THE FUN THEY HAD

Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).

1. What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?

A. Margie and Tommy had mechanical teachers. They were computers which
had preloaded lessons on different subjects according to the learner’s age and
learning abilities. They had slots on their computers for inserting their homework
and assignments. Whenever they malfunctioned, they were opened and
repaired.

2. Why did Margie’s mother send for the County Inspector?

A. Margie’s mother called the County Inspector as Margie was not performing
well in Geography. Her mechanical teacher had been giving her tests after tests
and she had been doing worse. She thought that probably, Margie’s teacher had
a malfunction and needs repair and adjustment.

3. What did he do?

A. The County Inspector was trained to repair the computer teacher. He opened
the machine and found that the Geography section was geared a little fast for
Margie’ age. He rectified the defect by slowing it down and adjusting it to the
level of an average ten year old..

4. Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector Do
to help her?
A. Margie was failing in the Geography tests as the mechanical teacher had set
the subject at a higher level. The County Inspector told Margie’s mother that she
was not at fault for the drop in performance. He slowed down the level and
adjusted it according to Margie’ level and assured her mother that Margie was
progressing satisfactorily..

5. What had once happened to Tommy’s teacher?

A. Once Tommy’s mechanical teacher had developed a fault as the entire section
on History had been blanked out. His teacher had been taken for repairs and it
took them a month to set it right.

6. Did Margie have regular days and hours for school? If so, why?
A. Margie had regular days and hours for school. She had to attend the school at
the same time every day except on Saturday and Sunday. Her mother was of the
opinion that little girls learned better if they studied at regular hours.
7. How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?
A. Tommy described to Maggie that the old kind of schools which existed
centuries ago, were especially designed buildings. Children of the same age
group were taught the same thing according to their age in a classroom. They
were taught by a man teacher who gave them homework and also asked
questions. The man teacher was as knowledgeable as the machine teacher.

8. How does he describe the old kind of teachers?

A. Tommy described that the old teachers were not the regular kind which they
had. They were humans who did not live in the houses of students but taught
children in special buildings where all the kids would go. They taught the same
thing to all the children of the same age group.

Answer each of these questions in two or three paragraphs (100 –150

words).

1. What are the main features of the mechanical teachers and the schoolrooms
that Margie and Tommy have in the story?
A. Margie and Tommy were taught by mechanical teachers. The teacher was a
large black computer screen on which the lessons were flashed. The lessons
were followed by questions. The students had to insert homework and test
papers in the slots provided. They had to write down the work in a punch code
which was a computing language learnt at the age of six by all. The mechanical
teacher checked the papers and gave them marks within a few seconds. These
classrooms were in the student’s home itself. Every student studied from his
respective mechanical teacher. Each teacher was adjusted according to the level
of the learner. They did not have classmates. They studied various subjects like
Geography, History and Mathematics. Margie studied everyday at the same time
except Saturdays and Sundays. Her mother said that she would learn better if
she studied that way. The learning process was mechanical, dull and boring for
them.

2. Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must
have been fun?
A. Margie hated school because she was taught by a mechanical teacher. The
learning process was very dull and monotonous, it lacked life. It was not flexible
as she had to study each day at regular hours. There was nothing new, no fun or
laughter. Margie’s mechanical teacher was giving her tests in Geography and
she was performing badly. Later it was discovered that the teacher had
developed a fault due to which it was giving her tests of a higher level. Margie
even hated inserting the homework and test papers into the slot provided.
Margie thought that the children in the past must have had a lot of fun when they
went to school with fellow children. The idea of studying with the children of her
own age group in a classroom excited her. All the kids of the neighbourhood
coming to school, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard and enjoying
themselves was indeed different than being all by oneself. She found it amazing
that all the children studied together, the same things and could discuss and help
each other with the homework too. As the teachers were people, they would not
behave like machines. The human aspect of education in the past made her feel
that the schools of the past were fun.

3. Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in
the story? Give reasons.
I do agree that today’s schools are more fun than Margie’s school. The children
interact with one another and learn to bond with each other. They laugh, shout
and play with other children in the school yard. They help each other with the
homework. They are given opportunities for their overall development. They
develop an emotional bonding with their human teacher who is flexible enough to
understand their problems and makes learning an enjoyable experience.
But in Margie’s school, there is no interaction with the mechanical teacher who is
devoid of emotions and sentiments. He failed to understand and address her
problem in Geography for which a County Inspector was called. She could not
share her ideas, discuss her homework and get help from anyone. She only
competes with herself. She is confined to her room and does not socialize with
other children, which makes learning very monotonous.

CHARACTER SKETCH OF MARGIE

Margie is an eleven year-old girl who represents future students in the twenty-
second century. She dislikes school which is highly personalized and includes a
television and a mechanical teacher. Moreover she is confined to a room and has
to study alone at a fixed time everyday. Her homework is checked by her
mechanized teacher which also gives her lessons. She is a curious girl who is
constantly asking questions about the book found by Tommy in the attic. Her
recent poor performance in her passive geography lessons shows how much she
hated her school. Margie wanted to have an education that is interactive, engaging,
and involved other people. In particular, she longs to be around other children of
her age—hence her constantly hanging around Tommy and dreaming of how fun it
would have been to attend school with a whole neighbourhood of children. She’s
forced to sit alone in the schoolroom in her house, day after day, watching a
computer screen talk at her. Margie is also a highly imaginative child as she
envisions what it would be like to be a student hundreds of years ago and dreaming
of “the fun they had.”
Tommy
Tommy is Margie’s 13-year-old friend who finds an extremely old book in his
attic with wrinkly, yellowing pages. Although Tommy shares the book with
Margie and helps her understand how the schools of the past functioned, he
finds Margie’s extreme enthusiasm and constant questions annoying and
naïve. He frequently made fun of her, sometimes going too far as laughing in
her face and calling her stupid for not knowing as much as he does about the
world. He’s also arrogant: when Margie remarks that a human man couldn’t
possibly be a teacher and know as much as their mechanical teachers,
Tommy haughtily declares that his father knows “almost as much.” As he’s
two years older, he also tries to act nonchalantly in front of Margie—by
answering“Maybe” when Margie asks if they can read together after school—
which is a sharp contrast from Margie’s unbridled curiosity and enthusiasm.

Mrs Jones
Mrs. Jones is Margie’s mother. She expects Margie to succeed in her education and
is disappointed when Margie has difficulties with her geography lessons. From the
“sorrowful” look on her face, it seems that Mrs. Jones sees calling the County
Inspector to reprogramme the mechanical teacher as a mark of Margie’s failure as
a student. Mrs. Jones strongly believes in the mechanical teacher’s ability to teach
each child individually and keeps Margie to a strict school schedule.