FIRST DAY — FIRST TERM

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1937, Page 20

FIRST DAY — FIRST TERM

(A'story fbr'Sea Page, by "Lassie," Kelburn.)

/■ff~\ LATTER!' went;the slates, "Flip flop!" went the books,: and. Gurgle Vvwent the ink, as the monitors prepared the schoolroom; for the nrst day of the new term at Professor Prawn's Preparatory School. There was even more noise in the playground! Everyone taiKea at once, comparing holiday adventures, greeting old friends, and making new and exciting plans for the new year/ The head monitor came out^to ring the bell, pulling hard on the .seaweed rope, and after a moment or two tne pupils had-formed orderly ranks and inside. "Good-morning, everyone," said Professor Prawn. "Good-morning, sir," replied a chorus of respectful voices.. 1 "Attention, please. ' Tommy Trout, you will take the' desk .at the end of the front row, next to John Dory. Sam' Snapper, move up, to make room for Caroline Cod. That will do, thank you. Take your spelling books, class, and revise page 3, while I mark the roll."

But the schoolroom was not quiet for long: Tommy Trout, never a very attentive scholar, began humming, a tune instead of. studying. Sam took an apple from his lunch, and whispered, "Caroline,-would you like half?" But before he could pass it along, John Dory knocked it on the floor. Caroline and Sam both bent down to get it at the same moment and bumped their heads sharply against each other. Of course, ther&Vwas scuffling and complaining, and Professor Prawn raP^le^ef I^thT^ay to learn to spell? Unless- there/is improvement the whole class must forfeit playtime, and that would be a pity, on the first day of a new-term. Now let me see how well you can behave. Tommy and' Sam and John and Caroline sat up at once,-for. they were not really1 naughty, and did not want to spoil playtime for the others. They stood and spelled the words as they were called out,, m turn. LINB'-'HOOiK, -NET, BAIT. When Caroline's turn came, she was'looking so' intently towards the door that Professor Prawahad to ' call her. name twice before she heard. He also turned, and forgotvCarolme altogether: fora moment, for there stood a little girl, very shy and. a little "Come here, my dear? and tell me your name," said the Professor, and he led her into the' classroom. ■ - : , - - ■.. '". "Minnie Minnow,.'sir," she replied, "and I live at 14 Flounder Terrace." "Have you been to school before, Minnie?" "No, sir, but I have a "new school bag and three new pencils, and I can say the alphabet!" \ "Very well," said the Professor smilingly, "you shall become one of my pupils. The first thing to learn is to be punctual. That means, to be ready when the bell -rings -at-9 o'clock, to, march in with the others." Minnie hung her head for a moment, and then looked up bravely and said, "Yes, sir, I will try. Today I heard the bell, but stopped to gather pretty shells as I came along." ■ : ;,:. ;.. - ; r. : / -j .;::....:■'.-> ; ■ "Now, take off your beret, and sit.in that empty : desk in the second row. In ten minutes it will be playtime•■and- : y~pu : : can.Jtheri, make -friends.".; with the other, boys and girls. We will.resume. : the'spelling-test." :,.:. :v. '. At the end of,the time Professor Prawnl .announced a, half-holiday,* and . \vas: loudly; cheeredby 'all his', pupils. Without: a-Vdoubtj. the happiest qfuthem-1 all was Minnie-Minnowr as-shehurried'hbme to tell; her mother about the'• first day of her first term. . : ;';. ■'■■ r^;: <' ■''...■" ■"■/.:,/"'; ■''-. .-'.•■'■;;■''.::/■■;.;:':-.■■■''.".