Chapters 7 and 8 Summary

Chapter 7 - For a moment, Ida is frozen in panic, coming out of it only when Tom moves threateningly towards Herbert. Ida tells Tom to move away, and glances at the whip-like switch that Miss Fletcher had used to keep discipline, deciding to note use it. She then goes to the defiant Herbert, who insists that he will do what he wants. Increasingly angry, but controlling herself, Ida gives him several chances to change his mind, and then suddenly changes tactic. She says that the students there all want to learn and voted to keep the school open, which means they can also vote to expel those who don't want to be there. As Herbert becomes increasingly uncomfortable, Ida goes on to say that if he's expelled by the group, everyone in the valley will know what a loser he is...