al the schoolhouse."
'4They don,t pay him for overtime,
do theyY' querled Raymond. "Well,
then. they orto. instid of turnin' him
out !"
WEI. they'll turn him out !" prophe-
sled Newton. I'm havin' more fun
In school than / ever-an' that's why
rDi with you on this quittin' trapping
but they'll get Jim, all right"
I'm having something betteh'n
fun, replied Raymond. my pap has
never understood this kentry, an we
all has had bad times hyeh; but Mr..
Jifo an | have studied out how ! can
make a betteh Twin next year-and
pap says we kin go on the way Mr..
JAN says. I'll work for Colonel Wood
ruff q part of the time, an pap kin
make corn In the biggest field. II
seems we didn't do our work right last
year-an' In a couple of years. with
,he increase of the hawgs, an the
land we kin get under pillow :"
1t was still an hour before nine
when the rural school additionally
takes up"-when the boys had stored
thar traps In O shed at the Bronson
home, and walked on to the school
house. That rather scabby and wealth
cred edi6ce was already humming
with Industry Of a sort. In spite OF
the hostility of the school board, and
the aloofness of the patrons Of the
the pupils were clearly inter
In Jim Irwin's system of rural
education. Never had the attendance
been so large OF regular; and n of
the reasons for sessions before nine
and after four was the inability of the
teacher TO attend to the needs of his
In the five and a half hours
,alled school hours"
The day passed. Four O'Clock came.
IN order that all might reach home
or supper. there was no staying. ex-
that Newt Bronson and Raymond
,Imms remained to sweep and dust
he schoolroom. and prepare kindling
the next mornings fire-a work
hey had taken upon themselves, so as
o enable the teacher TO put on the
'~Iackboards such outlines for the NOR
class work as might be required.
was writing on the board a list
4 words constituting a spelling e1er-
ise. They were not from textbooks,
ut grew naturally out of the study Of
he seed wheat-"cockle," morning
-convolvulus," "viable," via
ility." "sproutIng." "iron-weed" and
he like. A tap was heard al the door,
Raymond Simms opened II.
In filed three women-and Jim Ir-
lin knew as he looked at them that
was greeting a deputation. and felt
hat 1t meant a struggle. For they
vere the wives OF the members of the
chool board. He placed for them the
1ree available chairs, and In the abb
tnce of any for himself remained
before them. q gaunt shabby
revolutionist at the bar Of
stt1ed usage and fixed public opinion.
Mrs Haakon Peterson was a tall
Ionde woman, slow-spoken and dig
lied, and Jim felt an instructive re-
,ect for her personality. Mrs. Bron-
IN was a good motherly woman.
for her housekeeping. and for
err church activities She looked
'tener at her son, and his friend,
aymond, than at the scboolmaster.
Bonner WINS the only one who
,ook bands with Jim, but he sensed
the little, bInck-eyed Irisbwoman
real commander of the expedition
Esinst him-for such he knew IL to
J.
You may think IT strange of as
ming after hours" said she, hut
; wanted to sDsak TO ron. teacher.
lfhout tn children hexe.-