Written Task TKaM

January 13th, 1930

Maycomb's School
Malders Street
Monroeville

Dear Director,

I am writing to you, to inform you about my daughter Jean Louise's entering to school, and ask you some concerns she has, so she is more confident when she goes to school the first day. She doesn't know how to write well yet, so I will express her ideas throughout the letter.

First of all, she wants to learn. She wants to know about how much she will learn. She is excited about it. I always call her to come to read the newspaper with me. I teach her to read while we read together, so now that she will go to school, she feels ready and has some confidence. Also, our housekeeper Calpurnia teaches her how to write a little. They don't really get along very well, but she does learn independent of the fights they have. At this age, she would be considered incredibly smart, given that kids her age barely know how to read.

The thing is that she may know too much. This concern is mine. I feel like she may get bored about school and the don't want to come anymore. As a lawyer that was raised here, I know how school is and I know how the children are, which brings me to another point. The Ewells. This kids may be too dangerous and aggressive. They are a family that lives in Maycomb and tend to be sort of mean. From what I know, they have a kid called Burris and he will be attending school with my daughter. Jem, my son, has told me that Burris has failed like three consecutive years, given that they only come the first day of school, and then they never come again. If you could speak with the teachers Jean Louise may have, get together with them, and warn her about this people, that would calm me down a lot.

Jean Louise is really looking forward to going to school. She has never looked forward more to anything in her life. I always see her on the tree house she has, looking over at the school yard, spying on the children at school. She tells me that she likes to just stare and learn their games and to follow her brother Jem's red jacket through the yard, him sharing his misfortunes and secrets with his friends. She is nervous but excited to join all those conversations and games she sees in the yard. She wanted to know if school really is like she has seen when she is at the treehouse. To know if everything is as fun and delightful as she sees. I've told her that school really is fun, but she wants to hear it from someone like you. Someone who has the authority you have. That would calm her a lot.

The last thing we both wanted to ask you is about the teachers. Jem has told us that the teachers are introducing a new way of teaching called the "Dewey Decimal System". WE wanted to know what that is about.

Also, Jean Louise is concerned because of what her brother has told her. The punishment kids get when they behave incorrectly, which is patting the palm of their hands with a ruler. "This aggression should stop, how could kids let themselves get hit by their teacher" she says. But this is not her major concern. Jem has told her that her soon-to-be-proffesor is  a tacky mean teacher. That she doesn't like kids that know more than others. She says she has to be the one who teaches and no one else. The Dewey Decimal System, I believe from what I've heard, was her idea. So knowing how she is as a teacher, her system doesn't really give me  a sense of confidence.

I don't know anything about other teachers, but maybe you could speak with them about being more sensible with our kids. They are just six years old and just started to grow. This would help us a lot and also if you could explain that new teaching method that would be fantastic.

In conclusion, I want you to take into consideration the school's teaching method, as well as answering Jean Louise's questions about school. But more so, I want you to assure me that my daughter will be completely safe while going to school.

I thank you in advance for listening to us. As a parent I just desire the best for my daughter. Her worries about school are common and related to how much she wants to go, even more now that she got interested in that Boo Radley's story. She wants to learn about that, and about that ramshackle house of theirs. She thinks school all get her the answers she wants.

Well, that's just part of their childhood, right?

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

 Sincerely,             

Atticus Finch