School for sympathy-Q&A

Summary

Miss Beam was the director of a boarding school where boys and girls stayed and studied. There was something very special about this school – children had to live the life of the blind, deaf and lame for a day! On a day when a student had to be blind, she had to cover her (his/her) eyes and move around with someone’s help. On the day when a student had his lame-day, s/he had to remain lame by binding her leg and then using a pair of crutches! The purpose of this kind of training was to make the children understand the struggles/plights of disabled people around the world and develop sympathy and care!

Analysis

1.       What sight caught the narrator’s first impression about Miss Beam’s school?
When the narrator arrived Miss Beam’s school, he caught sight of a girl of about twelve. Her eyes were covered with a bandage and she was being led carefully between the flower-beds by a little boy who was about four years younger. He then saw the girl stopping and asking the boy who the visitor was and then the boy seemingly describing the narrator to her.

2.       What had the narrator thought about Miss Beam? Was he right?
The narrator had thought that Miss Beam was a middle-aged woman with a lot of authority like the rest of the school managers. Because he had heard of her kind nature, he was of the opinion that Miss Beam would be kind and understanding. Yes, the narrator was more or less correct in his speculations. Miss Beam’s hair was beginning to turn grey and she had the kind of plump figure that is likely to be comforting to a homesick child.

3.       What had the narrator heard about Miss Beam’s teaching methods? Had he heard rightly?
The narrator had heard that Miss Beam’s teaching methods were simple. Yes, he had heard about it rightly. Children in this boarding school were taught simple spelling, adding, subtracting, multiplying and writing. The rest of the teaching was done by reading to them and by interesting talks during which they had to sit still and keep their hands quiet. There were practically no other lessons.

4.       “The real aim of this school is not so much to teach thought as to teach thoughtfulness.” What did Miss Beam mean by this?
Today, schools are training professionals, not human beings. Most schools are worried about their status, their strength, their score and their pass-outs. There are very few or no school that aims to make children develop sympathy for the disabled and poor. Enabling the child to think and the score is essential yet enabling his/her thoughtfulness or concern for others is more important. Thoughtfulness makes us perfect, not just intelligence and smartness.

5.       What did the narrator see when he looked down from Miss Beam’s window?
Looking down from Miss Beam’s window which overlooked a large garden and a playground at the back, the narrator caught sight of a lot of jolly children. He saw a girl with a crutch watching the others at play.

6.       Explain, “She’s not really lame. This is only her lame day. The others are not blind either. It is only their blind day.”
Miss Beam’s school was different from ordinary schools. In order to make every child understand the plight (difficulties) of disabled people in the world, each child had to live like a blind, lame, deaf, injured and dumb person. By self-imposing blindness, deafness, lameness, and dumbness, children understand the sufferings of the really disabled people in the world. Thus, the child will grow up in a world where everyone is considerate and sympathetic. This kills one’s selfishness.

What did the narrator feel after visiting Miss Beam’s school?
The narrator discovered that he was ten times more thoughtful than he ever thought he could be. He also realized 

1.       that if he had to describe people and things to someone else, it made them more interesting to him. On returning, he really felt sorry for having to leave the school of sympathetic people.

2.       If you were a student of Miss Beam’s school, how will you take her system?
If I get a chance to study in Miss Beam’s school, I will be quite glad to do my blind, lame, deaf and … days because it is a rare opportunity in life. Miss Beam’s system is more realistic and practical than just reading about the physically disabled people. After going through a lame day or blind day, I will be able to understand the difficulties faced by a lame person and get to know the importance of having sympathy for them. This experience will make me complete.

3.       Why, for some children, is dumb day more difficult than blind day?
On dumb days, children have to remain ‘dumb’ by not speaking a word. It is more difficult for children because dumb day doesn’t require the child to to bandage his/her mouth. As a result, there always is a temptation to speak. At this point, the child has to exercise a lot of self control and will-power. It’s perfectly ghastly not to see. I wish you’d try.”

4.       “Ah!” she replied, “then there is something in my system after all.”

1.       Name the speaker.
Miss Beam, the director of the school is the speaker.

2.       When did she say this?
She said this when the narrator praised her unique way of teaching feelings rather than subjects.

3.       What does the speaker mean by her system?
The speaker, Miss Beam has a unique system of teaching – teaching to be thoughtful about others. She imparted this sort of education by making every child experience the plight (struggle) of disabled people by living like the disabled for a day.