It is to be feared that Ella did not pay very close attention to the “opening exercises,” but older folk have sometimes paid no more, even though with much smaller temptation.
But the assistant was beckoning to her and was handing her a paper.
“Do these examples,” she said; “or as many of them as you can,” she added, for she, too, was of Cora’s opinion in regard to the children who came from private schools.
The slate pencil that behaved like a gold one and the little girl who wielded it worked their way rather scornfully through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Then came fractions, decimals, compound numbers, interest, and square root; but now the principal and the assistant called a halt and held a conference. Ella heard snatches of their rather emphatic remarks.
“She won’t be twelve for two weeks—altogether too young for this room.”
“The Third Room would be only play for her.”
“She has studied French and Latin,” said the assistant, “but she knows very little of geography and grammar.”
“Never mind,” declared the principal decidedly. “If she can do arithmetic, she can do anything. Put her into the Second Room.”
CHAPTER XI
ELLA’S FIRST DAY IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
The assistant led the way to the Second Room, and Ella followed, her heart beating triumphantly, for this was Cora’s room. She was introduced to the teacher, and the teacher gave her a seat at one of the double desks. Ella’s face fell, for no one was sitting at the other half.