Evening star., 1932-09-13
The Old School Is still there, stand

Inc Ola ScnOOl u SJlll tncIc, Stauu-
ing in its prim brick Just where it used
to stand, as immovable Is the Rock Of
Gibraltar, seemingly.
One somehow did not expect 1t to
be there. the little red school house"
of the city youth. which was neither
little nor particularly red. the bricks
being Of a modest, deep tone.
quarter of a century ought to have
seen some changes. one was inclined to
think at FIRST, passing the old build
ing. where one went through the eight
grades.
Education was plain as corn meal
mush, in those days, just at the bend
Of the century.
The grades were numbered l to 8,
and each school year was divided into
two equal terms"
Each class room had an "A side"
and a "B side"
Looking at the children from a rear
door, as they sat with their backs to
one, the visitor saw the brightest
scholar in the class in the first seat in
the right row, the second brightest in
the second seat, and SO on.
The dummies were over on the "B
side" with the prize boob In the very
last seat of the last row.
1t was a neat system. and 1t has its
good points. One was SO reasonably
sure that one was smart" when one
sat on the "A side" and almost as re-
markably clear in ones mind that one
was rather dumb If one sat on "B
side"
Thus many a child was "set up" for
life with a sufficient amount OF conceit,
simply by sitting for q few years on
the side which met the teachers ap-
probation.
If you sat there. 1t showed that you
could get your lessons"
II you were in the last rows, it at
least demonstrated that you had some
difhculty in getting" your lessons
There was no particular exactitude
about the system. as one recalls 1t; one
cannot feel, after Is years. that there
was any particular snobbishness dis
played, on one side. or any real humili-
alton or inferiority on the other.
Gertrude would have been a snob
wherever she had been.
Gertrude was the "smartest" girl in
the class and always sat in seat No
/, row No. /.
1t was hers by the divine right of
the best memory, except for the
periodic overturns in which Marjorie
ousted her.
Even the rough and ready boys on
the "B side" recognized the essential
contrast between Gertrude and Mar
jorie.
Gertrude stuck her nose into the air
Marjorie held hers steady.
Whether Marjorie was In the frs.
seat in row l. or in the third land
she seldom varied more, she was the
same small, sweet person.
Even the "B side" boys recognized
as much. One Of the greatest de-
lights in their very full days came
whenever Marjorie pushed Gertrude
out of that first seat
Nobody gave poor Gertrude any
credit for brains: it was just memory
with her. and what a contempt every
one had for memory!
When Marjorie won her way into
seat No. l. row No. !. she did it by
brain power, of that much every one
was sure.
The entire class room was divided
into two sorts Of children. at least in
the minds Of the children themselves
There were big boys" and Just
boys" there were big girls and lust
girls"
Perhaps exactly the same condition
prevails today. one is not sure; at any
rate. in the old days the more mature
children. those who approached man
hood and womanhood in appearance,
were creatures set apart.
The remainder of us were lust chill
dren. little boys little girls 1all excep.
Gertrude-she was . snob, and q snob
knows no age).
1t must not be thought that there
was any particular feeling against this
paragon Of learning. Children are
quite philosophical in their acceptances
and reflections. And usually there Is
little lasting spleen in their feelings.