In those days there were no schools like ours.
Little girls stayed at home. Their mothers showed them how to sing and play pretty music. Their mothers showed them how to take care of the house. They showed them how to be good, too.
But little boys went away to school. They learned to read and write. They learned to do many things.
Now Benedict was big enough to go to school. He said goodbye to his father and mother
"God be with you," they said. They wanted God to be with Benedict all the time. They wanted God to be in Benedict's heart.
Just then Scholastica came out of the house. Scholastica had a box in one hand and a doll in the other.
"Wait for me," she called. "Wait for me." Scholastica's mother and father looked at her. Cyrilla looked at her. Benedict looked at her. "I'm all ready now," she smiled.
"Oh, oh, oh," said Benedict. "Scholastica, you cannot go," said her father. Scholastica started to cry.
"What would we do without our little girl?" asked her mother.