The Glenwood post., 1923-12-27
CHAPTER Xxx
Theory and Practice.

Superintendent Jennie sat at her
desk In no very satisfactory frame Of
mind. In the first place the court was
to convene on the following Monday.
so that her one-room office was not to
be hers for few days. To Wilbur
Smythe, who did her the honor of call
ing occasionally. she remarked that
II they didn't soon build the new
courthouse so as to give her such ac-
commodations as her Office really
needed. they might take their old
ofice-so there!"
Fair woman" said Wilbur, as he
creased his Prince Albert in a parting
bow, should adorn the home!"
"Bosh" sneered Jennie, rather
pleased, all the same. suppose she
isn't fair, and hasn't any home!"
This question of adorning a home
was no nearer settlement with Jennie
than it had ever been, though In
creasingly matte of speculation.
There were two or three men-rather
good catches, too-who, If they were
encouraged-but what was there to
any of them? This Is what Jennie
asked her paper-weight as she placed
it on pile of unfinished examination
papers. And the paper-weight echoed
mot thing out of the ordinary"
And then, said Jennie, "Well, you little
simpleton, who and what are you so
out of the ordinary that you should
sneer at Wilbur Smythe and Beckman
Fifield and such men?" And echo an
swered, ''What?"-and then the mail
carrier came in.
Down near the bottom of the pile
she found this letter, signed by
southern state superintendent Of
schools, but dated at Kirkville, Mis-
souri,:
81 am member of a party of south
ern charlottesville superintendent
In the main-en tour of the country
to see what we can find of an instruc
tive nature in rural school work
Professor Withers of Ames suggests
that we visit your schools, and especial
ly the rural school taught by young
man named Irwin and l wonder If you
will be free on next Monday morning,
II we come to your Office. to direct US
to the place? If you could accompany
us on the trip, and perhaps show us
some of your other excellent schools,
we should be honored and pleased"
r And then came the shock-a party
of state officials were coming into the
county to study Jim Irwin's school
They would never come to study Will
bur Smythe's law practice-never In
the world-or her work as county
Observation-Disclosures and Jim was
and had q mother to support. But
there could be no doubt that there was
something to Jim-the man was out
of the ordinary. And wasn't that just
what she had been looking for in her
mind7
Jennie wired to her southerner for
the number of his party, and secured
automobiles for the trip. She sent a
note to Jim Irwin telling Of the
prospective visitation. She would show
all concerned that she could do some
things, anyhow, and she would send
these people on with good impress
sion of her county.
She was glad of the automobiles the
next Monday morning, when at nine
thirty the train discharged upon her
dozen very alert, very up-to-date,
very inquisitive southerners, male and
female, most Of whom seemed to have
left their "r's" In the gulf region. 1t
was eleven when the party parked
their machines before the schoolhouse
door,
There are visitors here before u.s.,
said Jennie.
Seems rather like an educational
shrine" said Doctor Brathwayt OF
Mississippi. How does he accommo-
date so many visitors In that small
edifice?"
~ am not aware" said Jennie.
"that he has been in the habit of re
ceiving so very many from outside the
district. Well. shall we go I'M"
Once inside. Jennie felt a queer re-
turn Of her old aversion to Jim's
caused her to criticize him so sharply
on the occasion of her first visit. The
reason for the return Of the feeling
lay In the fact that the work going on
was the same sort, but of more In
tense character. 1t was so utterly un-
like school as Jennie understood the
word that she glanced back at the
group Of educators with little blush.
The school was in sort of uproar.
Not that uproar of boredom and mis-
chief of which most Of us have famll-
lar memories, but a sort Of eager up
roar. in which every child was in
tensely interested In the same thing
and did little rustllng things because
Of this interest; something like the
hum at football game or n dog
fight.
On one side Of the desk stood Jim
Irwin. and facing him was smooth
stranger Of the old-fashioned lightning
rod-ngent type-the shallower and lax