The Denver Jewish news., 1922-07-19
Ten Per Cent.
Continued from page ~

afraid The glass door closes behind
me, and / find myself in a long, wide
room with eight large windows. OPP
posite the door, mt the farther end OF
the room, stands II dais and ON il four
chairs and table. A number of desks
are placed in four rows and occupy
almost all of the room. In corner,
To the left of the dais an ikon is sns-
pended with an image lamp before it.
To the righ: n large framed picture of
Car Nicholas II. | sit down at one
of the desks. overwhelmed by the I'm.
usual surroundings. Some of the boys,
apparently accustomed to classroom.
seem to feel at home and raise n
racket. suddenly the door behind us
opens and voice commands: stand
up"
We rise. Three teachers enter and
walk majcstically toward the dais. Not
a sound is heard but their steps. Then
one of them says: Someone will read
Our Father"
A hoy steps to the front and, says
iIlt DIHNfI. nv i''NN
cross themselves. l feel. or perhaps
it only seems to me that I feel. the
hostile blanccs of the Gentle boys.
They must have recognized that ! am
q Jew" occurs to me. They must
have noticed that I am not making
the sign of the cross and ! flush ali
over.
'Sit down" We do So The roll is
called, and each of rs. answers:
Here" Each has a different voice.
and it seems so funny. Next comes
the dictation. l am so excited that
words | know how to spell seem
strange to me: my handwriting is
over. They collect the copy books.
Then n problem in arithmetic is die
tatcd to us. oh. joy-it is exactly the
problem Mr.. Kunin and myself solved
"A week ago. 1t is an easy problem !
am calmcr by this time and when ]
am about to raise my hand-l feel
the Gentle boy next to me tug nj my
sleeve:
Wait minute ,dont hand it in,
he whispers Let me copy first.
'I.cs me alone" l whispered back
He is about to make N remark when
one of the teachers appears near us
and says to me:
"Don't You know you're not allowed
to prompt:''
But I didn't" | attcmptcd to vim
dicate myself.
Come. come. noue Of your dirty
Jewish tricks If | catch You mt it
agaipy you'll have TO leave the class
room ~
Rcwildered and frightened to death
I do not utter another word ana Try
not to listen to my neighhor's angry
whisper: "Oh, You lousy. dirty Zhid -
At last. the written examination in
arithmetic is also over and the oral
test begins. They call on the Gentiic
bows first, and Oh what easy pues-
tions they ask them, My hope for
nossinp returns How well l could
answer every one of these questions
knr those stupid boys hesitate and.
what is more. make stupid. ridiculous
answers. but the teachers look nj them
with smiles of encouragement and
help them out with suggestions. How
nice and kind the teachers are. after
all,
Hut here IL jewish boy is called to
the blackboard He is required to do
an example in multiplication. He he
gins to rccitc:
",rhree times nine make twcnty-sev-
en-. we put down seven and Neep
two
YES" one of the examiners inter
rrIpts. hut why keep your hand in
your pocket:" And the boys ease of
manner is gone. And he begins to
humble something incohcrent.
'That'n do. Abramovitch"
Abramovitch is boy of nine. This
is his second attempt. and somehow
they fail to trip him. Question alter
question is flung at him, bu: he ans
wers them readily, and | see the teach
ers nod in sign of approval.
Very good. that'll do" says one ot
them and. happy and radiant, Abram'
ovitch returns to his seat.
Five my neighbor whispers to me.
and | rejoice and feel proud that
Jewish hoy has been given the highest
mark. He is followed by Il fewl OH
crs. but none of them meets with his
success. Finally / hear my name
called. | step forward. l am asked
10 read and do so satisfactorily. I
answer questions in grammar, solve
the problems on the board.
That's enough says one of the
tnncnnrS Int annIlnr StOpS me: