by Mercy Levy
Clarice’s Sweet Romance
Chapter 1 – Dusty Days
“Come along children! Please, hurry and watch your step! You don’t want to be late!” Clarice shook the bell loudly, sweeping her eyes across the small schoolyard and ushering all the children into the schoolhouse.
It was a small, one room schoolhouse, but the children filled the benches, and she enjoyed taking her place at the front of the room.
“Miss Cranberry?” a small voice at the back of the room piped up, and Clarice turned in surprise.
“Yes, Tommy? What is it?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“My Ma wanted to know why we aren’t learning our letters faster. She says I ought to know all the alphabet by now.” He looked at her with large, round eyes and several of the other children murmured their agreement.
Clarice sighed. She had known it was just a matter of time before one of the children asked such a question, but she had hoped it would have been later rather than sooner.
“Well, Tommy, not everyone in class knows all the same letters yet, and I need to make sure you are all close to the same level before we can move on. You see, with all you boys and girls gathered here and depending on me to teach you, I need to make sure you all get to learn.” She smiled cheerfully, and could see that her answer more than satisfied the boy, but she silently wondered how his parents were going to take her reasoning.
Turning back to the board, she scrawled a few more letters across the black, letting her chalk squeak as she did so.
“Now, this is the letter ‘Q’ and this is an ‘R’. These larger letters are call capital letters, and the smaller ones we call lower case letters. I want all you to use your tablets to write these same letters a few times, then bring them up here so I can see how you did.” She smiled as each of the children got to work, then turned her attention to the older children in the class.
“For those of you who already know the alphabet, let’s get you started on some arithmetic. Billy, would you mind grabbing this chalk and solving this problem on the board for me? That’s a good boy.” She quickly etched a problem on the board, then held the chalk out for Billy to take.
Billy was holding the football he had been playing with before school, and now he hesitated as he looked around the class.
“Now I know you are a fast runner, but playing football isn’t going to get you through school,” Clarice said softly too him.
Many of the children were too absorbed in their writing to pay him any attention, but a few of the children looked at him and snickered and his face turned a deep red.
“Quiet please, children, let Billy handle this,” Clarice tried to be as welcoming as possible, but she could sense the boy’s hesitation. Finally, he set his ball down and walked over to the blackboard, nervously taking the chalk out of her hand and looking over the problem.
She could see by the look in his eyes that he was desperately trying to figure it out, but he was struggling to find the right answer.
“Very good Billy, that’s right. Oh, remember that you have to put the ‘one’ on top of this number here, then add them together. There you go!” She tried to be as encouraging as possible, though she could sense his frustration as he picked his way through the problem.
At last, he set the chalk down and looked at her hopefully.
“Is that right, Miss Cranberry?” he asked timidly, and Clarice quickly did the math in her head. With a sinking feeling, she realized that he hadn’t done the problem quite right, and she struggled a moment with how to tell him so. She did not want to further embarrass him.
“Almost. Take a look at what you did over here. I know it can be frustrating, but with practice, you’re going to get it. Trust me.” She smiled at him and tried to show him how to do the problem correctly, but he sighed and she could see that she had already lost his attention.
“All right, class, if you are done writing down those letters, perhaps it’s time we moved on to a little history lesson.” Hoping that studying something collectively would help the students to focus and learn, Clarice decided to choose a subject everyone understood equally.
She opened her history book and pulled the map out of its rolled casing, then she placed the map over the blackboard. Pointing to various locations on the map, Clarice read out of her history book, showing the students where Boston was located and reading to them about the time the colonials threw the tea overboard from the ship and into the water.
“They refer to the event now as the Boston Tea Party,” she said, looking across the class. To her dismay, she could see that neither Tommy nor Billy were paying attention to a word she said, and were passing notes to others in the class.
“That is enough!” she said, slapping the book closed. She walked over to where the two students had been passing notes, grabbing the note from one of their hands.
She looked at them both, then opened the note. Turning back to the class, she shook her head.
“I’m sorry this isn’t as exciting as some of you would prefer, but this is important. If you don’t take the time to learn your lessons, you are going to limit yourselves. There are so many things in life that are based on what you learn here in school. You don’t want to grow up forced to be farmers now, do you?” She was walking through the rows of benches as she spoke, but she could see her words had little impact on the children.
With a sigh, she looked at the clock.
“All right, class is dismissed. I expect that assignment I gave last Wednesday to be finished and handed in by tomorrow!” Looking over the class, she hoped her words had an effect on them, but it seemed they just went in one ear and out the other as the students jostled each other out the door.
Clarice sighed and sat down at her desk, trying to think what she could possibly be doing wrong.
“They’re just children, but they must learn” She rose and grabbed a broom, furiously sweeping the wooden floor and thinking about the events of the day.
Chapter 2 – A Visit From Mrs. Basin
The next few days went much the same as Monday had, and Clarice fought to maintain a positive outlook. She didn’t want to battle with the students. In her mind, learning was fun, but these children didn’t seem to understand how crucial it was for them to learn.
