Part 14 (1/2)
It was Landis who again responded. ”That is not the spirit in which we have undertaken this correction. To the real student it matters little who may have higher marks than herself. She studies for the love of study and the hope of improvement. Neither should we say that it is nothing to us whether a half-dozen others are dishonest or not. It is something to us--or it should be. We have banded ourselves together as a set of Christian workers, and it should be something to us whether a half-dozen among us are not doing the honorable thing.” There was a war-like tone in Landis' words. Whatever weakness there was in the girl's character, she possessed an overwhelming desire to have people believe that she stood on the side of right. She was ambitious to be thought an earnest Christian girl. She would have left no stone unturned to have been a leader among the girls. She was willing to cajole, to cater in order to win friends.h.i.+p.
Yet in spite of all her efforts, she influenced only a few. Among those few were none of the stronger girls of Exeter. Min, to be sure, followed close at her heels, and one or two others; but they were not of the brighter lights from either an ethical or intellectual point of view.
”It is our duty to go to them--to talk to them,” she continued.
”And have a hornet's nest buzzing about your ears,” exclaimed Mary Wilson, disregarding all the rules of Parliamentary law which Dr. Kitch.e.l.l tried to teach them. She was on her feet, moving to the front, talking as she went. ”I really haven't the self-a.s.sertion to walk up to strange students and tell them the error of their ways. To me, that course of action savors too much of conceit of our own virtues. The best we can do is to be perfectly honorable about the examinations. Our mental att.i.tude toward dishonorable proceedings ought to have its influence without our going about making ourselves odious by preaching.”
Someone else took up the discussion. It grew warmer and warmer. Landis maintained the position she took in regard to personal work. In the excitement, several talked at once, forgetting that there was a chairman to whom a certain courtesy was due. Miss Cresswell used the gavel until its sound drowned out the voices. For a time peace reigned again.
During the discussion, Elizabeth leaned forward. This was intensely interesting to her. Her lips were parted, and a flush caused by excitement came to her cheeks. She looked with admiration upon those girls who could talk in public. In her eyes they were gifted creatures more richly blessed than the ordinary mortal like herself. Hitherto she had been fond of s.p.u.n.ky little Mary Wilson. Now she admired and looked up to her as one must look up to a person of talents.
Miss O'Day, dressed in a striking gown of imported material, sat by the side of Elizabeth. She must have heard the discussion, yet she made no show of interest, but seemed like one whose thoughts were far off.
Suddenly a sprightly little girl sprang up and made herself heard: ”I think we had a fairly good plan last year--the plan we copy from the old Greeks--the plan of ostracising. Girls have copied and cheated in examinations ever since examinations were known, and I suppose they will do so as long as examinations are held. There are always a few whose b.u.mp of moral responsibility isn't developed. I agree with one of the previous speakers this far--let those half-dozen who desire to cheat, cheat. Let it be nothing to us. But I would add this much more--let _them_ be also nothing to us. Let us ostracise them entirely, cut them off from all invitations.”
At her words, the discussion grew warmer again. It was as though she had let loose a swarm of bees. Parliamentary law went to the winds. For a moment, every common courtesy seemed to be forgotten. Her suggestion met with some favor. To the surprise of Elizabeth, Mary Wilson was its strongest advocate. Landis now also favored such a course, and consequently Min Kean. In her heart, Elizabeth disapproved, but she was not able to speak as the others had done. She could only sit silent.
Popular opinion was in favor of the ostracism. Then another question was brought up. Landis, again, was the one to set the ball rolling.
”But how are we to find out who does the cheating?” she asked. ”If I should see some member of my cla.s.s make use of a ”pony,” am I expected to cut her dead, while all the others are friendly with her as usual? I do not see how she would be much affected by that, for she may care very little whether I ignore her or not.”
At this Landis sat down but she bent forward and spoke to Min Kean. After a little encouragement, Min arose. She was not quick to grasp ideas even at her best. Now, as she stood upon her feet, she lost what little confidence she possessed, stumbling over her words, looking helplessly toward Landis for encouragement.
”We think--that is, I think--that wouldn't count much--I mean just having one person ostracise you. I think it should be told--I mean if we found anyone cheating, it should be told. Then we would get together and tell that person why we are going to act toward them like we are going to act.
