Mitch was six when he went to school for the first time. Of course that was a great happening for him, but not only for him. For Adam, his father and brothers too. Mitch had seen the school often enough when he rode from and to the ranch with someone. He asked then always if he could go too. The answer was then yes.
When the day was nearly there Adam went with him to get to know the teacher. It was Mrs Patricia Baker who invited him on a Friday afternoon for a acquaintance talk. She knew the Cartwright family well but wasn’t charmed from them.
During the acquaintance talk Mitch didn’t sit still for a single moment. The strict teacher noticed that and drawn her conclusion very quickly.
“Mr Cartwright, I do know that every child of six officially has to go to school but to my opinion is your son still very playful and that’s why it is better that he stays at home for a while. He is also too little to be able to follow my lessons”, she said.
Adam looked at her and reacted stupefied, “I hope that Mitch can go to school one day! Come on Mitch.”
They walked straight out of the school building.
“May I not go to school?”, the boy asked amazed.
“No, she thinks you are still too playful and too little. I will teach you how to read and write at home”, Adam replied while they got into the carriage.
He happen to meet Mr Andrew Larson of the school board.
“Mr Larson, I want to ask something”, Adam said directly.
“Fire away”, said Andrew.
“This is my son Mitch. He became six in December and has to go to school soon but now Mrs Baker refuses to let him in because in her eyes he is still too playful and too little. What do you think of it?”, Adam asked right away.
Andrew looked at the young Cartwright and said, “I will tell her right away that Mitch too shall get her lessons. I know how she thinks about you Cartwrights but every child of six must be able to go to school and so Mitch too.”
Adam knew enough and he went home satisfied.
Andrew went straight to the school where Patricia was still busy.
“Mr Larson, what are you doing here? There are no complaints about me, are they?”, she asked friendly.
“There are there, Mrs Baker. Why do you refuse to let Mitch Cartwright go to this school? He has become six years old in December so he has to go to school”, said Andrew.
“He is a Cartwright and I dislike them. They always cause trouble where they come and that will be the case with Mitch as well. That’s why I don’t want to have him in my school”, said Patricia said suddenly very snappy.
“Pity for you but Mitch will just go to school and you will teach him just like the other children. Maybe it is just you that you can’t get along with the Cartwright family. I have no problem with them. Good day”, said Andrew.
On the first school day of Mitch everybody was very excited.
“Mitch, if you get trouble with the teacher, say it right away. Then we can do something about it”, Ben said before Adam and Mitch left.
The boy nodded.
“Give Grandpa another goodbye kiss and then we really are going”, said Adam.
Mitch ran to Ben, gave him a little kiss and went then along with his father. He looked for a moment with laughing eyes at his Grandpa and Uncles before he went to school with Adam.
Adam got the carriage and rode in a quiet pace to the school.
“You are not going to start to fight. If I hear that you have started you get punishment from me automatically”, Adam reacted directly.
“Yes father”, the boy said at once.
“Children, we have a new pupil today. This is Mitch Cartwright. Mitch, you are going to sit in the front so that I can keep a good eye on you”, the teacher said extremely friendly
Mitch went to sit at an empty place and looked around the class. He knew most of the children and he could get along with them but not with Jason Harris.
Patricia saw what he was doing and said strict, “Cartwright, look this way!”
“Good Mrs Baker”, Mitch said careless.
He really couldn’t understand why his father and Uncles were so eager to go to school so much.
During the lunch break Jason came to Mitch and he said, “I am in charge here at school and you must do what I say. Because you have a rich Grandpa you must pay me a dollar each day to go to school. Or else I am going to pester you away.”
“Get out of here. You ain’t in charge here and neither is Mrs Baker. My father said that to me”, Mitch reacted.
“Then you are wrong informed. Every new child at this school must pay money per day. for the others it is a quarter but because you are a rich man’s child it is a bit more expensive”, said Jason.
Matthew Walker came near them and said, “Get out of here Jason. I now understand why you are the teacher’s favorite. You are just as sneaky as she is.”
Jason kept silent and walked away.
“What is that a pain in the neck eh”, said Mitch.
“Indeed. Nobody knows who his parents are. Are you coming to play baseball with the others?
We need another pitcher”, Matthew reacted.
Mitch got up and walked along.
“Do you need another pitcher for your team?”, Mitch asked without shyness.
“Do you think you are good?”, second baseman Terry Smith asked.
“I don’t think it, I know it for sure”, replied Mitch.
“Let’s see what you can do. I will hit, Matthew catches and you pitch”, said Terry.