They were mostly the children of the wealthier people in town, coming to her smaller school to avoid the larger crowd at the bigger school on the other side of the district. That school was full of poor farmer’s children. But, poor as they were, they were eager to learn, and it wasn’t at all unusual for those children to win the local spelling bees or science fairs.
Clarice had high hopes for each of her pupils, but she knew she could only do so much. If they were going to succeed in life, they were going to have to be the ones to put in the effort, and it simply didn’t seem as though they were willing to do so.
Each of the students had turned in the assignment she had given them, but few of them had followed the rules she had set in place. Clarice felt as though she wasn’t being taken seriously, especially by the older students. She did what she could to motivate them, but had not quite found a way just yet. She was left wondering how else she could approach them.
At last, Friday arrived, and Clarice breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind the last student. It had been a long week, and she was eager to get home. There was a small pile of papers on the corner of her desk which needed to be graded, then she could lock the door and forget all about this little schoolhouse until Monday morning.
Clarice grabbed the first piece of paper and skimmed the contents, pleased that the student had done all of the problems correctly. The next student had also done well on the work, but the following student clearly struggled with the method.
Clarice sighed as she reluctantly pulled out her red pencil, circling the parts of the problem the student had done improperly. She became so engrossed in what she was doing, she jumped in surprise when a voice next to her broke her concentr
ation.
“Pardon me, but I thought you heard me come in. Miss Cranberry, good day.” Mrs. Basin, a thin, angry woman stood next to her desk, and Clarice wondered how she hadn’t notice the woman walking through the room.
“Good day to you, Mrs. Basin. Is there something I can help you with?” She looked up in surprise, wondering what Mrs. Basin possibly could want.
“Yes, as a matter of fact there is,” Mrs. Basin said in her gravelly voice. She began walking the length of the room in front of Clarice’s desk, holding her hands in front of her, her fingertips touching.
Clarice raised her eyebrows curiously, waiting.
“It appears to me that my grandson is not progressing as I would like. In fact, it appears to me that he is stuck at the same level as the rest of the class.” She paused, looking over the papers Clarice was grading, then into Clarice’s eyes.
“He’s not being held back unduly, I assure you,” Clarice said softly, she didn’t know how to address his problems, but she knew she had to say something to satisfy this woman.
“Well then what is it? He is a bright boy and works hard in his studies, so why is he still working at a beginner level?” She stopped, crossing her arms and looking at Clarice harshly.
“Billy is very smart, but he is also unfocused,” Clarice began, trying to find the right words. She could see by the look in Mrs. Basin’s eyes that she was unimpressed with the reasoning, and Clarice tried to think of another way to put it.
“He is eager to play sports, and unfortunately, that is where most of his energy goes,” she said at last, but Mrs. Basin looked at her critically.
“May I remind you that I am on the school board? And may I remind you that if I am not happy with the overall performance of the pupils, there may need to be some changes made? Clarice, I know you enjoy this school, but I don’t know what you are the right fit.” She smiled haughtily, but Clarice rose from her chair.
“Excuse me, but may I remind you that I have been elected the teacher of this school for four years in a row? I have watched many of these children grow up, and I find my methods more than effective.” Clarice fought to maintain control over her tone, but she really wanted to shout at the woman.
A smile broke slowly across Mrs. Basin’s face as she walked toward the door.
“I am calling an emergency meeting tonight, you are welcome to join, but trust me, and something has to be done about the children. Good afternoon, Clarice.” And with that, the woman was gone, leaving Clarice alone with the papers, and her thoughts.
Chapter 3 – A Fateful Decision
“As much as I hate to admit it, Mrs. Basin does have a point, some of the children seem to be held back while others aren’t quite getting the attention they deserve.” Mr. Bates removed his glasses and used the corner of his coat pocket to wipe them off.
Clarice shifted uneasily in her chair. She had known ever since Mrs. Basin’s niece had gotten her teaching certificate that it was going to be difficult for her to maintain her position at the school, and she hated that she couldn’t argue with what the board was saying.
It was true that some of the students were struggling while others were advancing beyond their level, but it was hard for her to divide the room to properly teach everyone what they ought to be learning. The older students simply did not want to be in the same group as the younger ones, though many of them were on the same level. It was difficult to teach children of such varied ages.
“What do you propose we do, Clarice?” Mrs. Basin asked condescendingly as she turned to look at the girl. Clarice fought to maintain control over herself as she smiled and nodded toward Mr. Bates.
“I’m open to your suggestions. I declare I have done my best in a variety of fields, and I do agree that things could be going smoother than they are. Perhaps if there was a meeting with the children involved, at least the older ones-” Mrs. Basin cut her off.
“You see? She admits it herself! She has no control over the children, and is in need of someone else to step in! Isn’t that right, Miss Cranberry?” She turned triumphantly toward the girl, who shifted uneasily once again.
