ou
willingly it's far better than if I have to step in and put my foot
down. What we want is to change the general current of thought."

Speculation was rife in the various forms as the closing bell rang at
3:45 instead of at 4 o'clock, and the girls were told to assemble in the
Lecture Hall, and were put on their honor to behave themselves. To their
surprise, the mistresses, after seeing them seated, left the room. Miss
Burd mounted the platform and announced:

"Lispeth Scott wishes to speak to you all, and I should like you to know
that anything she has to say is said with my entire approval and
sanction. I hope you will listen to her in perfect silence."

Then she followed the other mistresses.

All eyes were fixed on Lispeth as she ascended the platform. With her
tall ample figure, earnest blue eyes, light hair, and fair face flushed
with the excitement of her task she looked a typical English girl, and
made what she hoped was a typical English speech.

"I asked you to come," she began rather shyly, "because I think lately
there have been some misunderstandings in the school, and I want, if
possible, to put them straight. There has been a good deal of talk about
'equality,' and some of you say there oughtn't to be prefects. I wonder
exactly what you mean by 'equality?' Certainly all girls aren't born
with equal talents, yet each separate soul is of value to the community
and must not go to waste. The test of a school is not how many show
pupils it has turned out, but how _all_ its pupils are prepared to face
the world. I think we can only do this by sticking together and trying
to help each other. In every community, however, there must be leaders.
An army would soon go to pieces without its officers! The prefects and
wardens have been chosen as leaders, and it ought to be a point of honor
with you to uphold their authority. I assure you they don't work for
their own good, but for the good of the school. I hear it is a grievance
with the juniors that they mayn't elect wardens for the Council.
Well--they shall do that when they're older; it will be something for
them to look forward to! There's a privilege, though, that we can and
will give them. We're going to start a Junior branch of the Rainbow
League, and I think when they're doing their level best to help others,
they'll forget about themselves. Carlyle says that the very dullest
drudge has the elements of a hero in him if he once sees the chance of
aiming