The boys took their position and Mitch threw a clear and hard fastball at his best friend.
Suddenly Jason came to stand near them and he said scornful, “I throw much harder than that rich man’s child.”
“Prove that then”, Mitch said directly.
He left the mount and went to stand ready with the bat. Jason threw an easy ball which ended halfway the home plate and the mount.
“Mitch, you are our pitcher”, said Kevin Smith, the older brother of Terry.
Mitch didn’t get it very easy at school. Patricia treated him differently from the other children.
She had the opinion that the boy didn’t belong at her school and made no secret of that.
Hereby Mitch began to change very much. He argued with everyone and caused a lot of tension in the house.
On an afternoon Mitch asked Adam, “Daddy, are we going fishing together on Saturday?”
“I would like to but I have no time. I have to go to Carson City and you must stay at home from me”, replied Adam.
“I thought that the weekend was meant for me. But just go away. I can entertain myself”, the boy reacted hurt.
He walked away to play near the oak. Adam watched him and sighted deep.
He walked after him and said, “I am sorry. I f you want you can come.”
“I do have to stay here, don’t I? I don’t even want to come along with you!”, Mitch said angry.
“I stay Saturday night in Carson City so I expect that you behave yourself then”, Adam said strict.
“Why don’t you stay away for good? Is Cody coming too?”, the young Cartwright asked.
“Cody stays at home, just like you. Tonight you go to bed without supper!”, Adam said where after he mounted on Sport and rode away.
Mitch watched him go and thought ‘I just won’t do what you want.’
Mitch didn’t understand anything of the fact that there was almost nobody at home when he was at home too. Cody was away a lot with Adam and the others also didn’t have much time for him.
It was always very busy at the ranch and thereby time and attention for Mitch was often very short or not at all.
He went to sit against the tree to think. Suddenly the dog came up to him and began to lick him on his face.
“Cody, stop with that licking. you know that I don’t like it”, said Mitch said while he pushed the dog away.
Cody thought that it was a game and went to play rough with his little boss. Mitch didn’t like it at all and gave the dog a smart hit.
“Get lost!”,Mitch said angry to Cody.
The shepherd bit at Mitch for a second and went then to lie at the porch but he looked at Mitch groaning. What Mitch didn’t know was that Ben had seen everything from behind the window.
He came outside and said pretty strict, “Mitchell Cartwright, come here at once!”
Mitch came at his very ease sauntering and asked, “What is it this time?”
“Inside you”, the rancher said curt.
Mitch came along worried and in the living room Ben asked, “Mitchell, why did you hit Cody? He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”
The boy looked at his Grandpa but said nothing for a long time.
“I will go to my room”, the boy finally said.
He pulled himself loose and walked to his bedroom. Ben watched him go and sighted deeply. The last few weeks Mitch had very changing moods.
Around suppertime the Cartwrights were together in the living room.
“Adam, short after you had left I caught Mitch that he was hitting Cody. He didn’t want to tell me why he did that. Since then he has been into his room”, Ben said suddenly.
“He flew out to me when he heard that he couldn’t come along with me to Carson City this coming Saturday. I told him that he has to go to bed without supper”, replied Adam.
He got up and walked to the bedroom of his son. Like always Mitch sat in a corner of his room when Adam came in. He sat there always when they were angry with him.
‘Now he will probably give me a sermon or two!’, the boy thought when he saw his father.
“Why for heaven’s sake did you hit Cody?”, asked Adam asked at once.
“Because he was licking me”, Mitch said angry.
“He did that because he was giving you a kiss, You may count on it now that he may not forget it very quickly. If he bites you I don’t feel sorry for you. It is your own fault. Now off to bed!”, Adam said strict.
Mitch got undressed and put on his nightshirt. Then Adam saw the lashes on the back of his son.
“Kid, who had knocked you out at your back?”, Adam asked now a bit calmer.
“Mrs Baker. She makes sure that my whole life is a hell now. She says that I ain’t good enough for her school because I am left handed and not can get along fast enough with the rest of the class. Matthew has been taken from school already by his parents. All left-handed are clumsy and retarded she says”, Mitch replied with tears in his throat.
He began to cry very and got taken into his father’s arms.
“Get dressed and I want that you apology to Cody. Someone else must go to Carson City in my place. You are now more important”, said Adam.
Mitch got dressed and went downstairs with Adam. Ben, Hoss and Little Joe looked up amazed when they saw Mitch anyway.
