it?
When Susannah took her scholars outside for recess, she had a moment to assess William and Anna’s first day of school. It would be hard to forget, since Anna was still clinging firmly to her skirt.
Normally, Susannah might opt to stay inside during recess and prepare for the next class, but her helper today was Mary Keim, and she suspected Mary wasn’t ready to be left alone with the kinder yet. She studied the girl’s face for a moment, searching for some sign that Mary actually wanted to be helping at the school. She couldn’t find one. Mary stood pressed against the stair railing, not venturing toward the swings and seesaws, which occupied most of the children. She seemed afraid to move.
Susannah bit back a wave of exasperation. She rather expected this withdrawal from shy little Anna on her first day at a new school. She would think that sixteen-year-old Mary might have a bit more confidence.
“You don’t need to stay here with me, Mary. Why don’t you play catch with the older children? Or you can push some of the young ones on the swings.”
Mary showed the whites of her eyes like a frightened horse. “I...I’ll try,” she said and walked slowly toward the swings.
No, not a horse, Susannah decided, watching the girl’s tentative approach to the smaller children. Mary was more like a little gray mouse, with her pale face, pointed chin and anxious, wary eyes. She feared making a mistake, Susannah decided, and so she took refuge in doing nothing. If her father thought a few weeks as the teacher’s assistant was going to turn the girl into a teacher, he was mistaken.
Well, parents were often the last to realize what their children were best suited for. She’d certainly seen that often enough as a teacher. But she had more immediate problems to deal with than Mary Keim’s future.
Sinking onto the step, Susannah drew Anna down next to her. “You did very well with your reading this morning, Anna. Do you like to read?”
The child nodded, her blue eyes showing a flicker of interest, but she didn’t speak.
“I’d guess somebody reads stories to you before you go to bed at night. Am I right?”
Again a nod, this time accompanied by a slight smile.
“Let’s see if I can guess who. Is it Daadi?”
A shake of the head answered her.
“Grossmammi?”
“Sometimes.” The word came in a tiny whisper.
“Who else, besides Grossmammi?” Why wasn’t Toby doing it? Was he that busy with the carriage business at this time of the year? Maybe he considered that a woman’s job, but...
“Aunt Sally likes to read stories.”
That was the longest sentence she’d gotten from the child, and Susannah rejoiced.
“I know your aunt Sally. Once she was one of my scholars, just as you are. She liked to read then, too.”
Anna’s small face lit up. “She makes all the noises in the story when she reads.”
Susannah couldn’t help chuckling. “She did that in school, too. Do you giggle when she does it?”
And there it was—an actual smile as Anna nodded. Susannah put her arm around the child and hugged her close. All Anna needed was a little time, patience and encouragement. She would—
A sudden shout jolted Susannah out of her thoughts. She turned her head, her gaze scanning the schoolyard for trouble. And found it. Two boys were engaged in a pushing match, and even as she ran toward them, she realized that the smaller one was William.
“Stoppe, schnell,” she commanded in the tone that never failed to corral her students’ attention. It didn’t fail now. Both William and Seth Stoltzfus, a sixth grader with a quick temper, jerked around to face her.
“This is not acceptable. Into the schoolroom. Now. Both of you.” With a hand on each one’s shoulder, she marched them toward the school.
Mary stood watching, openmouthed.
“Mary, you are in charge on the playground until I ring the bell. Try to get Anna to go on the swings with the twins, please.”
Mary nodded and scurried to do her bidding, and Susannah sent up a quick prayer for guidance. After what Toby had confided to her, she’d expected trouble with William, but she hadn’t thought it would flare up so quickly.
“Now then.” Leaving them standing in front of her desk, she took her place behind it. “What did you think you were doing?”
“He started it,” Seth said quickly.
“Did not,” William retorted. “He did.”
“Did n—”
“Stop.” She halted the repetition of blame. “Were you arguing over the baseball?” Some of the older boys had been tossing it around before the trouble started.
Seth nodded. “It went toward him, and he wouldn’t give it back.”
“I was going to throw it.” William glared belligerently. “You didn’t need to grab.”
“So, you were both wrong,” she said. “That is not how we settle disputes in our school. You know that. You’ll both stay after school and wash the boards for me today.” She knew that would make an impact. While the girls vied for the opportunity to clean the chalkboards, the boys hated the job. For some reason she didn’t understand, they’d decided it was unmanly.
“Yah, Teacher Susannah.” Seth edged backward, and when she didn’t say anything more, he hurried back to his interrupted recess.
William took a few steps, his expression hostile, then stopped. “Are you going to tell my daadi?”
Susannah’s heart softened. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
The expression that swept across his face couldn’t be missed. Disappointment. Why was the boy disappointed? Relief would be more natural, wouldn’t it?
Jaw set, William turned away, contriving to knock the books off the nearest desk as he did so.
“Perhaps I should ask your father to come in,” she said, watching for his reaction.
William shrugged. “He can’t. He’s busy working all the time.”
Susannah surveyed the boy thoughtfully. That surely wasn’t true, but she had a feeling William thought it was. Possibly this attitude was a hangover from what must have been very difficult times. Toby had been working in a factory, he’d said, so he wouldn’t have been able to take time off during the day very often.
Most Amish, if they could manage it, preferred to farm or run a home-based business so that the family could work together.
