When Do Flowers Bloom?

Chapter 3: I am Ready for School!

It was between late spring and early summer when the local school announced that they would have a volunteer teacher from Marysville Town who could teach children in Mount Carmel. Knowing the fact that most of the families in the countryside are farmers, volunteer teachers do not expect monetary benefits from their students. Instead, they are grateful when the parents gift them fresh produce from their farm, like chicken eggs, fresh milk, apples, peaches, and potatoes. 

Farmers who want to send their children to school treat this opportunity as a treasure because they believe that the only precious and lifetime gift to them is education. 

Mrs. Gerthig carried an overflowing watering pot to the front yard. She noticed that the herbs she planted there were slowly wilting due to the scorching summer. An older lady approached her. It was Mrs. Hamilton who was walking with her granddaughter. 

"Good morning, Amy. I heard a volunteer teacher is kind enough to spend his summer here in Mount Carmel to provide free education for our children. I brought my granddaughter with me, Cassey, so we can enlist her name for the school opening next week. Are you going to enlist your daughter too?", asked Mrs. Hamilton. 

Amy Gerthig put down the watering pot as she talked to Mrs. Hamilton.

"Good day, Mrs. Hamilton. Yes, I am certain that my daughter, Caroline, would love to join the school this summer. It's rare to have a teacher here at the local school, so we must take every opportunity for our children to learn proper education aside from farming", Mrs. Gerthig said. 

Mrs. Hamilton and her granddaughter said goodbye to Amy as they hurried to school. The enlistment would only last until tomorrow so she had to talk to Adam about Caroline's schooling. Caroline attended school before, when she was 9 years old. She learned how to read, write, and count. She was a fast learner. She even collected old books about Science, Language, and History from her great-grandparents. Those were donated by the school so parents can teach their children at home. 

Seeing the herbs fully replenished with water, Mrs. Gerthig went back inside and opened their wooden gate and there she saw Caroline near the doorstep, looking gloomy as she hunkered on the ground. 

"What a strange scene, my Caroline? What's with the long face?", she asked curiously as she bent her arms to her waist.

Caroline didn't look at her mother. She kept looking at the bunch of plants on the ground. Those were the Lillybells from the prairie that she planted a few weeks ago. They looked almost dwindled. Never got a sign that the leaves will enliven. The most horrible sight was the purple buds, which had turned almost brownish. Caroline admitted that she cannot grow the Lillybells in their yard.

She stood up and dusted her hands. 

"I feel disheartened, mother. Those Lillybells cannot survive here. They only belong to the prairie", Caroline pouted. 

"Ohh, come on, Caroline. There are more important things to worry about than those flowers. You can always get another one when you stroll around the prairie", Amy countered. 

"Yes mom, but it's rare to see them bloom the way father and I saw them last the last time", Caroline answered. 

"There will always be time for everything. Right now, you have to get ready because you're going to school to enlist for the summer class. A volunteer teacher from Marysville Town is coming. The rumors are true!", Amy happily said. 

"So, boil a lively tea as I prepare egg sandwiches for breakfast and your packed lunch. Once you're done, wake up your little brothers and call your father from the shed. I bet they would send you to school using the buggy. I will go to the Bobbin's to see if they have freshly caught fish from the river. I will trade some fresh eggs and milk from the pasture", Amy added. 

Caroline obeyed her mom and did everything she had ordered. After eating their breakfast, the Gerthig's boarded the buggy and went to the local school. Mrs. Gerthig dropped by the Bobbin's for some fish for dinner. Upon reaching the school, they saw many people, parents and their kids, lined up for the listing. Most of the parents are farmers and coal workers. They wore old farm clothes with noticeable muddy stains and tears on the fabric, just like the Gerthig's. They obviously belong to the lower-middle community in Mount Carmel. 

After patiently waiting in line, it was Caroline's time to enlist her name to the summer class. Finally, she met the volunteer teacher. He was a young lad, probably in his late 20's. He came all the way from Marysville to teach here in Mount Carmel. His name was Mr. Samuel Bearing. He was polite and professional as he greeted Mr. Gerthig and his children, especially his new student, Caroline. 

