“I am not in any hurry to commence, Mr. Barclay, though I may be in a hurry to get through, if I should take the place.”
“That is my feeling now. The sooner I can be free, the better it will be for my health. The climate is getting worse for me with the approach of winter.”
“I leave the matter in your hands, then. Who are the trustees?”
“General Wall is the principal one, and I will call to see him this evening. Besides him there is the village doctor--Dr. Owens--but he has so much to attend to that he has very little to do with the schools. Then there is Squire Griffiths, a man who was selected because he is rather prominent in town affairs, but he is a man of no education. General Wall is the only one at all qualified for the position. Last year the minister belonged to the board, and was competent and useful, but he got unpopular by taking sides in a local dispute, and was left off.”
“I suppose teachers are examined by the trustees so that they may discover whether they are competent.”
“Yes, but the examinations don’t amount to much, as you can judge from the composition of the Board of Trustees.”
“I think I can pass pretty well. I have not been out of school long enough to forget my studies.”
“I have no doubt you’ll be all right. I’ll call on the general this evening.”
In accordance with his determination, Allen Barclay knocked at the door of General Wall’s residence about an hour after supper.
“Is the general in?” he inquired.