Chapter 4

           Theremainderofmyschooldayswerenomoreauspiciousthanthefirst.Indeed,theywereanendlessProjectthatslowlyevolvedintoaUnit,inwhichmilesofconstructionpaperandwaxcrayonwereexpendedbytheStateofAlabamainitswell-meaningbutfruitlesseffortstoteachmeGroupDynamics.WhatJemcalledtheDeweyDecimalSystemwasschool-widebytheendofmyfirstyear,soIhadnochancetocompareitwithotherteachingtechniques.Icouldonlylookaroundme:Atticusandmyuncle,whowenttoschoolathome,kneweverything—atleast,whatonedidn’tknowtheotherdid.Furthermore,Icouldn’thelpnoticingthatmyfatherhadservedforyearsinthestatelegislature,electedeachtimewithoutopposition,innocentoftheadjustmentsmyteachersthoughtessentialtothedevelopmentofGoodCitizenship.Jem,educatedonahalf-Decimalhalf-Duncecapbasis,seemedtofunctioneffectivelyaloneorinagroup,butJemwasapoorexample:notutorialsystemdevisedbymancouldhavestoppedhimfromgettingatbooks.Asforme,IknewnothingexceptwhatIgatheredfromTimemagazineandreadingeverythingIcouldlayhandsonathome,butasIinchedsluggishlyalongthetreadmilloftheMaycombCountyschoolsystem,IcouldnothelpreceivingtheimpressionthatIwasbeingcheatedoutofsomething.OutofwhatIknewnot,yetIdidnotbelievethattwelveyearsofunrelievedboredomwasexactlywhatthestatehadinmindforme.

           Astheyearpassed,releasedfromschoolthirtyminutesbeforeJem,whohadtostayuntilthreeo’clock,IranbytheRadleyPlaceasfastasIcould,notstoppinguntilIreachedthesafetyofourfrontporch.OneafternoonasIracedby,somethingcaughtmyeyeandcaughtitinsuchawaythatItookadeepbreath,alonglookaround,andwentback.