went flying through the air until she landed, with a great splash, right in the middle of the pond.
Soaked and mud spattered, she sat in the water. For a moment she just remained there, gasping for breath, shocked. The next moment she broke out into laughter, laughing as she had not laughed in a long time. As the other children joined in, she could not stop.
Suddenly they heard a voice say, "My dear Miss Bidson. Are you giving swimming lessons?"
They looked around. It was the county examiner, Miss Sedgewick. She seemed to be struggling not to laugh herself. "I have visited many a school," she said, "but never one like this. Now I'm afraid I really do need to speak to you all."
Dripping wet, red faced, and mud streaked, Ida waded out of the pond and plodded in sodden shoes toward the schoolhouse. The other children followed uncertainly.
Tom edged up to Ida. "Sorry," he whispered.
She looked up at him. He looked so pathetically guilty that for a moment she felt an almost irrepressible giggle rising. "Do I look a sight?"
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yes," and started to laugh again but tried to repress it.
Ida bit her lip to keep herself from laughing more.
As the students filed into their places, Ida stood shivering beside the teacher's desk. This was, she knew, a very serious moment. "Why was she so desperate to laugh?
"My dear," said Miss Sedgewick, "have you no dry clothes?"
"No, ma'am. Can I explain what we wereâ?"
"Miss Bidson, you
are
the teacher here. Do take your place."
Wet though she was, Ida sat down. Under the cover of her desk she slipped off her shoes. She was aware that if she so much as peeked at Tom, she would burst out laughing again.
"I am sorry to have come at such an awkward moment," Miss Sedgewick began, addressing Ida as well as the class. "I should begin by commending you all for your desire to be in school. As far as
I'm
concerned, there's no harm in your studying together. In fact, I admire it greatly. If you wish to allow Miss Bidson to be your unofficial teacher, there's nothing wrong with that, either."
The other children burst into applause. Ida allowed herself a big smile. The desire to laugh eased.
"However," Miss Sedgewick said with new severity, "as for getting
credit
for what you are doing, that's quite another matter. Credit for the term will require passing an exam given by the county."
Tom raised his hand. "For the eighth graders? Is that what you mean, ma'am?"
"For the eighth graders, certainly. But here's the choice I offer: I'll keep your secret, but in return you must
all
take a final exam."
"All?" Ida said, now very serious.
"All," Miss Sedgewick repeated.
"Me, too?" asked Mary tremulously.
"You, too, my dear."
"I thought tests were just supposed to be for Tom and Ida," Herbert objected.
"Young man, you have changed the rules here," Miss Sedgewick replied. "Now I have, too. You can't get credit for taking a full term unless we see that you have truly mastered it."
"Miss Sedgewick," asked Ida, "can ... can I see the exams so I can make sure I know what to teach?"
"But then the results would only tell us what you taught your students, Miss Bidson, not what they know. No, my dear, just continue as you've been doing. The test will allow me to see what you have accomplished. Agreed?"
No one spoke.
"Is that a yes or a no?" asked Miss Sedgewick.
"We've been doing everything by voting," Ida said.
"Then please feel free to vote," Miss Sedgewick urged.
Ida stood up. "Those in favor of everybody taking exams like Miss Sedgewick says, raise hands."
All handsâexcept Herbert'sâwent up.
"I'm afraid," said Miss Sedgewick, "this won't work unless everyone agrees." She turned to Herbert. "Young man, would you reconsider?"
"Aw,"âhe scowledâ"if I take that exam, I'm just gonna fail it."
"Herbert, please," Ida pleaded.
Herbert stared down at his desk.
Once more, Ida said, "Those in favor."
This time all handsâincluding
Soaked and mud spattered, she sat in the water. For a moment she just remained there, gasping for breath, shocked. The next moment she broke out into laughter, laughing as she had not laughed in a long time. As the other children joined in, she could not stop.
Suddenly they heard a voice say, "My dear Miss Bidson. Are you giving swimming lessons?"
They looked around. It was the county examiner, Miss Sedgewick. She seemed to be struggling not to laugh herself. "I have visited many a school," she said, "but never one like this. Now I'm afraid I really do need to speak to you all."
Dripping wet, red faced, and mud streaked, Ida waded out of the pond and plodded in sodden shoes toward the schoolhouse. The other children followed uncertainly.
Tom edged up to Ida. "Sorry," he whispered.
She looked up at him. He looked so pathetically guilty that for a moment she felt an almost irrepressible giggle rising. "Do I look a sight?"
He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yes," and started to laugh again but tried to repress it.
Ida bit her lip to keep herself from laughing more.
As the students filed into their places, Ida stood shivering beside the teacher's desk. This was, she knew, a very serious moment. "Why was she so desperate to laugh?
"My dear," said Miss Sedgewick, "have you no dry clothes?"
"No, ma'am. Can I explain what we wereâ?"
"Miss Bidson, you
are
the teacher here. Do take your place."
Wet though she was, Ida sat down. Under the cover of her desk she slipped off her shoes. She was aware that if she so much as peeked at Tom, she would burst out laughing again.
"I am sorry to have come at such an awkward moment," Miss Sedgewick began, addressing Ida as well as the class. "I should begin by commending you all for your desire to be in school. As far as
I'm
concerned, there's no harm in your studying together. In fact, I admire it greatly. If you wish to allow Miss Bidson to be your unofficial teacher, there's nothing wrong with that, either."
The other children burst into applause. Ida allowed herself a big smile. The desire to laugh eased.
"However," Miss Sedgewick said with new severity, "as for getting
credit
for what you are doing, that's quite another matter. Credit for the term will require passing an exam given by the county."
Tom raised his hand. "For the eighth graders? Is that what you mean, ma'am?"
"For the eighth graders, certainly. But here's the choice I offer: I'll keep your secret, but in return you must
all
take a final exam."
"All?" Ida said, now very serious.
"All," Miss Sedgewick repeated.
"Me, too?" asked Mary tremulously.
"You, too, my dear."
"I thought tests were just supposed to be for Tom and Ida," Herbert objected.
"Young man, you have changed the rules here," Miss Sedgewick replied. "Now I have, too. You can't get credit for taking a full term unless we see that you have truly mastered it."
"Miss Sedgewick," asked Ida, "can ... can I see the exams so I can make sure I know what to teach?"
"But then the results would only tell us what you taught your students, Miss Bidson, not what they know. No, my dear, just continue as you've been doing. The test will allow me to see what you have accomplished. Agreed?"
No one spoke.
"Is that a yes or a no?" asked Miss Sedgewick.
"We've been doing everything by voting," Ida said.
"Then please feel free to vote," Miss Sedgewick urged.
Ida stood up. "Those in favor of everybody taking exams like Miss Sedgewick says, raise hands."
All handsâexcept Herbert'sâwent up.
"I'm afraid," said Miss Sedgewick, "this won't work unless everyone agrees." She turned to Herbert. "Young man, would you reconsider?"
"Aw,"âhe scowledâ"if I take that exam, I'm just gonna fail it."
"Herbert, please," Ida pleaded.
Herbert stared down at his desk.
Once more, Ida said, "Those in favor."
This time all handsâincluding
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