The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-09-27
CHAPTER v
The Promotion of Jennie.

If Jennie Woodruff was the cause of
Jim Twins sudden Eruption into the
educational field by her scoffing
hands ever being able to marry, she
also gave him the opportunity to
knock down the driver of the big mo-
torcar, and %perceptibly elevate him.
self in the opinion of the neighbor-
hood, while filling his own heart with
something like shame.
The fat man who had said HCut it
OUT to his driver, was Mr.. Charles
Oily, a business man in the village at
the extreme opposite corner of the
county. Mr.. Oily was a candidate for
county treasurer, and wished to be
nominated at the approaching county
convention. In his part of the county
lived the county superintendent
candidate for denomination. He was
just a plain garden or field county SUI
perintendent of schools, nc better and
no worse than the general political
run of them, but he had local pride en-
listed in his cause, and was a good
politician.
Mr.. Oily was in the Woodruff dis
trict to build a backfire against this
conflagration of the county superin-
tendent. He expected to use Jennie
Woodruff to light it withal. That is,
while denying that he wished to make
any deal or trade-every candidate in
every convention always say that
he wished to say to Miss Woodruff
and her father, that if Miss Woodruff
would permit her name to be used for
the office of county superintendent of
schools, a goodly group of delegates
could be selected in the other corner
of the county who would be glad to
reciprocate any favors Mr.. Charles J..
billy might receive in the way Of
votes for county treasurer with bal
lots for Miss Jennie Woodruff for SUI
p~erintendent of schools.
Mr.. billy never inquired as to Miss
Woodruff's abilities as an educator.
That would have been eccentric. Miss
Woodruff never asked herself if she
knew anything about rural education
which especially fitted her for the
task; for was she not a popular and
successful teacher-and was not that
enough? So are the officials chosen
who supervise and control the educa-
ton of the farm children of America.
When Jim Irwin started home from
putting out his team the day after his
first call ON the Simms family, Jennie
uyoS vvaitinn at tho uotn RI ho fnn-I
graduated on her nomination.
81 hope you're elected" Jim said,
holding the hand she had extended;
'but there's no doubt of that
'They say not" replied Jennie; but
father believes in working just as if
we didn't have a big majority for the
ticket. Say a word for me when ON
your pastoral rounds"
"All right said Jim, what shall |
say you'll do for the schools?"
why" said Jennie, rather per-
picked, 'I1I be fair in my eXamina-
lions of teachers, try to keep the unfit
teachers out of the schools. visit
schools as often as | can, and-why,
what does any good superintendent
do?"
81 never heard of a good county
superintendent" said Jim.
Never head of one-why, Jim Ir-
Il don't believe there is any such
persisted Jim, land if you do
more than you say, you'll be off the
piece as the rest. Your system
won't give us any better schools than
we have-of the old sort-and we
need a new kind"
"Oh, Jim, Jim! Dreaming as of
yorel Why can't you be practical!
What do you mean by a new kind of
rural school?" ]