The Scholarship Girl

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21462, 8 April 1933, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Scholarship Girl

By EUPHEMIA SHARP, Mountain Road, Henderson There was quite a storm in the classroom of Lower 48. Teacher was out. and the girls were talking together excitedly. " It's a shame! " said one. " It ought not to bo allowed," said another. " My mother says I am not to speak to her," said Maggie Bee. "Not to speak to. whom?" asked Doreen, coming to see what was the matter. "To Helen, of course," said Maggie sharply. " .And why not ? " asked Doreen. " Why, don't you know, she's a scholarship girl. I think it's a shame letting scholarship girls come into our class." "If they come in we won't have anything to do with them," said another. " We won't play with them," sniggered a third. " But why ever not ? " asked Doreen, bravely. " What's the matter with scholarship girls 1 " " Of course there's something the matter with them," said Maggie Bee.' "My mother told me not to speak to them." " Well, of all the mean things I have ever heard," said Doreen, " that is the meanest." "What do you know about it?" chorused the others. " Maggie's mother ought to know better than you." " Well, I know what my mother told me," said Doreen, facing the crowd of girls courageously. "And 'what's that?" asked Maggie, with a lofty look. "I'll tell you if you want to.know," said Doreen. "My mother says that scholarship girls are more worthy to be here than we are; they, have studied hard and passed exams, while we are here just

because our mothers havo got money to pay for us. I admire themf lb isn't money that makes people nice." "Hasn't made you nice, has it?" snapped Maggie. " I don't mind what you say about me," she said, " but I do mind what you say about the poor. The?e is nothing so mean, as refusing to speak to someone just because she has come here with a scholarship." "Ha! ha!" laughed Maggie. It was a hollow laugh, she knew that Doreen was right and that the other girls were won over to her point of view. " Well," said Doreen, " I am going to be friends with Helen; she may not have such expensive clothes as us, but she has a good heart and that's what matters most." " Indeed it does," said a familiar voice. It was teacher. In the heat of the discussion she had come in unnoticed. The girls scattered to their places and in a moment were as quiet as mice. " Doreen's speech," said the teacher, " was the most beautiful thing I've heard in this classroom. She shall have ten extra marks to-day." Doreen smiled and blushed a little and' Maggie hung her head. At the other side of the classroom, Helen resolved that as soon as class was over she would reward Doreen in her sweetest way.