FAIR IS THE MORNING

Constance Thurman, attractive red-headed teacher, determines to make a study of rural schools for her Master's thesis, and goes to Hickory Ridge, a small farming community which has had five bad years of drought. Following the popular pattern of ""girl makes good"", this fast-moving novel shows Connie changing the whole community through teaching her 22 pupils arts and crafts, cleanliness, enjoyment of reading; through putting on socials which enliven the dull routine of hard-working mothers, and providing a center for older boys and girls, giving a play, organizing a choir, etc. Love interest is supplied through Steve Nolan, who has moved into a house belonging to the family who control most of the property around there -- and there's a slice of mystery as well. A readable book, a good picture of rural schooling -- one could only ask that now and then Connie was not always right.