Show I r b 1 r GP We Wei e eI IK S i I r M Mr BR WN I II rr r r r r r r r MOUSE I If Ifs s r r r rr s r r r r r r r I By HERBERT Q QUICK DICK ICK r III f Cop ht bt Th The Bobba Merrill Comp Company I CHAPTER X X Continued 9 9 Incompetency I 1 The disgraceful word representing everything he lie had hadI I always despised rang through Jims Jim's 1 mind as he walked home He could think of ot nothing else as ns he sat at the r supper which he could scarcely scarce scarce- i r ly It taste Incompetent I He was In In- n- n competent He picked up a pen and i. i began writing He wrote To uTa the Honorable the Board of at Education of at the Independent District of at And he be heard a tap at the door His I pother e r admitted Colonel Woodruff Good evening e Colonel said Jim a Take Wake a chair wont won't you ou No replied the colonel I thought Td rd see If It you and the boys at it the schoolhouse cant can't tell me someI something something some some- I thing about the smut In my wheat I II I heard beard you were going to work on that tonight 7 I had forgotten I said JimI Jim I 1 wondered If It you hadn't said the colonel and so I came by for you A 1 I was waiting up the road Come on and ride up with me mo The colonel had always been friendly friend friend- ly 11 but bat there was a new note In his his' He lie almost defer defer- manner tonight was He Be worked with the class on the problem of at smut He offered to aid the boys In every possible wa way In their campaign against scab In pota pota- t r tOes toes He Be suggested some tests testa which would Roald show the real value of ot the treatment The boys were In a glow of ot pride at this co operation co-operation with Colonel W Woodruff This was real work Rork J Jim and the colonel went away together It had been a great eat j evening Jim said the colonel can these t kids lids spell r I think said Jim that they can any school about here Good said the colonel How are they about arithmetic and the other branches Have you sort of ot kept them up to the course of at study I have carried them In a course f parallel to the textbooks sald said Jim m I and covering the same ground But It has been vocational work you OU know related to life Well said the colonel If It I were rou Ton FOU Id I'd put them over a rapid review review renew re re- view new of the te textbooks for a few days say say between now and the twenty twenty- WUl th What for Oh nothing nothing just must just to please me I And say Jim I glanced over a communication you rou have started to to the more or less Honorable Board of ot Education Yes Well dont don't finish It And AndI I say Jim I think Ill I'll give gl myself the luxury of ot being a wild eyed ed reformer reformers s for Cor once y Yes les said Jim dazed And If It you think Jim that youve you've got rot no friends just remember that Im I'm for tor you ou Thank you Colonel And well we'll show them they're In a horse race I dont don't see said Jim Youre not supposed to see see said saide e the colonel but you ou can bet that well we'll be with them at the Ule finish and by thunder while the they're theIre re getting a full meal well we'll get at least east a lunch S See But Jennie says began Jim Dont tell me what she sa says s 's said the colonel acting according to her judgment and her lights and other organs of ot perception and I 1 dont don't think It t fittin that her father should hould try to influence her ber official conduct But you ou go on and review them Ulem common branches and keep beep your tour nerve nene I haven't felt so much like a scrap since the day we stormed Lookout mountain I kinder like beIng belag be- be hg lag a wild eyed reformer Jim CHAPTER XI Fame or Notoriety t The office of county superintendent was as a matter of at course the least desirable room of ot the courthouse Poor Jennie I 1 She anticipated nothing noth noth- In ing g more than the appearance o. o o of A Bronson Peterson and Boneer Bon Bon- Bonder her der in her office to confront Jim IrwIn But at nine six fifty the v cro crowd in Jennies Jennie's s office exceeded Its seating capacity ca ca- and Jennie was In a l flutter as the we realization dawned upon her that thIs ds promised to be a bl bigger her and more Public affair than she had anticipated A At t nine flIt nine fifty Raymond Simms opened the office ottice door and there filed In Jo enough children large and small to fill 1 the time room In addition there re re- an overflow o meeting In the tall gall under the command of ot that dis- dis ln military gentleman Colonel Albrrt Woodruff 81 iy y Bill come here said the Lionel crooking his hla finger at the deputy I ut sh sheriff stilt What t you OU got at here bere Al All I said Bill s up by the I puling puffing Aint Ain t f 4 It t a little early pIcnIcs for tor Sunday s school hool This Is n a school fl fight In ln our district dis- dis said the h colonel Its ifs Jennies Jennie's s 's baptism of ot fire I reckon and and are sa say you Youre You're no not t USing the courtroom Nope rope said B BUL Well wh why not j just st sit sUp P around then saId the colonel and tell Jen Jen- Jennie nie shed she'd better adjourn to the big room Which