"Hello, Caroline. I am happy to be your teacher for the summer class. So, what is your favorite subject, then? Let me guess. It must be mathematics, right? " Mr. Bearing smilingly asked.

Caroline hated mathematics ever since she learned counting and basic computation. She gets easily confused by numbers!

"Good morning, Mr. Bearing. I'm afraid your guess is incorrect. It should be Science. I am inquisitive of the things around me", Caroline brightly answered. 

"Well, that's a nice subject. See you then, young scientist", Mr. Bearing said as he listed Caroline's name on the paper and politely smiled at Mr. Gerthig and the two kids. 

Going back home, Caroline stubbornly chewed a grass stalk as she crossed her arms and laid flat at the back of the buggy. Eddie and Tom sat beside their father who was directing Britney on the road. 

"I hate mathematics! It's okay for me to count numbers but when there are a lot of computations, my brain would explode!" Caroline gritted.

"Calm down, Caroline. We should be grateful that Mr. Bearing would educate the young people of Mount Carmel. We cannot afford to send you to the schools in the city. I hated mathematics too. I only know how to count. But how can you count your money when you get rich?', Mr. Gerthig smilingly said. 

Suddenly, everyone in the buggy laughed. Mr. Gerthig was right. Free education is priceless more than any other thing in the world. From a distance, they saw Mrs. Gerthig, carrying a bassinet of fresh fish from the Bobbin's. They went home together and enjoyed their dinner. 

It was an early Monday morning. Mrs. Gerthig heated the pan and fried some fresh eggs. The kettle was boiling and the oven had a mouth-watering aroma of freshly-baked pastries. Though they live simply, they are always blessed with fresh food on the table. 

"Rise up and shine, children. Caroline, It's your first day at school this summer!", Amy shouted from their kitchen. 

Caroline woke up from her mother's yelling. As usual, she didn't make her bed. She scrutinized her aged wooden closet and searched for garments to wear for school. No, she didn't have any more decent clothes. The usual clothing is worn out farm clothes, an off-white apron, torn pants, and dresses that are too small for her. What a pity, she doesn't have a younger sister to inherit them.

She remembered that she had got a long white ruffled top and a blue pleated skirt that was given to her by her parents two years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Gerthig hardly earned the money from helping on the farm for many months to give it to her as a present. Since Caroline treasured them so much, she safely put them in a box inside the closet. 

Looking in the mirror, Caroline drew the ensemble in front of her. It might have gotten too small for her but she would wear it anyway. 

" The time will come that I will never struggle for a piece of decent clothing", she sighed. 

She stared at the "Age-To-Be" chart she pinned beside the mirror. By the age of 16, she should graduate from the local school. Maybe she'll look for a job after that or she will study at a university. Whatever it took, she was determined to put a mark on her checklist. 

Upon walking downstairs, she saw Mrs. Gerthig, who was busy wiping their wooden table. She could see the cracks and the discoloration of the work surface. On both sides of the table, there were two long wooden benches where they sat to enjoy their food together. Above the table, there were pans and pots hanging on the ceiling. Their shabby homestead was mostly of wood and brick. Across the table was their sink made up of cast iron. It had aged for years along with the window just peeping above it.

Caroline loved to wash dishes from there since she could see the pines in their yard, also the shed where they put all the farm tools, and the green meadow where Eddie and Tom usually played in the sun. At the center of their living room, there was a fireplace that served as their cooking chamber and oven at the same time. There was a worn couch but they preferred to sit on the tattered sheepskin laid in front of the hearth. 

"Hey, Caroline. Why are you staring from there? Call everyone so we can fuel up for the day. You better hurry so you won't be late for school. It's your first day, remember?", Mrs. Gerthig nagged. 

Though Caroline got annoyed by her mom's grumblings sometimes, she admitted that it was her loud voice and hearty cooking that provided warmth and love in their rustic homestead. 

After a cheerful breakfast, Caroline prepared for school. She put on her only-decent pair of clothes, grabbed an old notebook and a pen, and walked to the doorway. It was harvest time at the plantation, so her father couldn't drop her at school. It was fine with Caroline. She said she missed walking to school, crossing the river, and meeting old and new schoolmates. 

Silently, Caroline told herself, " I am ready to make my dreams come true. I am ready for school!".