Show SOME SOlViE GIRLS DONT DON'T KISS BEGIN HERE MERC Ruth Wilson young pretty arrives late at the the home ol or J. J W W. Dillon president of the school board where she is to room Rolf HoIr Harwood sophisticated city chap loves Ruth and longs for or her kisses but Ruth Huth has signed a no pet con conS tract tr Now she is frightened because Bill Dillon Jr saw Rolf noll try to kiss her She fears he will wUl tell his father and she will lose her contract CHAPTER TWO An Exalted Profession School Profession School Teaching If It she lived to be a hundred years yelI'S old Ruth Wilson knew she would never forget that breakfast It was an agony of agonies with the young oung Sherlock Sh Holmes just across the table from her grinning to himself when he thought of the secret he held At least Ruth thought he grinned If she had not been certain that he recognized her ns os one of the petters in that parked car o of last night perhaps per perr haps she could have concluded that dining dinin with the new school teacher i was the cause of oC the grin This is our son John William Dilion Dillon Dil Ion lon Jr his mother had s said id as she dragged the boy out of his chair for a painful introduction introduction- Say to the teachers sonny Sit right down Mrs Dillon said hovering nervously over them hana take what weve we've got i if youre you're going to get your our breakfast here We haven't got any company manners manners- BREAKFAST Sit down yourself Mary Mr Dillon commanded from the head of the table He spoke with authority as was WitS his habit and at the sound of his voice his wife fluttered nervously nervously ner nero down into her chair J. J W W. Dillon bowed his head and asked a blessing There was an awkward silence after the blessing was concluded Mrs Dillon and the girl who earned her board and room by helping before and after school hurried to bring grapefruit grapefruit grape rape fruit to the table the oatmeal the great pitchers of cream and the steaming cups of coffee coHee We aim to have a hearty breakfast breakfast break break- fast Mrs Dillon said apologetically Everything she did was in an apologetic apolo apolo- getic getie manner We think young oung ones need ned something on an empty stomach when they start to school And teachers teach teach- ers too she added hastily WILL BILL TELL Pass the bacon Mr Dillon said abruptly closing the conversation For the most part the teachers there were seven of them at the table table- ate their breakfast without conversation conversa conversa- tion The superintendent Mr Radcliffe Radcliffe Radcliffe Rad- Rad cliffe had considerable to say to Mr 1 Dillon the president of his board He spoke of the condition o of the crops of the new school janitor of the need of the school for an adequate athletic field Ruth ate abstractedly She couldn't get her mind off that mischievous boy I who sat Silt just across from her Ever Every time she glanced at him she found his eyes upon her hel Evidently he was thinking of the tho same thing that occupied her thoughts thoughts that that parking scene on the hilltop I She wondered if he would tell his father of that scene Of course he would she decided Weren't all children natural born gossipers gos- gos sipers Seemed as though she had read that fact in one of the books on child psychology she had studied so assiduously in order to get her teachers teachers' teachers teachers' teachers teachers' teach teach- ers' ers certificate IMAGINING I She almost expected to hear the boy burst out an any minute Dad you know what the teachers' teachers contract says bout about Well Nell I caught Miss Wilson up there on Lovers Lover's Lane with witha a fella They were huggin hugin and kissin Gosh it was comical to see them jump apart when I yelled at em em No he wouldn't do that her calmer sense told her Imp that he was he would wait until he could talk to his father alone After that any m minute the blow blo would fall on her defenseless head Miss Wilson J J. J W W. Dillon would boom in his deep toned voice you have violated your contract before before starting to teach The board will not require your services in this district She was almost frantic with the thoughts that her harassed mind had whipped into existence She couldn't lose this job job- She just It Uy Hr PRISCILLA WA Y VL would be too late Into Ite to get another And the tale would follow her where where- ever er she went READY TO START STAnT She was glad when Mr Radcliffe pushed back his chair from the table It was a delicious breakfast Mrs Dillon he told the fussy hostess but time flies flics and duty calls We have havea a meeting of the faculty at Mr Dillon he announced importantly to the president of the board Nothing liI lilac like e getting started right Wont Won't you ou come over for er a few minutes and address ad dress the teachers Im I'm sure they'd like a word from you jou ou Wouldn't you ou he directed the last question to lo his teachers for Cor corroboration They did not fail him Ruth felt herself nodding mechanically mechanically cally w v h the others knowing that it was expected of her Well perhaps I will Mr Dillon said I agree with you OU that it is all in getting a good start Perhaps a word from me would help He walked then with Mr l Radcliffe at the head o of the procession over to the he really beautiful modern schoolhouse school school- house louse across the road ro from his home CORALS CORAL'S OPINION The women teachers followed in couples Ruths Ruth's partner was a girl a n afew afew few years older than herself a girl with bold black eyes and a discontented discon tented expression on her rather pretty face Now well we'll have to listen to a n lot of blah blahs she remarked to Ruth under her breath Its a nice school Ruth parried Somehow she didn't feel like discussing discussing discuss discuss- ing anything more But she felt some politeness was required of her Your name is Brown isn't it if I Yes Coral Brown Drown Isn't that a a name for or you I i Its rather a pretty name I think I Well Im I'm glad you ou like it the mood moody faced girl sirl drawled rebel rebel- Coral Brown school maam Ye gods Think of it Why dont don't you OU like school teaching teaching teaching teach teach- ing Ruth couldn't restrain her cu cu- cu