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The Children's Hour, Act 1

• Act I of "The Children's Hour" opens with student Peggy reading from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" while Mrs. Mortar listens and the other girls sew.

• Mary arrives late for class, but tells Mrs. Mortar that she was picking flowers for her.

• One of the teachers, Karen, enters and confronts Mary about lying.

• Mary claims she's ill and that there's something wrong with her heart.

• Although Karen doesn't believe Mary, she sends for her fiance, Joe, who is a doctor.

• Karen and Martha, the other teacher, discuss what to do about both Mary and Mrs. Mortar.

• Karen talks of marrying Joe, which upsets Martha.
• Martha tells Mrs. Mortar, her aunt, that it's time for her move on.

• Mrs. Mortar becomes upset and accuses Martha of having "unnatural" feelings for Karen.

• Joe enters after examining Mary and tells Martha that she's fine.

• When Karen and...

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