CHAPTER VII--THE COMMITTEE ON ORGANIZATION
After school that day the committee appointed to organize the Girls'Branch Athletic Association of Central High met in one of the offices.There were fifteen of the girls, and they were all present. Mrs. Casehad seen to it that the natural leaders of the various classes amongSeniors, Juniors and Sophomores were appointed to membership in thiscommittee.
There were six Seniors, five Juniors and four Sophomores--the latterbeing Laura and Jess and Hester Grimes and her chum, Lily Pendleton.Although Laura was at least three years younger than the oldest Senior,she was popular and was elected chairman of the committee on a singleballot. Besides, the other girls knew that Laura was an enthusiast inathletic matters and that she had studied the question of organizationthoroughly.
"Mrs. Case gave each of us a booklet relating to the formation ofassociations of this character," said Laura, when the meeting was calledto order. "I suppose you have all studied the little book. It gives us adraft of the proper constitution and by-laws, and information on allpoints likely to come before us. You all understand it, don't you?"
"My goodness!" exclaimed Lily, yawning. "I haven't even looked intomine."
"I've looked into it, and I see that the teachers have a lot to do withthe thing," said Hester Grimes. "I don't like such interference, andright at the start I move we disregard the book and form our own societyin our own way."
"Why, we can't do that!" cried Celia Prime, one of the Seniors. "Therewould be no association then."
"I don't see why not," drawled Lily. "I think Hessie's plan is justgrand!"
"It's a grand way to go about not having athletics at all," said MaryO'Rourke, another Senior, laughing. "We can't do business that way,girls."
"Nor would it be wise if we could," Laura said, quickly. "Listen! Thisis the rule that we have _got_ to comply with if we are going to form aGirls' Branch: Any girl to be eligible for membership, or to take partin athletic events for trophies and pins, must have a physician'scertificate of physical fitness, and the personal approval of Mrs.Case."
"A doctor's certificate!" exclaimed Hester, with scorn. "What for?"
"A girl with a weak heart, for instance, will not be allowed to takepart in the games and events. You know that. Mrs. Case is dreadfullyparticular about it."
"And a good thing," said one of the juniors. "I knew of a girl whojumped rope so long that she dropped dead. It was awful."
"Well, who wants to jump rope?" snapped Hester.
"I do," admitted Jess, laughing. "It's fun. And Mrs. Case says it isgood exercise under careful conditions."
"I want to learn to dance," said Lily. "And dancing is going to be partof the athletic exercises, isn't it?"
"Folk dancing," said Miss Prime. "And very pretty some of thoseold-world dances are. No one-steps or glides, Miss!" and she laughedshortly.
"Well, we must make up our minds to follow the rules in the littlebook," Laura interposed. "You know, every girl must be approved by theprincipal of the school as being in good standing both in deportment andscholarship, including the usual work in physical training, or she can'tbelong."
"That's going to cut out your friend Hargrew, I guess," laughed Lily.
"And we know who are doing their best to put Bobby out of the games,"snapped Jess, looking angrily at Hester and her chum.
"Order!" exclaimed Laura, bringing down the gavel with a smack on thedesk. "No time for anything but business. Here is another thing, girls:No girl who takes part in athletic competitions outside the school underthe auspices of any organization other than our Girls' Branch, can takepart in events by the school. If you take part, too, in any sportsunsanctioned by our rules, you can be expelled."
"There! I don't like that a bit," flared up Hester again. "I belong toSt. Cecelia's Gymnasium Club. I am not going to give up my church clubfor this public school association."
"That's foolish," remarked Mary O'Rourke. "I belong to a ladies'gymnastic class connected with my church, too; but I know that when weget going in the High School it will be lots more fun to belong to thisassociation than the church club."
Other matters were talked over, as well; but the opinion of the majoritywas for bringing in a report recommending the new association to followexactly the line of organization of other Girls' Branches in othercities. Hester and Lily said they should offer a minority report; butthe others only laughed at that.
"You know that's ridiculous, Hester," said Mary O'Rourke. "We have to dosomething besides merely report a form of organization. If we girls--andthose who follow us at Central High for years to come--are going to havesuccessful after-hour athletics, we must have equipment--and a field.Just think of _that_, please. It is going to cost money--a heap ofmoney!--before we get through. And who is going to supply the money? Ifwe go against the opinions and desires of those who are helping us wecan't expect them to supply funds."
"Oh, I guess my father will give as much as anybody," said Hester,tossing her head. Henry Grimes was a wholesale butcher and was accounteda very wealthy man in Centerport. He was a member of the Board ofAldermen and wielded much political influence.
"I suppose we must interest more than our parents in the plan," saidLaura, thoughtfully. "From what I read in that little book, some of thegirls' athletic fields in the big cities have cost upwards of a hundredthousand dollars to build and equip. Of course, that includes aclubhouse, and swimming pool, and all that."
"A nice time we'd have trying to get anything like that in Centerport,"sneered Hester.
"Well, I don't know about that," spoke up Celia Prime. "We have somevery wealthy people here."
"Just think what Colonel Richard Swayne might do with some of hismoney--if he wanted to," said Laura.
"My father says that of course the burden will come upon the parents whoare well-to-do. It's always the way," said Hester. "The rich have to dofor the poor."
This was a tactless speech, to say the least, for Mary O'Rourke's fatherwas merely a day laborer, and several of the other girls on thecommittee were from poor families.
"I expect that the money part of it will not be within ourjurisdiction," said Miss Prime, sharply.
"No, we haven't got to worry about that," laughed Laura.
"That's all very well," said Hester. "But my father will be called uponto give more than yours, Laura. He always is."
"He is better able to give, perhaps," returned Laura, coolly.
"There will have to be some large donor, if we are to have a real,up-to-date athletic field," sighed Celia. "The boys have a good baseballand football park. The railroad company gave the land, and publicsubscription put it in shape. But we have just _got_ to interest somerich person in our project."
"Colonel Swayne, for instance?" laughed Mary.
"Well, why not?" demanded Laura, suddenly.
"Why, he just _hates_ boys and girls!" cried her chum.
"So they say."
"You know he won't allow one of us to step on his grounds--and it's rightnext to our bathing place, too," said Jess, with a considerable show offeeling.
"He doesn't seem to love a soul but that married daughter of his--youknow, the widow. She's a peculiar acting woman. I don't believe she'squite right," said Miss Prime. "And he certainly is wrapped up in her."
"And with all that money--and his beautiful estate," sighed Laura. "Hereally ought to be interested in girls' athletics."
The others laughed. "We'll appoint Miss Belding a committee of one totry and separate Colonel Swayne from some of his wealth," said MaryO'Rourke.
"I accept!" declared Laura, suddenly, with flashing eyes. "I believe itcan be done."
"Huh! you think you're so smart, Laura," drawled Lily Pendleton.
"But it would be just _great_ if we could get him interested," sighedJess.
"Leave it to me," said Laura, boldly. "I'm going to try!"