White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-02-03
Sylvia Of the Minute
By
HELEN r. MARTIN
cpyAtn D

ner QeSK at the emu OF the MORNING
session, II suppose that awful con-
science of yours will force you to ad-
wise the school board to discharge me
for incompetence r.
They were practically alone now,
those Of the pupils who did not go
home for the noon meal having gone
out of doors to eat their luncheon.
Mr. Creighton shook his head. mo,
l can't be expected always to act dis
interestedly for the good Of society
I'm only human, after all-and yours
is the only schoolroom I've ever WIS.,
tied that hasn't bored me to death
Whenever I'm dull and need riot OF
fun, l can just drop in here and hear
you teach geography! No, I cannot
rise to such heights of altruism as to
recommend your dismissal! It's ask
ing too much! I'm only hu-"
"Well, believe me-" she retorted re-
sentfully, you'll not get chance to
sit round here making fun of me-
I'll resign!" She turned away haugh-
tily-but she was too good an actress
not to know that she was not tall
enough to look naughty impressively-
and suddenly, without warning, she
found herself crying. Desperately she
fought to control herself, more morti-
fed at such childish display than
she could possibly feel over perfectly
excusable ignorance Of vast patch
work quilt Of states, or of the fine dis
tinctions between American alphabet
ical symbols-D. A. RS and G. A. RS !
Useless information anyway!
But the strain of the morning had
been too much for her and she could
not stop crying. Her breath came In
little gasping sobs, her shoulders
heaved, she fumbled for her handker-
chief-and not finding it, she jerked
open a desk drawer, dragged out
towel and buried her face in it.
ooh, but my child you poor kid"
Mr. Creighton unprofessionally and
very remorsefully exclaimed. Il didn't
want to hurt your feelings! Oh,
please!' he begged in distress, laying
a reassuring hand on her arm. "Come,
come, don't cry! You're not going to
be thrown out of your school-and
swear 1 won't laugh at you any more! J"
She wiped her nose and her eyes
with a corner of the towel. I'D bet
ter resign!' she said dolefully, "or
you'll be lying awake nights thinking
of all the education those children are
missing just because you were too
weak to withstand girls tears!"
"Well," he said ruefully, though
gently, "you have got me up tree,
you know How you ever got Kutz-
town Normal school diploma on your
knowledge of United States geogra-
ply" She showed signs of weeping
again, so he hastily veered off. "All
right, let's never mention geography
again! l do admit that the pupils in
your school are more alert and wide
awake than any children in the
county! There, doesn't that comfort
you"
She smiled dazzlingly through her
tears. "Oh, but then I'm success
as teacher !-since the whole pur-
pose of teaching children must be to
brighten up their wits, not to stuff
states and names into them! 1t is not
what 1 pour into them, but what
lead them to give out |"
"Ah, yes, but there's lot of nee
essary drudgery in teaching which
can't be side-stepped my child; wlf.cf
really must be done. 81 If you'll bt
good and get down to hard worl
here"
"But indeed l do! These things
do, yet do not leave the higher mat
tiers of the spirit undone. 1 do assure
you"
He looked skeptical, but evidentl.
did not feel it safe to pursue the sub
ject, her bright eyes looking too read.
to shed tears again.
I'm keeping you from eating you
lunch" he suddenly said, reaching re
luctantly for his hat and coat
(To BE CoNTINUED.)