That's only fair. That's the way they treat criminals in court.”
Then she retired to let Landis take her place. ”The speaker has said in part what I had in mind. I do not wish my hearers to believe I would countenance news-carrying or tattling. That, of course, is beneath any right-minded person. But we must--I say we _must_,” Landis raised her finger impressively, and repeated the words as though she intended at that moment to root out the evil with tooth and nail, ”We _must_ get rid of this deceptive tendency. It will have an evil effect on Exeter. Perhaps, in time, destroy the school altogether.”
”Umph! Exeter has stood a hundred years and will stand a hundred more in spite of anything Landis may do,” said Miss O'Day, in a low tone to Elizabeth. This was the first she had spoken since they had entered the meeting.
Landis continued, ”For that reason, I think it would be wise if one sees another cheating, to lay her name before the members and let them act accordingly.”
Elizabeth could never tell how it happened. Months after, in thinking the matter over, she could not justify herself in the thought that she had acted from honorable motives or for any good purpose. She had acted upon the impulse of the moment. This last speech was opposed to all Elizabeth's natural instincts. Her finer feelings were hurt, and like a child she must cry out.
”The idea is preposterous,” she exclaimed, getting upon her feet and walking to the front of the room. Indignation had turned to crimson the pink which enthusiasm had brought to her cheek. ”No good ever comes of using a wrong to make another wrong right. Like every one else, I think there should be no dishonor in examinations. But to my mind, tale-bearing is equally dishonorable. Consider the idea of our pledging ourselves to run and tell every one else when we find that someone has done wrong. I refuse to do such a thing even though I know it would stamp out every bit of cheating in our examinations.”
At this came a burst of applause, so that for the time Elizabeth was forced to discontinue. She saw Mary Wilson's eyes beaming upon her. Not another face could she distinguish. When the applause ceased, she began again. It was evident she was thinking of nothing else but the injustice and littleness of the act they had been contemplating. She felt deeply, and talked as she felt. For a moment she was an orator worthy the name.
”For this ostracising, I have as little sympathy. A student does wrong, and you would cut her off immediately from all who are trying to do right.
If your purpose is to a.s.sist those weaker than yourself, you will never succeed by such a method. If every one was to be ignored for every bit of deceit they practice, I fancy most of us would be going around by ourselves, rather lonely.” A smile pa.s.sed over the faces of her hearers--a smile of amus.e.m.e.nt and surprise, for hitherto Elizabeth had been a quiet, shy girl, almost timid in company; and now upon the instant she had taken the lead. She had come forth alone when all the odds were against her, boldly declaring her opinion, and fearless to defend the course she believed to be right.
”If we are going to begin this reformation, let us begin aright--at the root of the evil, and carry it through all its branches. Let us begin with the students who leave us under false impressions--telling us romances of their adventures, their powerful friends, their finances.” To do Elizabeth justice, the girl with traits like these she mentioned had no definite form in her mind. She was only supposing a case. Yet, unconsciously, her mind had received during these months of school an idea of such a person.
She could not embody these qualities with a human form. Yet more than one of her hearers recognized these as characteristics of one who had been foremost in the denunciations of dishonest examinations. ”Let us begin with the girls who turn out their lights and go to bed long enough to deceive Mrs. Schuyler, and then get up again to prowl--and to the girl who gets a book from the town library and allows a dozen to read it before it is returned, when she has pledged herself to withdraw the books for her use alone.
”We, as a set of Christian girls”--the expression was new to Elizabeth, but it does not take one long to become a Christian--”would ostracise any who did not come up to our standard of ethics! I say here so that you may all know where I stand”--her cheeks grew scarlet, and in the energy of her emotions she emphasized strongly--”I will not declare the name of anyone who 'ponies' in cla.s.s, nor will I cut them from my list of acquaintances.
I shall let them know I despise such deception, but I shall treat them exactly as I have always treated them.”
With that she went back to her place. To her surprise Miss O'Day was not there, having slipped away at the beginning of Elizabeth's talk.
The girls applauded heartily. Someone else arose to speak. Elizabeth's enthusiasm having died suddenly away, she felt very limp and weak. She was surprised at her own boldness.