Part 16 (1/2)
”Yes; but I thought it was nothing more than a taffy pull.”
”It is a deep-laid plot to reform us all. I must give her credit in the selection of her colleagues. She has picked those who will carry her plans through if they once see fit to accept them. Oh, no, don't be alarmed,” as she noticed Miss Watson's expression, ”there may come some good from it; no evil at least, I'm sure. It may be a good thing to have them talk the matter over.” Then she related the events of the morning.
The girls did not know the reason for their being called together. Nora O'Day, to Elizabeth's surprise, made no objections, Elizabeth having explained fully that it was not a social but a purely business meeting.
Nora came in after the others had gathered. With a nod to them collectively, she took her place before the grate.
Elizabeth stated the reason of the gathering. She related the scene of the morning.
”You know I never was in an examination before,” she said. ”You have no idea how it impressed me. To think of having two and three teachers in the room to watch us! Why, it seemed to me it was the most insulting thing possible.”
”That is because it is new to you. It really was not meant that way,” Miss Cresswell explained. ”But you must bear this in mind--school life is just like outside life. There are some students who are dishonest. There's no getting around that fact. And because of those few, we must all be put under surveillance.”
Elizabeth was not to be convinced. ”I do not see why. I felt this morning in cla.s.s just as I would if I had gone into Dr. Morgan's room and she had immediately locked up her jewelry and her purse. Surely, the teachers themselves must have learned by this time who can be trusted and who can not! Suppose among the fifty girls in our room this morning, there were one or two who cheated. I think it would have been far better to allow them to go their way than have treated us all like criminals. What great difference would it make anyhow? They would be the only losers; and as to being watched, how is that going to make them any better?”
Mary Wilson shook back her hair. Her eyes were beginning to flash. As Elizabeth discussed the question, her enthusiasm grew.
”It makes them worse--far worse. If there is anything in the world that would make me cheat it is being watched to see that I didn't. I'd do it then just to prove that I could be sharper than they.”
They talked the matter over thoroughly, each one, with the exception of Nora O'Day, expressing herself freely. She sat silent; but her silence did not spring from lack of interest. She listened keenly to every word, and weighed it fully before she accepted it. Elizabeth wondered at her, for she was not naturally quiet. The others understood, and did not ask for her opinion.
Elizabeth had gained one point. The girls did not treat Miss O'Day with that studied formality which is more galling than open neglect as they had on former occasions. Mary, in particular, was quite agreeable, and Nora herself more at ease.
Elizabeth had a plan for this reformation. She was not attempting the impossible. Her idea was practical. Even Miss Cresswell declared it to be wise.
”Will you be secretary, Miss Cresswell, and jot down our plan?” asked Elizabeth.
She moved to the study-table, taking up a pencil and tablet ready for work. ”What have you decided to do about talking with the girls?” she asked. ”Will you call them all together and present this plan to them?”
”No; my idea was to interview each one by herself. It seems so much more personal than talking to them all together. I think they will take it so; I'm sure I should.”
”Perhaps so. But it will mean a great deal of work.”
”We will not object to the work,” said Mary Wilson, ”if we only succeed in carrying out Elizabeth's idea.”
The details were further discussed. Then they began to apportion a certain section of the Hall for each girl to visit.
”We need not visit them all. Each new recruit will be put to work to get other signers.”
Anna Cresswell continued her writing. At last she spoke. ”We will have this run off on the typewriter. Listen. Is this just what you intend, Elizabeth?” She read:
”We, the undersigned students of Exeter Hall, not being contented with the present method of conducting examinations, believing that it casts reflections upon the honor of each student, do hereby suggest a means of reformation. We pledge ourselves individually to receive no a.s.sistance at such times. Furthermore, we will quietly but firmly discountenance among the students any methods not strictly honorable.
”We respectfully request Dr. Morgan to have examinations conducted hereafter without the presence of instructors, we pledging ourselves that under our supervision they will reflect credit both upon Exeter and the students.”
”You have done it beautifully. My father could not have done it better,”
said Elizabeth. ”Now we must get the names of the best girls at Exeter.”
”Don't have a name of one who does not mean to keep her pledge,” advised Miss Cresswell. ”Fifty people in earnest are worth more than an hundred, half of whom veer with the wind.”
”But as Anna Cresswell said before,” began Mary Wilson excitedly, ”there will be some who will cheat. What will we do?”