Due to the learning problems of his son Mitch Adam Cartwright had received an invitation of teacher Abigail Jones to come and talk about the boy. Of course Adam tried to keep that a secret for his younger brothers Hoss and Little Joe but that failed.
One afternoon Adam and Mitch came home.
“Must you really go and talk to her about me?”, asked Mitch asked grumbling.
“That must really. It is for your own good. I pay school fee for you and therefore I demand that you get a good education. Besides I am also in the school board”, replied Adam.
“Missy Ab doesn’t like me. She treats me different”, the boy said.
“She is just smitten with me. That’s why she treats you different”, said Adam.
Mitch kept silent. He was already not so fond about school but now his father had to talk to Abigail Jones he would like to fall through the ground to never come up again. They rode upon the yard.
During supper Ben (the grandpa of Mitch) asked, “Mitch, how was school today?”
“Same as each day. Boring”, his grandson replied.
He took another few potatoes.
“I am away tonight”, said Adam.
“Why?”, asked Hoss asked amazed.
“You would like to know that”, replied Adam.
“Indeed. Who is your date?”, asked Little Joe, the youngest Cartwright brother.
“It is not a date like you always have but I have a private parents evening with Abigail Jones about my son and his school achievements”, his brother explained.
Hoss and Little Joe couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
Mitch said, “Can’t you stay at home? Then I say tomorrow that you are ill.”
“Then she is coming here”, his father replied.
Mitch understood that his father had to go anyway.
After supper Ben helped Mitch with his homework while Adam went to Virginia City. He was worried about how the meeting would go.
Meanwhile Abigail Jones had made up a list about points. The list had more negative points than positive points about Mitch.
“Soon Adam comes to visit. The coffee and cookies are ready”, the teacher said to herself.
She looked at the table and smiled satisfied.
Adam stopped his horse Sport before the house where Abigail lived with her mother. He dismounted and hitched him. His heart beated in his throat before he knocked at the door. Adam took a deep breath and knocked then at the door. Abigail answered and was glad to see her secret love.
“Hello Adam. Nice that you could come. Come in”, she said.
Adam came in and took off his hat and coat.
“Sit down. Coffee?”, asked Abigail.
“Please. What is the matter this time with Mitch?”, Adam asked coming straight to the point.
“He is a sweet boy but very quickly distracted. Also it seems that Mitch doesn’t feel like going to school at all. Are there problems at home?”, Abigail wanted to know.
“No, not at all. As long there is care for him and he gets enough attention my son is satisfied. I know that he doesn’t like school but also that he has a lot of trouble with reading and writing”, said Adam.
“The other children read and write better than Mitch. Even if Mitch gets extra lessons, then he still is far behind at the other students. He keeps holding up the class needless and on purpose”, the teacher said.
“I help him each night. But he keeps finding it difficult”, said Adam.
Abigail hesitated if she would make her plan known. She poured in the coffee and served it together with the cookies. Though she decided to do it.
“I suggest that Mitch gets send to a special school. And I mean with that a boarding school. There are a few where the students get more individual guidance. I have already sent a letter to a boarding school in San Francisco and Mitch can go there straight away”, said Abigail.
Adam didn’t know what he was hearing.
“Who or what gives you the right to send a child to a boarding school without the permission of the parent? Only I decide what happens to my son as long as he is a minor”, Adam said indignant.
He kept silent for a second and put the coffee cup down. Here after he got up to go away.
“I will teach Mitch everything he needs to know at home. You can count on that the school board will get to hear this”, said Adam.
“You will find out that that Mitch is better off at that boarding school”, Abigail said insulted.
“I know for sure that he isn’t”, Adam said where after he went away.
On the way home Adam realized that Abigail Jones wanted to get rid of his son at school. His decision to teach Mitch at home was according to him the only right one.
When Mitch heard the next day about the decision the boy didn’t mind at all. Adam noticed that during the lessons that his son understood much more when he took him separately. Hereby Mitch learned better to read and write.