“Now that Mrs Baker is really playing with fire. She says that Mitch is retarded because he is left-handed and cannot come along fast enough then the others. That woman says that all left-handed people are clumsy and retarded”, Adam raved.
“Then I should be that too”, Little Joe reacted.
Adam and Hoss looked at each other smiling but they said nothing.
“Mitch has just more difficulty with reading and writing but on the other hand he is very intelligent”, said Adam.
Meanwhile Mitch and Cody sat together again like nothing had happened that afternoon.
“After supper I go and talk to that woman. Joe, would you like to go in my place to Carson City this coming Saturday? You know the weekend is always for Mitch is and he needs me now harder than anyone or anything”, said Adam.
Little Joe agreed.
At the table the subject of conversation was clearly.
“She gives me on purpose an extra turn for to read so that she can say again that I can’t read. And when I make a mistake on the blackboard I get hit with the whip and Jason never when he does the same thing. He is clearly her favorite””, Mitch said hesitating.
“You are not going to that school again. I won’t let my child get mistreated by such a pigheaded schoolteacher”, Adam reacted.
After the meal Adam first brought his son to bed like each evening and then he went away. He mounted on Sport and rode to the house of Patricia Baker. The light was on in the living room so that Adam knew that she was at home. He dismounted and hitched his loyal quadruped. Hereafter he knocked hard and fine at the door. Patricia was shocked when she answered.
“Mrs Baker, I want to talk to you about one of your pupils”, Adam said coming straight to the point.
“Come in”, she said snappy.
Adam came in and took off his hat.
“Why are you mistreating Mitch with a whip and tell him that he is clumsy and retarded and only because he is left-handed?”, asked Adam.
“I don’t do that at all. Where do you get those false accusations from? Maybe he gets mistreated at the ranch”, Patricia said angry.
“Nobody mistreats Mitch at the ranch he says by himself that you do it when he does something wrong so….”, Adam said fierce.
Then a door went open and Jason came in.
“Gran, I can’t sleep” the boy said.
Adam looked from Patricia at Jason and back.
“I know more than enough”, he groaned where after he went away.
Underway he ran into Clem.
“Clem, I want to file a complaint against Mrs Baker for child abuse”, Adam said directly.
“Come along then”, said the deputy.
In the office of the sheriff Clem went to sit behind the desk and asked, “What must be written in the record?”
Adam went to sit as well and said, “she forbids him to write with his left hand. She also mistreats him with the whip. Besides that she tells him that he is clumsy and retarded and only because he is left-handed. She says that all left-handed are retarded and clumsy.”
“She must say that straight into my face. That will be an insult of a deputy in function”, Clem reacted.
Adam smiled for a moment and remarked then teasing, “You are also left-handed of course.”
“Very funny Adam. Anything else?”, the deputy asked teasing.
“Not for now but I do keep Mitch at home from school until this is solved. Matthew Walker has been taken from school by his parents as well”, said Adam.
“I spoke his mother this afternoon and she said the same thing. If that woman goes on like that she isn’t very popular anymore. Do you want coffee?”, asked Clem.
Adam nodded. The deputy got up and poured in two coffee. He gave Adam one and gave himself the second one.
“She doesn’t even want that Mitch goes to school because he is a Cartwright”, Adam told while he took a sip of the coffee.
Meanwhile Clem wrote everything down.
“The children will have to do it without her because these are enough reasons to fire her”, said the deputy.
“She lives with her daughter Juliet and grandson Jason Harris. I spoke with Mrs Baker and Jason came to the living room and he addressed her with gran”, said Adam.
He drunk up the coffee and went then first to Andrew and then back home.
Arrived at home Adam told everything that had happened.
“Adam, tomorrow we are going to talk to Andrew about this situation. I do want that my grandson can go to school like always. Even though he is a Cartwright”, said Ben.
“He already knows it”, said Adam.
After the flying visit of Adam Andrew went to the teacher. Clem was there as witness.
“Mrs Baker, hereby you are fired as teacher of the school in
Virginia City. There has been so many complains about your teaching method that the school board and authority have decided not let you appear before the class again”, said Andrew.
“One or more Cartwrights must have been complaining about me like usual? They don’t even live in this town but because they are rich the rule over everyone”, Patricia said snappy.
Both men didn’t go into the remark because they knew better. Not much later they went away.
The following morning Ben and Adam spoke to Andrew Larson.
“It is unbelievable that no one can teach the children of Virginia City normally”, Andrew said to the Cartwrights.
“My son would kill me if I would stand before the class”, Adam reacted.