suggestion sUg was a acted upon instants Instanter r by Deputy Bill But I cant can't I cant said d JennIe to the courteous deputy sheriff I don dont don't t want all aU this publicity and I don dont don't t want to go 10 Into the courtroom I I hardly see said Deputy Bill how 3 you o 0 u 1 can avoid it These people seem to have haye business with and you the they cant can't get into your our office JennIe Quailed All right all rIght 1 I said she But shall I have to sit on the bench I 1 ITou You Tou will find It by far the most convenient con place said Deputy Bill Bm Was Vas this the life lIte to which public office had brought her She was perched on the Ule Judicial bench which Deputy Deput Bill had dusted oft off for tor her tipping a wink to the tile assemblage e while doing it t. t And that crowd To Jennie JennIc It was appalling The school board under the lead of Wilbur WlIbur Smythe took seats Inside the railing Jim IrwIn who had never neer been In a courtroom before herded with the crowd She couldn't call the Ule gathering to order She had no Idea as to the proper procedure She sat there while the people gathered stood about whisperIng whispering whispering whis whis- and talking under their breaths and finall finally became silent all their e eyes es fixed on her as she wished that hat the office of ot county superintendent superintend superintend- ent had bad been abolished In the days of ot other her parents' parents Infancy May it please the court said Wllbur Wll- Wll bur ir Smythe standing before the bar Or Madame County Superintendent I should say A A titter ran through the room and anda a flush of ot temper tinted Jennies Jennie's face The They were laughing at her I She wouldn't be a spectacle any longer So she she rose and handed down her first and last decision from the bench bencha a a rather good one I think Mr Smythe said she I feel teel very very ill 11 at ease up here and Im I'm going to toIre tou u Ire I 1 Madame County Superintendent I Should Say Say Say- get down among the Ule people Its It's the only way I have of at getting the truth She descended from the time bench shook hands with ever everybody body near her and sat down by the attorneys attorney's table is formal Now said she this no proceeding and we wc will dispense with red tape If It we dont don't I shall get all tangled up in It Wheres Where's Mr IrwIn Please come In n here Jim Now I know theres there's some feeling In n these things things there there always seems to 1 be e but I have none So Ill I'll Just hear why Mr Bronson Mr Peterson and Mr Bonner think that Mr James E. E IrwIn Isn't competent to hold u a cate Jennie was able to smile at them felt more at ease now and everybody save sa Jim IrwIn Irvin the members of ot the board and Wilbur Smythe That IndIvIdual Individual individual In In- arose and talked down at Jennie I appear for the proponents here said he and I desire to suggest certain certain eel tain principles of ot procedure which I take It belong Indisputably to the conduct conduct con can duct of at this hearing Have Haye you a lawyer asked the county count superintendent of ot the respond re I ond ent A what exclaimed Jim Jhn Nobody No Nobody bod body here has a lawyer er I Well Nell what do you ou call Wilbur Smythe queried Newton Bronson from rom the midst of at the crowd tie He aint lawyer enough to hurt I Isaid said the thing which the dramatists call A Voice There was a little tempest of ot laugh laughter laughter ter at Wilbur Smythes Smythe's expense which was quelled by Jennies Jennie's rapping rapping rap rap- ping on the table tahle She was beginning to feel fee the mouth of the situation There Is nothing In the school laws as ns I remember them said Jennie Jennie Jennie Jen Jen- nie giving the parties any right tobe to tobe tobe be represented by counsel You may advise your clients all you please but time In listenIng listening listen listen- Im I'm not going to waste ing ins to speeches or having a lot of at examine witnesses lawyers I protest said Mr Smythe in protest file your Well you OU may to writing said Jennie Im going old talk this matter over with these friends and nel neighbors of mine I dont don't want you Ou dipping Into It I say I toward Jennies Jennie's voice was rising the scream line and Mr Smythe recognized recognized recognized rec rec- the hand of ot fate There was wasa little wrangling and a little uro- uro a test from Con Can Bonner Donner but Jennie ruled with a rod of at Iron and adhered to her ruling When the hearing was resumed attar the noon recess the crowd was larger than ever er but the I proceedings roc consisted ted mainly in a con con- ference terence of ot the principals ls grouped about Jennie at the thc bl big layers layers' table They were talking about the methods adopted by Jim in his conduct of at tho the I Woodruff school school Just just talking The only new thing was the presence of ot a n I couple of ot newspaper men who had I queried Chicago papers on the story and been given orders for a n certain number of words on the case of the hand farm schoolmaster on trial be bey fore his old e 8 sweetheart By the time at which gathering darkness made