Like it Id I'd love lo it if I didn't have patrons The children are Ire grand I Ilove Ilove Ilove love my subject subject subject-I'm Im I'm a math teacher leacher you know know but but the p parents She lifted her hands in an expressive gesture gesture gesture ture o of disgust GET YOU I know Ruth meant to be sym sym- pathetic Small town folks arc are rather critical arent aren't they But the other girl had her ideas on the subject subject and and decided ones Get It out of your mind that small towns are arc any different from large ones Ive I've taught in both One school community community com com- community is like any other school community com town or cit city or country A teacher just isn't supposed to tobe tobe tobe be human human She's a goody goody and if she isn't she just doesn't keep her job that's all Ever stop to think why tenths nine-tenths of the women who sta stay in school teaching five years grow into old maids Because they want to Ruth Ruthen en ven lured Not a bit of it the mood moody girl snapped They turn into old maids because the system finally gets them into its clutches and they cant can't get loose School teachers arc are machines not humans Wait until youve you've been teaching six ix years vears like I have They'll get et you too AN t ADDRESS Ruth was thinking of oC these r rebellious rebel bel lious remarks as she sat in the uncomfortable uncomfortable straight desk in the high school assembly room and listened to the word from Mr Dillon which stretched out to an oration of more than a half hours hour's length You may think he said in part with with his affected oratorical emphasis sis that the contract you have signed is a bit strict But I say to you ou young oung ladies ladles that it is for your our own souls soul's development You come into this community as leaders of the young people who are the most treasured assets of any community You act as missionaries to them The example you set must be clean and chaste Yours is a great opportunity and the rewards are grea great 1 Perhaps the president of ot the board sensed the cynical eyes of Coral Brown upon him He shifted from one foot to the other fingered the thick watch chain chin that crossed his center from pocket to pocket The school teachers teacher's recompense is not in salary alone It is in the knowledge that she has performed a service to the community That she has set a good example Two yo T years ago your school board devised the present contract We consider it ideal and I am happy to report it is working working work work- ing out satisfactorily MORE TALK Teachers are allowed to leave this community only once ever every month That is because we feel that your services services services ser ser- vices belong here as teachers in the Sunday schools leaders in the church smoking will positively not be I permitted by women teachers The teacher forfeits her contract who drinks intoxicating liquor who makes dates with the young oung men of oC the community or the older boy student stu stu- dent dents And positively any teacher found guilty of the thc disgraceful vices of the day petting in parked cars or elsewhere or Indulging in the practIce practice practice tice of necking may expect to to be he asked to surrender her hel contract immediately im immediately mediately We expect our teachers to dress modestly to set an nn example always of quiet ladylike conduct and de de- meanor To find rind their greatest interest interest interest inter inter- est in their exalted profession Mr Dillon sat down amidst a soft sort ladylike pattering of hands Naturally Naturally Naturally ally the teachers applauded whether they approved his speech or not For the same reason perhaps Mr Radcliffe profusely thanked the school board pr president for his splendid splendid did Inspiring talk and said theother theother the theother other trite things every school superintendent superintendent super super- is supposed to say at the school teachers' teachers first meeting of the year earIt ear It was to develop very quickly that the new superintendent was quite a generalissimo in the matter o of pline From a paper he read the names of the teachers and their appointed appointed appointed ap ap- ap- ap pointed positions in the school and andon andon andon on the playground during recreation periods Ruth Wilson forced her wandering mind to listen while the superintendent superintend superintend- ent turned to her with his instructions Mist Miss 1 Wilson your position will be bc down at the rear entrance Especially during the half hal hour period just before before be he fore school takes up In the morning The school buses are coming in at that hour You will see sec that the children unload un tin load and go to their rooms in an orderly or or- orderly derly fashion It will be your duty too to see sec that the children are arc loaded into the buses quickly and safely after I school He lIe turned back to the waiting walling teach teach- ers Each of you will now go to your appointed position Ruth Wilson left the room without a backward glance She was closest to the door and lost no time in reaching reaching reaching reach reach- ing it itOn itOn itOn On the stairway a hand touched her arm It looks to me the sarcastic sarcastic sarcastic sar sar- castic voice of Coral Brown drawled that were we're in for tor a rather dry year huh GOOD MORNING The younger youner girl did not answer That minute she would have left the Wakefield school without ever a backward back ward glance The next minute Well the next minute she had come out into the broad bro cemented area area- way where the school buses were unloading unloading unloading un un- un- un loading their youthful passengers And she had looked into the eyes of ofa a tall young man who stood there at atthe atthe atthe the door of the nearest bus A brown young man burnished with the tan of outdoor living G 13 feet feel 2 2 surely In his stocking feet snatched off oH his hat at the sight of ot Ruth and said Good morning Ruth remembered Once not so solon lon long ago this chap had carried the ball for the A Aggles ies in the bI big game of the year crashing through to a great victory Now she met him again To be continued I Is It Love Iov at First st Sf Sight ht |