“Maybe it is just good if you do it. Then you see right away how Mitch works”, said Ben.
“Excuse me but are you joking now?”, Adam asked amazed.
“Do you see me laughing?”, asked Ben.
Adam shook of no.
Andrew looked at Adam and said, “Maybe it will succeed you to teach them something.”
“Good, I give in. But don’t say anything for now to Mitch. You know how he reacts then”, the eldest Cartwright boy replied.
The next morning during breakfast at the Ponderosa Mitch was the first one to hear that he had to look at his father the whole day.
“We get a new teacher again. I am sure that he or she will be gone very soon”, Mitch said between two bites of oatmeal.
“Do you think that?”, asked Adam.
Self-assured the boy nodded of yes.
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I was you because I am that new teacher. and I am going to treat you as strict as the other children”, said Adam.
“You don’t know the biggest bully of the class”, Mitch reacted and quickly he ate his bowl empty.
He left right away for not to arrive at school at the same time as his father. Mitch didn’t feel like that for now.
“That can be very cozy today. Mitch has gone all long to school to bring the others up to date”, Adam sighted.
“I wish you a lot of success but most of all luck”, said Ben.
Adam sighted again and got up to go to school.
At the schoolyard Mitch said, “I happen to know who tries to teach us from today on.”
All of a sudden all children were standing around him. Mitch enjoyed all the attention.
“Who then? Who is so stupid to try that out?”, Frank Wilson asked.
“Adam Cartwright”, Mitch said smiling.
“You are lying”, said Jason Baker.
“Not. He told me himself this morning during breakfast”, Mitch reacted.
“Well, then you will become the favorite of the teacher”, Jason said scornful.
“You must keep your face”, the young Cartwright groaned.
Jason hit him against the ground, kicked hard against his left ankle and said laughing, “Get up then lame leggy!”
Mitch remained lying but threw some sand at his earth enemy.
Adam came riding towards them and called at a strict tone, “Everybody get up and stand next to each other!”
The children did that at once but Mitch just stayed lying on the ground
Adam dismounted and hitched Sport.
“Everybody inside and read some for yourself”, the children heard then.
Adam walked to his son and checked the left under leg of Mitch.
“It hurts so much”, the young Cartwright said.
“Come on get up. You are alright. The lessons are going to start”, Adam said strict.
Mitch got up and walked inside.
“Boys and girls, I am going to teach you from today on. You may only speak if I give you a turn or if you raise your finger. Who opens his mouth unasked can count on a lot of punishment. I hope that I have been clear. Get out your math books and continue where you were stayed on Monday”, said Adam.
The children got their math book and went to work.
When the children were doing their math’s Adam kept an extra close watch on Mitch. He sat on an empty table and watched how Mitch tried to work.
The young Cartwright was looking too much around him so that Adam asked him on a quiet tone, “Mitch, shouldn’t you be working?”
“I do that”, he reacted amazed.
According to me not. You are looking more around you than that you do something. Now I understand why you come with those bad marks”, replied Adam.
‘Just forget it’, Mitch thought and quickly he went to work ahead. He didn’t like the idea at all that he had to get lessons from his father.
At the next subject was it the turn to read.
“Kids, put away your math’s and get your reading book. Everyone reads half a page. Marsha, you start at page 21”, said Adam.
not noiseless the reading books got out and the requested page looked up. Each child had to read half a page and so Mitch had to do that as well of course.
It went completely wrong and Jason said mocking, “You cannot even read.”
Mitch looked up and hit him down to the ground. Hereafter Mitch hit him another few times. Adam separated the two boys and said strict, “Jason, you apologize to Mitch and Mitch, you to Jason.”
“I am sorry that I said it”, said Jason.
But Mitch kept silent and looked at his father furiously.
“You go and play outside for a while. Then I can talk to Mitch”, Adam said to the class.
The pupils were in no time outside.
Adam let his son loose and said, “I haven’t raised you like that, have I? To start fighting in class.”
“Why do you have to teach us actually?”, asked Mitch asked fierce.
“Because I have done it before. You will have to behave much better or I will take drastic measures with you”, his father said.
“Now I know why you must do it. Then you can keep a great eye on me because you don’t trust me anyway, do you?”, Mitch asked angry.
“I really do trust you”, said Adam.
“Believe what you self want because I don’t want to get o more lessons from you and I don’t want to see you never again”, Mitch said angry.
He stood up and wanted to leave the school building but Adam was ahead of him.
“You just stay right here. Now I am in charge. Go sit on your place and start copying everything from the blackboard”, Adam said strict.
