CHAPTER V 



" KEEPING THEM DOWN " 



" Well, I suppose that is all right, but please 

 tell me how I am going to get them down again ? " 

 she said in a low tone to the superintendent, as I 

 went out of the room. The words were not in- 

 tended for my ears, but I caught them, and they 

 touched me, every bit of me. 



She was a teacher who thoroughly believed in 

 discipline. Every action in the school favored of 

 militarism. She was famous throughout the town 

 for her good government. When the superinten- 

 dent and I entered the room she came forward 

 very primly, and I thought grimly, but perhaps 

 that was imagination, the result of the superin- 

 tendent's casual remark, " You will have to be a 

 little careful with this teacher. She is great on 

 discipline and routine, and says that she doesn't 

 believe in modern fads." The good old methods 

 of the days when Webster's blue-covered spellin' 

 book was paramount, were good enough for her. 



After acknowledging the introduction, she 

 turned and said : 



69 