“That’s not exactly what I said, you see I-”
“I suggest we get a teacher in here who is able to handle the children, don’t you agree, Mr. Bates?” Mrs. Basin didn’t waste any time in bringing up her own niece, and both Mr. Bates and Clarice felt trapped.
“Well, Clarice has done a fine job of teaching the children for the past few years, and I don’t know that this situation is serious enough as to let her go.” Mr. Bates once again removed his glasses and nervously wiped off the inside of the lens.
“Mr. Bates, I hate to remind you that I am the one who signs your paycheck, and I would hate if I had to clear out the entire board over a single teacher.” She gave him a stern look, and Mr. Bates swallowed hard.
“But your niece is fresh out of the school herself, I don’t know that she has the experience to handle these children, either.” He cleared his throat and Mrs. Basin narrowed her eyes.
“I can vouch for her abilities myself, and I will. I propose that she takes the job, and if we don’t see the improvement I expect us to see, then Clarice can have the classroom back. Now, do you agree or not?” She gave him another look, and Mr. Bates shook his head.
“Clarice, I’m afraid she has a point. Maybe a new face will have a different effect. And if it doesn’t, well then, you will be back in front of the class again.” He smiled warmly, but Clarice had a difficult time returning his smile.
She nodded, then rose to leave.
“Thank you for the opportunity, I do appreciate the time you have given me with the children,” she said as she extended her hand to each of them. Mr. Bates tried to reassure her that she wasn’t being fired, but Clarice knew the chances of her getting her job back were slim-to-none. Mrs. Basin would not admit to her niece being a poor replacement even if that is what she turned out to be...
She shook Mrs. Basin’s hand as well, though she didn’t look her in the eye as she did so. The two women had often clashed in the past four years, and part of Clarice was glad she didn’t have to deal with the woman any longer.
She bid the board goodbye, then slipped out into the warm night. She had always liked the late spring, but she couldn’t shake the heaviness she felt in her chest. Ever since her father had passed, she hadn’t had anyone to fall back on. She had to lean on herself, take care of herself, and handle everything herself.
Without a job, she was in deep trouble. Teacher’s wages didn’t pay enough for her to save any money, and she lived from one paycheck to the next. Without any income, it was only a matter of time before she would be asked to leave her room, and then she would be on the streets.
Though this small Vermont town was bustling with people, it wasn’t so full of work, and with only a teaching certificate, Clarice didn’t have many options. She knew word was going to spread quickly about what happened, and soon the entire town would know that she had been let go from her job.
With a sigh, Clarice pulled her shawl around her shoulders and put her head down, hurrying home as quickly as she could. The only people who were out this late were the ones who wandered in and out of the old saloon, and she didn’t want to talk to any of them.
Once she got home, she securely locked the door behind her, then walked silently over to the end of her bed. It was dark, and she closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind of the evening’s events.
“You have to think of something, Clarice. Anything. You can’t give up now.”
Speaking out loud made her feel a little better, but not much. With a sigh, she fell back on her bed, not even bothering to take her dress or boots off. Before she knew it, she was sound asleep.
Chapter 4 – A Leap of Faith
The next morning Clarice woke up feeling depressed. She blinked several times and tried to convince herself that last night had been a bad dream. Finally, she had to admit to herself that it hadn’t been.
She sighed and pulled herself up out of bed, looking down and realizing that she was still in her clothes from the day before. Hurrying into something fresh, Clarice stopped in front of her mirror to adjust her hair, and wondered why she was feeling like she ought to hurry.
You have nowhere to go, why hurry to get things done?
She skipped breakfast as she had a knot in her stomach, then squared her shoulders as she walked out into the brisk morning air. Clarice knew her chances of getting a job at the other school in town were slim, but she had to try.
She walked through the town, ignoring the looks she received from various people on the street. They knew she should be in school, but no one stopped her to ask why she wasn’t.
Clarice hesitated when she reached the farmers’ school. It wasn’t a private school like the one she had been teaching at, and was therefore much larger, housing several rooms for the students. The rows of windows lining the side of the building felt like a hundred eyes starting at her and she was intimidated.
She finally looked up and down the street, then squared her shoulders as she walked into the school. She was expecting to see a swarm of students all over the halls, but to her surprise, each one was already in class.
Clarice didn’t waste another second. She walked straight to the principal’s office and knocked on the door, asking if she might have a moment of his time.
“I’m sorry for your unfortunate circumstance, but I’m afraid we are full. Mrs. Basin tried to get her niece hired on here first, and I had to tell her the same thing. I regret that it cost you your position, and I wish you the best of luck.” He smiled at her, trying to be reassuring, but Clarice knew it was a lost cause.
Things were now making more sense as she walked out the school and back onto the street. No wonder Mrs. Basin had been so determined to get her out of the school and her niece in place. If her niece had already tried to get a job at this school without luck, it would be months before she had the opportunity at a position.
