The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-11-07

h1A III ~ AiAt tx ldRs tia tAtAt
They were talking about the methods
adopted by Jim in his conduct of the
Woodruff schOol-just talking. The
only new thing was the presence of n
couple of newspaper men, who had
queried Chicago papers on the story,
and been given orders for u certain
number Of words on the case of the
Farmland schoolmaster on trial be-
fore his old sweetheart.
By the time at which gathering
darkness made 1t necessary for the
bailif TO light the lamps, the parties
had agreed on the facts. Jim ADMIT
ted most of the allegations. He had
practically ignored the textbooks. He
had burned the district fuel and worn
out the district furniture early and
late, and OF Saturdays. He had in
troduced domestic economy and man
ual training, to some extent, by send
ing the boys TO the workshops and the
girls to the kitchens and sewing-rooms
of the farmers who allowed those
privileges.
He had used up a great deal of time
in studying farm conditions. He had
induced the boys to test the cows of
the district for butterfat yield. He
wal studying the matter of u co-opera-
tive
He hoped to open to the boys and
girls the wonders of the universe
which are touched by the work on the
farm. He hoped to make good and
contented farmers of them, able to
get the most out of the soil, to sell
what they produced to the best adyan-
tage, and at the same time to keep up
the fertility of the soil itself. And
he hoped to teach the girls in such a
way that they would be good and N
tented farmers wives.
AN I say %interposed Con Bonner.
that we can rest our case right here.
If that. amt the limit, l don't know
what isl"
Jennie turned to jim.
Nov, Mr.. Irwin" said she, "while
you have been following out these very
interesting and original methods, what
have you done in the way of teaching
the things called for by the course of
study?"
I'm willing" said Jim. ito stand or
fall on an examination of these chill
dren in the very textbooks we are ac-
cused of neglecting."
Jennie looked steadily at Jim for a
full minute.
How many pupils of the Woodruff
school are here?" she asked. "All rise,
pleased"
A mass of the audience. in the midst
of which sat Jennie's father, rose at
the request.
why" said Jennie, 81 should say
we had a quorum. anyhow! Well
have school here. And Mr.. Irwin,
please remember that you state that
you'll stand or fall on the mastery by
these pupils of the textbooks they are
supposed to have neglected"
mot the mastery of the text" said
jim. But their ability to do the work
the ext is supposed to fit them for"
"Well." said Jennie, II don't know
but that's fair"
But" said Mrs. Haakon Peterson,
I'VE don't want our children brought
up to be yust farmers. Suppose we
move to ~town-where does the culture
come in?"
The Chicago papers had a news item
which covered the result of the ex-
aminations; but the great sensation of
the Woodruff district lay in the Sun
day feature carried by one of them.
1t had d picture of jim Irwin, and
one of Jennie Woodruff-the latter au-
thentic, and the former CLEANED from
the morgue, and apparently the por-
trait of a lumber-jack. There was
also a very free treatment by the car
toOnist of Mr.. Simms carrying a rifle
with the intention of shooting up the
school board in case the decision went
against the schoolmaster.
when it became known said the
bet his job on the proficiency of his
school in studies supposed and alleged
to have been s%tudiously neglected, the
excitement rose to fever heat. Local
sports bet freely on the result, the
odds being eight to five on General
Proficiency against the field. The field
was Jim Irwin and his school. And
the way those rural kids rose in their
might and ate up the textbooks was
simply scandalous. When the fight was
over, and the dead and wounded cared
for, the school board and the county
superintendent were forced TO admit
that they wished the average school
could do as well under a similar test.
The local Mr.. Dooley is Cornelius
Bonner, a member of the board When
asked for n statement of his views af-
ter the county superintendent had de-
cided that her old sweetheart was to
be allowed the priceless boon of earn
ing forty dollars a month during the
remainder of his contract, Mr.. Bonner
said, Aside from being licked. we're
all right. But Wen get this guy yet,
don't fall down and fergit thatr
1.-The examinations tind TO show
said Mr.. Bonner, when asked for his
opinion on the result, that in or-r-rder
to larn anything you shud shtudy
somethin' ilse. But We'll git this guy
yit!'"
"Jim." said Colonel Woodruff, as
they rode home together, "I'm just be-
ginning to understand what you're
driving at. And 1 like being a wild
eyed reformer more and more"
(To BE CONTINUED.)