“When it became known,” said the news story, “that the schoolmaster had bet his job on the proficiency of his school in studies supposed and alleged to have been studiously neglected, the excitement rose to fever heat. Local sports bet freely on the result, the odds being eight to five on General Proficiency against the field. The field was Jim Irwin and his school. And the way those rural kids rose in their might and ate up the text-books was simply scandalous. There was a good deal of nervousness on the part of some of the small starters, and some bursts of tears at excusable failures. But when the fight was over, and the dead and wounded cared for, the school board and the county superintendent were forced to admit that they wished the average school could do as well under a similar test.
“The local Mr. Dooley is Cornelius Bonner, a member of the ‘board.’ When asked for a statement of his views after the county superintendent had decided that her old sweetheart was to be allowed the priceless boon of earning forty dollars a month during the remainder of his contract, Mr. Bonner said, ‘Aside from being licked, we’re all right. But we’ll get this guy yet, don’t fall down and fergit that!’
“‘The examinations tind to show,’ said Mr. Bonner, when asked for his opinion on the result, ‘that in or-r-rder to larn anything you shud shtudy somethin’ ilse. But we’ll git this guy yit!’”
“Jim,” said Colonel Woodruff, as they rode home together, “the next heat is the school election. We’ve got to control that board next year—and we’ve got to do it by electing one out of three.”
“Is that a possibility?” asked Jim. “Aren’t we sure to be defeated at last? Shouldn’t I quit at the end of my contract? All I ever hoped for was to be allowed to fulfill that. And is it worth the fight?”
“It’s not only possible,” replied the colonel, “but probable. As for being worth while—why, this thing is too big to drop. I’m just beginning to understand what you’re driving at. And I like being a wild-eyed reformer more and more.”