Chapter 2 : 
The Opening Of School
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18621862

People :
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Author : Leo Tolstoy

Translator : Nathan Haskell Dole

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Let us suppose that, according to the roster, we begin 
with mechanical reading in the first or the youngest 
class; in the second, with graded reading; and in the 
third, with mathematics.

The teacher goes into the room, and finds the children 
rolling or scuffling on the floor, and crying at the top of 
their voices: "You're choking me!" "You stop 
pulling my hair!" or "Let up; that'll do!"

"Piotr Mikhailovitch," cries a voice from under the 
heap, as the teacher comes in, "make them stop."

"Good-morning, Piotr Mikhailovitch," shout still 
others, adding their share to the tumult.

The teacher takes the books and distributes them to 
those who have come to the cupboard. First those on 
top of the heap on the floor, then those lying underneath, want a book.

The pile gradually diminishes. As soon as the 
majority have their books, all the rest run to the cupboard, and cry, "Me one! me one!"

"Give me the one I had yesterday!"

"Give me the Koltsof[2] book!"

And so on.

If there happen to be any two scufflers left struggling 
on the floor, then those who have taken their places 
with their books shout:

"Why do you make so much noise? we can't hear 
anything! Hush!"

The impulsive fellows come to order and, all out of 
breath, get their books, and only for the first moment 
or two after they sit down does the dying excitement 
betray itself in an occasional motion of a leg.

The spirit of war takes its flight, and the spirit of 
learning holds sway in the room. With the same zeal as 
the lad had shown in pulling Mitka's hair, he now reads 
his Koltsof book, thus the works of Koltsof are called 
among us, with teeth almost shut together, with 
shining eyes, and total oblivion of all around him except 
his book. To tear him from his reading requires fully 
as much strength as it required before to get him away 
from his wrestling.


     From : Wikisource.org

Events :
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     Chapter 2 -- Publication : September 30, 1862

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