Scout, who has been talked to in adult fashion by her father in
which one person reasons with another, does not understand why Miss Caroline punishes her when
she simply tries to help her understand the social order in Maycomb. As a very intelligent child
who has been taught to reason, Scout is nonplussed by Miss Caroline's instructions that she stop
reading the Mobile Register with her father because he does not know how to
teach. Miss Caroline vows that she will undo the damage that Atticus has made:
"It's best to begin
reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I'll take over fro her and try to undo the
damage--"
After school is over, Scout
talks with her brother Jem, complaining of Miss Caroline's remarks. Jem tries to explain to her
that Miss Caroline has learned teaching methods from the educational reformer John Dewey, and she
is introducing the new method to Scout's class, but humorously he confuses this with the library
system of arranging books:
"I'm just trying to tell you, the new way they're teachin'
the first grade, stubborn. It's the Dewey Decimal
System."
In addition to Scout's
competency in reading, Miss Caroline has "caught" Scout writing, and scolds her for another
activity not meant for first grade, Scout finds her teacher's thinking that a student should be
prevented from learning something simply because of grade or age inane and completely
illogical.
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