Volume II: Filmography

THE CHILDREN'S CONSPIRACY

April 20, 1913 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Drama

Cast: Mignon Anderson (young teacher), David H. Thompson (the old miser), Marie Eline (conspirator), Leland Benham (co-conspirator)

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, April 26, 1913:

It was all in the interest of the pretty little teacher whom the heartless school board deposed - to make a job for a crusty old schoolmarm who was 'related,' and the youthful schemers overcame this great opposition by simply - scheming.

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, April 26, 1913:

All the children at the little village school loved their teacher, but this fact did not ensure her holding her job. The most influential man on the school board was the chairman, and he found himself saddled with a middle-aged relative whom he heartily disliked. Under the circumstances he believed he was justified in shifting the burden off the shoulders of the dear public, so their lovable little teacher was turned adrift while the unpleasant old maid was given her place. The children didn't like that; the school board did not care what the people thought. The son of the village banker and his little sister, failing to accomplish anything by arguments, determined to try a strategy. There were two persons in that village they thoroughly detested, one the new teacher and the other an old miser who continually growled at them. Consequently they determined to make both of these individuals thoroughly unhappy, and believed they could best accomplish it by matrimony. The miser was walking along the street one day when he noticed a bank book lying on the pavement. He picked it up and discovered that it certified the fact that the new teacher was worth $15,000. He would have committed murder for half that amount, so he lost no time in courting the pedagogue, who accepted his attention gratefully, but insisted on an elopement because 'they are so romantic.' After the marriage the bridegroom suggested that his better half transfer her money to him, then he found to his consternation that he had been tricked and that she wasn't worth a red cent. He never knew that two children had killed two birds with one stone. The fact of the matter was that the banker's son secured a blank passbook, filled it up in the way he wanted it to read and left it where he knew the miser would find it. By doing so he made all the children in the village happy, for the teacher they loved came back to them, and remained as long as she desired to.

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, May 3, 1913: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

REVIEW, The Moving Picture News, April 19, 1913:

A most interesting bit of child acting, showing in comedy-drama how two children outwitted the head of the school board, and caused to be reinstalled in her place the teacher of their choice.

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, April 30, 1913:

As a children's picture this farce is excellent in many respects. Especially are the two children, the boy and the girl, who enact the leads capable and amusing, and the only wish that could be made is that they were a trifle older. To conceive and carry out such a plan as the subject matter for this film seems like attributing more intelligence than children of this age ordinarily possess. In order to give room to the new old maid, the young girl, whom the children all love, is compelled to vacate her position as teacher. Two of the children plan revenge in a clever manner. They secure a blank bank book, attach the old maid's name to it, showing a large credit to her account, and then leave it where the old village 'tightwad' will find it. Find it he does, and, supposing that she is rich, he pays court and marries her without delay. The girl is given her old position, and the squire repents too late when he discovers his mistake.

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