As the winter session of school approaches, Katie Hyman and her mother come to the Woodlawn house to make new clothes for the family. Katie sews quietly, sitting with her mother. The Woodlawn children don’t have much to say to her, but Tom gives her gifts and is flustered around her.

With the first snow, the school-age Woodlawns (Tom, Warren, Caddie, and Hetty) head to school. After Caddie has settled in, Obediah Jones, a rough and crude teenager, puts his feet on Maggie Bunn’s desk. When Maggie tells Obediah that she will tell the teacher, he retorts that he’s not afraid of anyone at school. Caddie challenges his bravado and wraps him across the shins with a ruler, eliciting a cry of both shock and pain. Obediah pulls Caddie’s hair and, sensing their sister is in danger, Tom and Warren spring into action, fighting Ashur, Obediah’s brother, before they can help Caddie. After Miss Parker separates Caddie and Obediah, the class declares that it was Obediah’s fault. Obediah makes it clear he doesn’t fear reprisal, and the rest of the class realizes this moment will determine whether Miss Parker has control of the schoolroom. As Obediah smirks, Miss Parker snaps and drags him to the front of the room for a licking.