TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Scout starts school for the first time. She is excited at first. But then she meets her teacher, Miss Caroline. Miss Caroline is new in town. She doesn't know Maycomb well.
Scout can already read and write. She learned at home with her father. But Miss Caroline is mad about it. She’s upset that Scout can read. She says kids should learn reading at school. This makes Scout frustrated and sad.
Scout tries to explain. “My dad helps me. I even read the newspaper.” But Miss Caroline doesn't listen. Scout feels bad. She doesn't like school now. She misses her father and Jem.
The Cunninghams are a poor family in town. Sometimes they don’t have money for food. Miss Caroline doesn't know about them. Walter is a Cunningham.
“You aren’t going home for lunch, Walter. And you don’t have lunch. I’ll loan you money,” she says. “No, thank you,” says Walter. “You have to eat,” Miss Caroline says. Miss Caroline doesn’t understand that Walter can’t take her money. He won’t be able to pay her back.
Scout tries to help. “He’s a Cunningham. They have no money for extra food. He won’t take money if he can’t pay it back. He can’t pay it back. My dad helped them once. We woke up to find cut firewood on our porch.” But Miss Caroline gets mad again.
Scout has a hard day at school. She doesn't want to go back. She tells Atticus about it. Atticus listens. He is a good father.