Mitch knew that he now had to say nothing anymore and did what he was told to do. While he was copying it his father observed him. Every now and then he looked how Mitch wrote and noticed that his son was very slow with writing.
“Mitch, I am going to do it different with you. I write down the exercises for the blackboard on a separate paper for you so you don’t have to copy them again. That way you have more time to make them. What do you think of that?”, asked Adam asked before the other children came inside again.
“Good. But will Jason not say then that you favor me?”, Mitch asked on his turn.
“He will do that anyway but as he is allowed everything of his mother he will have to listen to me”, his father replied.
“At least he has a mother and I don’t”, said Mitch said with tears in his throat.
“You still have me anyway”, Adam said somewhat calmer.
They didn’t have much time left to talk because the other children came in again.
“You are going to copy the sentences and put them in the past time”, said Adam.
“Then we should have done it yesterday because then they are now in the past time”, Mitch remarked dry.
Everybody laughed but one look form the teacher made Mitch silent.
“Now you must give Mitch punishment because he spoke before his turn”, said Jason.
“Mitch has been punished already because he had to stay inside during the break. You do it now so tomorrow I get from you one hundred lines “I MAY NOT OPEN MY MOUTH UNASKED”, said Adam.
“I say it to Mommy anyway”, Jason reacted.
“Two hundred”, Adam said strict.
Mitch knew right away that Adam meant it. Jason kept silent but knew now already that he didn’t and wouldn’t like the upcoming lessons
Adam noticed that and played it in very handy. When everybody was ready each child got a turn to write down the made sentence on the blackboard.
“Mitch, you write down the sentence “I read a book” in the present time”, said Adam.
Mitch did that which led again to a comment of Jason.
“He gets a short sentence and I get a longer one again”, he said.
“Jason, do you see that corner here?”, Adam asked pointing at the right-hand corner.
The boy nodded.
“Go and keep him company then”, the teacher said sarcastic.
Jason got up and went to stand in the corner.
Adam saw that Mitch was smiling and said teasing, “Don’t laugh you.”
During the lunch break Jason challenged Mitch again like usual.
“You don’t dare to get into trouble now your father is teaching us”, said Jason.
“We do have you for that, don’t we?”, Mitch asked quick-witted.
“You must keep your mouth shut or I will hit it shut lame leggy”, Jason reacted.
Mitch became now so angry that he stopped eating and went to fight with his earth enemy. The boys hit each other through the sand. Matthew ran inside to warn Adam.
“Mitch and Jason are fighting”, the young Walker said.
Quickly Adam chewed away a piece of bread and went with Matthew outside where he put an end to the fight.
“I could have known it. Mitch, you must have been started the fight, haven’t you?”, Adam asked strict.
“Not true. Jason started with challenging me and then he called me lame leggy. I don’t have to take that”, Mitch told angry.
“You are it though”, Jason said mocking and laughing.
Mitch almost started to fight again.
“Shut your mouth Baker. You go now inside and there you hear what the punishment is”, the teacher said.
They went inside but they really wouldn’t smoke the pipe of peace.
“Soon there is a baseball match between this school and the one in Carson City and as punishment you two are not allowed to enter. That will teach you not to fight. Jason, go outside for a while because I want to see Mitch in private”, said Adam.
Jason got up and went outside.
“You do that on purpose to nag me”, Mitch said angry.
“What?”, Adam asked amazed.
“By letting that match go ahead and shutting me out. But what do I care about that stupid match actually? You hate me and I hate you”, said Mitch said now a bit calmer with more nonchalance.
“I don’t hate you at all. What gave you that idea?”, asked Adam asked amazed.
“Why are you teaching anyway then?”, asked the boy.
Adam sighted and said nothing. He looked at his boy.
“Sit down and start at your math’s. I happen to see that you weren’t ready with it yet and the rest is”, said Adam said after a long silence.
“I don’t understand a thing about it. I quit school and go working to become a rancher. Just like grandpa”, Mitch said complaining.
Adam busted out laughing.
He said, “You just go to school. I help you as much as possible and you really can make it. Uncle Hoss wasn’t a bright light at school either, just like you.”
“Still not always”, the boy remarked laughing.
Adam couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
“You don’t talk that way about your beloved Uncle”, he said semi-strict.
“It happens to be so”, said Mitch.
Adam noticed that his son liked it that he was teaching though. Hereby Mitch could concentrate better at his schoolwork and he got more support than the others.
After a while Mitch became himself again. The bond between father and son Cartwright became better than ever.