Chereads / Even a Bookworm Will Turn / Chapter 4 - School's in Session

Chapter 4 - School's in Session

Galen and James were walking swiftly down the corridor looking for their first classroom. The two would be taking their first class of the day, History, together that year. Galen soon spotted the correct door and the boys hurried in just as the bells began to ring.

The cramped classroom had around thirty students inside. A large chalkboard was set at the front of the room and a few faded posters hung sadly on the other walls; a timeline of some historical period where the dates had worn off, an updated print containing the names of the ten or so previous state directors accompanied by their mini portraits, and a map of the state itself, the State of Raeveld.

The double desks were worn with age and covered in carvings of what looked like hundreds of names from previous students. One such desk sat empty in the middle row. Seeing this, Galen and James went to claim the desk together.

James slid nervously onto the bench beside Galen and tucked his bag beneath his seat. Still embarrassed that Galen had to help him read his class assignments and unsure of how to begin a conversation with Galen, he pretended to observe the old posters around the room.

Galen tried talking with James, and while James genuinely wanted the other boy to speak with him and become friends, his discomfort got the better of him and he gave only short replies in Galen's attempts at conversation.

Galen, who grew up surrounded by lively and outgoing family and friends, had never had to hold up a conversation entirely by himself with such a shy person and was beginning to flounder while trying to help James become comfortable enough to speak with him.

The boy's awkward attempts at chatting were interrupted by the appearance of a rather unkempt man in the classroom. He walked wearily towards the front of the room while the new students whispered and settled into their benches. When he finally crossed the small room to stand in front of the chalkboard, he sighed before beginning to speak with an unexpectedly high voice.

"I am Professor Stanton and I will be your history professor for the next two years." He coughed hoarsely and adjusted his wrinkled collar before he continued. "In my class, I do not tolerate disruptions or distractions and I expect you will behave yourself accordingly. Please grab one of the textbooks and take out your quills and notebooks."

Finally, the first class of the day officially began and the new students began to experience the delights of Professor Stanton's class for themselves. The man's dragging voice seemed to run together as he presented his monologue in the first lesson of the History of Raeveld. The students struggled to focus on the dull man and Galen was disappointed with his first school professor. It was disheartening as Galen actually liked history and Galen was coming to realize that he would be spending two years of his life listening to this man teach.

'Merry thinks Mathematics will kill him, but unfortunately, he hasn't met Professor Stanton yet. Poor Merry.' Galen mused as he watched the professor writing loudly on the chalkboard. He winced and continued taking his notes. He planned to invite James, Edith, and Jo to study with him and Merry and suspected that his notes might be the study group's only hope. He didn't mind doing it; he only hoped it would be helpful to his new friends (as well as his dramatic old friend).

The Professor waxed unpoetically for the rest of class. Despite his declared intolerance of disruptions, the class soon found he didn't acknowledge any of the students behind him, and so, whispered conversations struck up between the desks.

The first class of the day lasted an hour and felt like years to the energetic ten-year olds stuck there. When the bells finally rang again, the students did not waste time gathering their things.

With some difficulty, Professor Stanton was able to gain enough attention for him to outline an assignment for them to begin at home. Once the children were officially free, they began streaming out the room impatiently. Outside the door, many unconsciously inhaled deeply as if to replace the stagnant air of the classroom in their lungs.

James, who was unfamiliar with history in general and unable to fully read or write, looked like he was going to panic trying to take in the confusing and unfamiliar information that had just been dumped on him. Seeing this, Galen intervened.

"Since we share the same teachers and classes, I thought you, Jo, and Edith might want to study with Merry and me? I don't know how close you are to us, but you're welcome to come over when you want to study with us."

James' face broke into a huge relieved smile and he accepted Galen's invitation for himself, knowing they would be able to ask the others soon. Galen was excited for James and for the prospect of new friends that were his own age, but something else still gnawed at him.

'James and the others deserved to be learning things like reading and writing before now. The school doesn't seem to even offer enough help for the students here that were set back from the lack of a school for the youngest grades. What do they expect them to do?' The thought frustrated Galen.

Galen could help James, Jo, and Edith, but how many other kids were here that didn't get help? He knew the school offered their own tutoring, but he also knew that the tutoring cost money. He understood that the students who came without a learning foundation generally didn't have much extra money to spare

Still walking with James, He was abruptly pulled from his thoughts as the two turned a corner and Galen knocked into an adult.

The woman's soft face belied her harsh eyes. Her neat appearance was a sharp contrast to the school's dull and disheveled History professor. A flash of irritation crossed her face before it settled into a neutral expression; neutral, except for her eyes anyways. Only a moment passed before she addressed Galen.

"The corridor is not for running," she said, despite the fact that neither of the boys had been running. "Please be more mindful in the future, yes?"

Both boys had an instinctive feeling that despite her gentle face and mild tone, they might regret speaking out of turn even accidentally, and they merely nodded respectfully in acknowledgment.

The woman did not push any farther. She immediately walked past the two boys after her single remark.

'Scary…' Thought James and Galen as they watched her walk away.

Straightening up, the two continued to where they had been going. Merry, Jo, and Edith had their first class together and now Merry and James would take the next class together. Jo and Edith had their class and Galen would be taking his upcoming economics lessons alone.

Their friends were waiting for them and the three seemed to be comfortable after their class together. They were unable to talk for long, as the bells would ring soon for the next period of classes, and the group split to head their separate ways.

Galen's economic class proved uneventful. He dutifully wrote out notes as the professor lectured and wrote information on the chalkboard. The second class of the day passed quickly and Galen was surprised when he heard the bells ringing to announce the end of the period. He gathered his things again and left to find the others.

He would take his last class of the morning with Jo and Edith, as well as James. Merry would be alone this time, stuck in the History class. The other four who had already met Professor Stanton by this time gave Merry looks of silent pity, which only caused him to return their looks with confusion. His friends gave a quiet prayer for the difficult hour that lay ahead of their friend.

This time, Galen was able to talk more with Edith and Jo as they walked to their next lessons. Even with the short interactions he'd been able to have so far with them, he was already beginning to enjoy their company. With Jo and Edith there, James also spoke more as he became comfortable.

The group arrived at the classroom before the bells began to ring and they hastened to claim two dual desks sitting beside each other.

The civics classroom was orderly and well-kept. The parchment posters in the room were new and depicted some of the famous previous State Directors. A flag of Raeveld hung on the wall beside a detailed map of the State's territory.

The new friends continued talking and laughing after securing their desks. The bells began ringing once again and the door to the classroom open as soon as they started. Before the bells stopped their ringing, a tall woman had reached the chalkboard and turn to observe the students.

Galen and James immediately recognized her as the woman they had met in the corridors earlier that morning.

"Scary…" Thought the four friends as they watched the woman now waiting at the front of the classroom.