Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-01-11
The Case Of Ees
HobsonS VI
Ey FRANCES. HILL.
g, by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate
WNO Service '


looking very serious Now rye earned
my degree | want to make Use Of IT..
Can't you get a job for me?"a'
Uncle Leon shook his head. trying
not to show the amusement that this
speech of his pretty little niece caused.
you're not trained for office work
and, anyway. there are no vacancies.
But, I'll tell you what you dO-and
what ! say now is quite confidential
Among other things Pm chairman Of
the board of education. 1t was in a
measure a political appointment. bui
my ambition is to take the whole mat
ter of education out of the realm Of
politics in this town. Up at school "A
there's a young fellow-principal up
there. know something about him
hut ] want to know more. whole lot
more. That's bad section up there
the worst in tOwn-r0ugh crowd Of
children. Now. it happens that the
woman that had been holding the job
of substitute and clerk to the princi
pal UP there. died or got married, or
something. I've heard things about
this Ben Hobson. He's a big brawny
chap, played professional baseball one
seasOn-not the sort Of man who would
be content with principals job or a
principals salary if there wasn't some
thing in 1t for him.
"Now. want you to go to the school
and apply for the job. Start in at
work. and keep your eyes open and
mouth shut. You may not be able to
answer my question before school
closes this year. Then you'll have 30
go back next autumn. There's rea
son why Ben HObSon is holding down
that job and you've got to find it out"
The next day Joan walked into the
waiting room next to the private Ofic"
of Benjamin HobsOn. principal Of
school "a, and sat waiting her turn
when an irate teacher came intOs tile
office dragging ragged young Italian.
Here's Tony, come to school again
with his feet half out of his shoes. no
collar to his shirt and his hands filthy
clean up. This is no school for pigs
If his folks haven't money enough tn
send him to school better than this
he ought to go to an institution" So
saying, she FASTENED back to her class
room.
Ben Hobson, big and brawny and a
little rough, as Uncle Leon had SUI
gested, looked with mock reproval a.
Tony. "Sit down. son." he said. I'll
see this young lady first" But Joan
insisted that he take care of Tony.
So Ben. Hobson took Tony into his
Office and gently closed the door. Pres
emily Tony emerged with a cake d
soap. nail brush and clean towel
and the principal directed him into hiS
own private. dressing room at one side
of the waiting ROOM There's WARM
water in there. Take your time ana
don't get discouraged" he told the boy
you can't get all that CRIME off the
first time" Joan's keen eyes observed
too. that in place of the rags and leath
er that Tony had worn in lieu of foot
gear. he now wore stout pair of new
shoes, and in place of the mems socks
that had left his legs half bare. he NOW
wore pair of good ribbed boys stock
ings.
BY the end of the spring. after the
busiest four weeks of the whole year.
Joan told her uncle she was not yafi
ready to make her report. "But has
been keeping my eyes omen and hs
next autumn can tell YOU" Z
The first day of September, Joan ap
peared in her uncle's offices.
tive come to give my report on the
case Of Ben Hobson." said Jean.
"Then you've found out" said Uncl
Leon, showing interest. "Hp has SONG
reason for holding down tibet job u
there-?"'
EYES," said Joan deliberately. 49,
has. Ben Hobson was raised in III"
rotten ward, as you call it. He we~
to the public schools and was tau,,''
by teachers under principals who o.,
their Jobs through political pull II.
found out thing or two about yont
glorious board of education and rer
vowed then and there that somnhoe
he'd get an education. and that sou"
bow he'd get an appointment in III
public schools and get to he princino
and on up to the top, and that ho'd
spend his energies as man to clean
up just such schools as "a. So h.
worked and almost starved to g.
through a second rate college and then
played politics with the bosses"
Uncle Leon interrupted her at last.
Hold on there, Joan" he said. 81
guess you've got the dope about Zen
Hobson, all right. I'm glad he's onh
a visionary, not crook, hut how did
you get his confidence? How"
"You don't suppose he would want
to keep things back from me?" OK
claimed Joan. "Why. before he'd ever,
proposed to me"
$50 you're going to marry him?" he
asked "What shall my wedding present
be?"
your help and influence in gettinc
Ben appointed as a district sunerln
tendent." was Joan's prompt reply
Hes been principal long enough"
Its a big order" said Uncle Ioon