[Sidenote: Displaying Fruit]
Florence Crane attended school in Michigan. She lived on a fine fruit
farm where during the fall one variety of peaches, grapes or pears
followed another and when these had all been sold choice apples followed
in season. So it happened that choice fruit was always a part of
Florence’s lunch. This fruit was displayed on her desk and tempted many
a child’s eyes away from school tasks. Miss Bush, the teacher, requested
all of the children to keep their lunches concealed and away from their
desks. Still at recess time Florence had a little group of children
around her watching her eat her luscious fruit. Miss Bush could scarcely
endure the sight of the hungry eyes devouring every bite with Florence.
One day she was especially tired and without forethought said,
“Florence, you shall not bring another piece of fruit to school unless
you bring enough for all of the girls.” Imagine Florence’s indignation
which was not much greater than that of her associates.
When the girls discussed this together on the playground a little later
Florence said, “I’ve a right to bring whatever I please t’ eat.”
Ethel Green, spokesman for the rest, declared, “Teacher’s crazy. We
don’t want anybody to bring us lunches. If we hain’t got enought to eat
we won’t ask her to give us anything.”
The girls had talked about the matter until the atmosphere of the
school-room was that of slumbering rebellion.
That night when Florence told her parents what Miss Bush said there was
much indignation and a long discussion which ended in a decision to have
Mrs. Crane visit Miss Bush at the schoolhouse next day. On her way there
Mrs. Crane stopped to discuss the situation with Mrs. Green, whom Ethel
had informed of the previous day’s talk. Mrs. Green was very angry and
offered to go with Mrs. Crane to the schoolhouse.
The situation was very awkward for Miss Bush. She was reluctant to say
in the presence of Mrs. Green that the other girls were always hanging
around Florence watching her eat her fruit and yet she had to justify
herself in some way. The mothers took advantage of Miss Bush’s
embarrassment, assuming that it showed guilt and even accusing her of
giving the command to Florence on the previous day in order that she
herself might be given fruit. The conference ended with the remark from
Mrs. Green, “If you’re hungry yourself, say so, but don’t beg vittles
for my children.”
Miss Bush’s joy in her work in that school was ended. The girls might
have forgotten the incident but the mothers whenever they met revived
the feeling of anger against Miss Bush.