It necessary rr for the bailiff to light the lamps the parties had agreed on the facts Jim admitted admitted admitted admit admit- ted most of at the allegations He had practically Ignored the textbooks He lie had burned the district fuel and worn out the district furniture early and find Int late and on Saturdays He Be had Introduced In In- domestic economy and manual man man- ual training to some extent by sendIng sending sending send send- ing the boys to the workshops and the girls to the kitchens and sewing rooms of the farmers who allowed those privileges He had used up a great rent deal of ot time In studying farm tarm conditions He had ir Induced Ir the boys to test the cows of ot the district for tor butterfat yield He was stud studying Ing the matter of ot a co- co cooperative opera co pern- pern tire tive creamery He hoped to open to the Ule boys and girls the wonders of at the universe which are touched by the work on the farm He hoped to make good and contented farmers of ot them able to get the thc most out of ot the soil soli to sell what they produced to the best advantage an ad advantage tage and at the same time to keep up the fertility of ot the soil Itself And he hoped to teach the girls In such a away away away way that they would be good and contented contented contented con con- tented farmers' farmers wives wI An I say Interposed Con Bonner that we can rest our case right here l If that aint the limit I dont don't know what Is I JennIe turned to Jim Now Mr Irwin ln said she while you ou have ha been following ing put out these very interesting and original methods methods what have hn you ou done In the tile way vay of at teaching the things called for tor by the course of ot stud study V VIm Im Tin willing said Jim to stand or fall on an nn examination of ot these children chil chil- children dren In the very textbooks we are accused accused accused ac ac- ac- ac of ot neglecting Jennie looked steadily at Jim for a full tull minute How many pupils of ot the Woodruff school are here she asked All AU rise please 1 A mass of ot the audience in the midst of ot which sat Jennies Jennie's father rose at atthe atthe atthe the request Why said Jennie I should say we had a quorum anyhow I Well We'll have school here And Mr IrwIn please remember that you state that you'll stand or fall on the mastery by these put pupils of at the textbooks they are axe supposed to have ha neglected Not lot the mastery of ot the tile text said Jim But their ability to do the work the text Is supposed to fit them for tor Well Yell said Jennie I dont don't know but that's fair But nut said Mrs Haakon Peterson we dont don't want our children brought up to be gust farmers Suppose we move to town where town where does the culture come In The Chicago papers had a news Item which covered the result of ot the examinations ex ex- but the great sensation atthe of at the Woodruff district lay In the Sunda Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- da day feature carried by one of at them It had a a. picture of ot Jim IrwIn Irvin and andone andone andone one of or Jennie Woodruff the Woodruff the latter authentic authentic authentic au au- au- au and the former gleaned from the morgue and apparently the portrait portrait portrait por por- trait of at a lumber lumberjack There was also a avery very free tree treatment by the cartoonIst cartoonist cartoonist car car- of ot Mr fr Simms carrying a rifle with the Intention of at shooting up the school board In case the decision went against the schoolmaster When It became known said the news star story that the schoolmaster had bet his Job on the proficiency of at his school In studies supposed and alleged to have been studiously neglected the excitement rose to fever heat Local sports bet freely treely on the result the odds being eight Ight to five on General Proficiency against the field The field was Jim IrwIn and his school And the way those rural kids rose in their might and ate up the textbooks was waa simply scandalous When the fight was over and the dead and wounded cared for the school board and the county superintendent were forced to admit I that they wished the average school I could do as well under a similar test The fhe local Mr Dooley Is Cornelius Bonner a member of ot the board When asked for a statement of ot his views after after af at af- af ter the county superintendent had decided decided de de- that her old sweetheart was to tobe tobe tobe be allowed the priceless boon fit of f earning earnIng earning earn earn- ing forty lorty dollars a month during the Ule remainder of at his contract Mr Bonner said Aside from tram being licked were wera all right But well we'll get et this guy yet dont don't fall down and that I The examinations tInd to show said Mr Bonner when asked naked for hIs bla opinion on the result that in r or-r or r I to larn lama anything you Use Ilse But nut well we'll git this guy yIt I Jim said Colonel Coonel Woodruff a as they rode homo home together Im Just h beginning be ho- gln ginning to understand what youre you're driving at nt And I like being a wild eyed reformer more and more TO TU TUBE BE DE CONTINUED |