Impact of Education In Small Southern Towns

Topic; Education In The South

In the small, Southern, towns of Maycomb, Alabama, education varies from family to family. Every family has a different take, on how they implicate education to their families and therefore creates a huge range of those who can read and write and those who cannot. In, To Kill A Mocking Bird by. Harper Lee, this range of education is demonstrated in many different ways. One way that Lee demonstrates, the different levels of education, among the citizens of Maycomb. Is through the setting of school. Scout Finch, who is a major character, is more privileged, and a more educated, then most children in Maycomb. Her father Atticus Finch is a well-known figure in Maycomb. Atticus is a lawyer, and holds one of highest rank jobs in Maycomb. He has two children, a son named Jeremy Finch, who goes by Jem, and a daughter named Jean Louise Finch as mentioned before, that goes by Scout. Atticus is a very knowledge person, and has always taught his children since they were young, things that were far beyond there age. An example of what Atticus taught Scout, was how to read. On Scouts first day of the first grade, her teacher Miss.Caroline becomes frustrated with Scout, when she learns that Scout is literate. Scout can’t recall exactly when she was taught to read, but she reads the paper with her father every night. When she tells Miss.Caroline about reading with her father, she tells Scout, “…tell your father to not teach anymore. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I’ll take over from here and try to undo the damage-…Your father does not know how to teach…’”(Lee 19.) Scout enjoys reading with her, and doesn’t understad, why her teacher want her to doing it. And therefore, Scout has yet to acknowledge how privileged she is to have Atticus; an extremely educated person; as her parent. Burris Wells who goes by (Little Chuck Little,) is another student in Miss Caroline’s class, although, the impact that education has on his life. Is very different than Scout’s. Miss. Caroline hadn’t acknowledged the boy, until she was repulsed by a cootie that came out of Little Chucks hair. She then ask him for his name, and which then replies, Burris Wells, Miss.Caroline only finds has his last name in her roll-book, and asks him to spell out his first name.
‘“…I have an Ewells here, but don’t have a first name…would you spell out your first name for me?”’ Which he can’t. ‘“Don’t know how…”’(Lee 29) Which goes to show that Burris, has such a lack of education. That he doesn’t even know hot to spell his own name. Therefore, just in this one classroom. The range of education goes from Scout; who knows how to read and write, compared to Burris, who doesn’t even know how to spell his own name. Is a huge range from one persons education to the other. Aside from school, where education is the main focus. The range of education from citizen to citizen, in Maycomb. Is also represented, in major events, that occur in the book. One example is when Atticus goes awa6y on work, and Calpurnia, (Scout and Jem’s housekeeper,) take them to her church. Calpunia is a person of color, so her life is shaped a little bit differently then Jem and Scouts’s life’s, because the color of her skin. During the church service, there was event that the children didn’t understand why it was proceed the way and it was singing the hymns. The process went like this; Zeebo member of the church would say a line of the hymn, and the congregation would repeat it. This particular attempt of singing hymns, struck the kids of being rather odd one. That being said, once the service was over, Jem then asked Calpunia why they song the hyms the way that they did, and she then explains to him that it is called Linni. Scout then brings up the point of that it is done that way, because the folks of the church cannot read, which Calpunia nodes in agreement. Then, Calpunia explained to the children that only four of member of the church can read and she being one of them. Then Jem intrigued by this and asks Calpunia where she went to school. ‘“Where’d you go to school, Cal?”’asked Jem.
‘“Nowhere. Let’s see now, who taught me my letters? It was Miss Maudie Atkinson’s old aunt, old Miss. Buford-…”’ (Lee 141.) This goes to show, that even though Calpunia did not have access to a proper education. She still thought having one was important and learned from those that would teacher her. Another example, of an event that displays the educational status of a citizen in Maycomb Is that of Walter Cummingham in the court case of that takes place in the Allcourtroom, where Atticus is dealing with the major case of Tom Robinson is where he is caused of rapping Mr.Ewells daughter