 Springfield Elementary School is hosting a fundraiser auction and invites all the families with children in their classes , including the Simpson family . Every item in the auction is sold to an English widow named Edith Knickertwist , who is bidding over the phone . When the auction is over , Bart reveals that he was the real Mrs. Knickertwist and that there is no money for the school . Frustrated over Bart 's latest prank and pressured by his supervisor Superintendent Chalmers , Principal Skinner challenges Chalmers to take over Bart 's education . Chalmers accepts and immediately gives Bart his own lesson plan , which primarily consists of former U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt . He makes Bart interested in the subject by talking about Roosevelt 's heroic and rebellious nature . Classmates Milhouse , Nelson , Jimbo , Kearney and Dolph soon join Bart in his education . 
