Stephen Spender, an English poet and essayist, wrote the poem "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum" after leaving Oxford University without a degree to go to Berlin in 1930. The poem focuses on the themes of social injustice and class inequalities. It describes children in a run-down elementary school classroom who appear tired, thin, and lacking energy due to their impoverished conditions and backgrounds. While pictures of Shakespeare and maps decorate the dirty off-white walls, these donations are meaningless to the children, who have no opportunities outside of their bleak slum lives.

1. About the Poet
:- Thispoem is written by“Stephen Spender”
:- itwas an English poetandessayist.
:- heleft the OxfordCollegeUniversity withouttaking a degree and go to
Berlin in 1930.
In Elementary school classroom ina slum, he has conentrated on themes of
socialinjustice and class inequalities.
An Elementary school Classroom
in a Slum

2. Summary
First Stanza
Poetlook at the children of an Elementry school in a
slum.
Poet says that :-
There is no energy on their faces.
They look useless and meaningless and face are covered
with uncombed hair.
A girl was very tall and thin and it holds her head up.
then ,it shows lack of energy.

3. Oneboyis paperthinand his eyeslikea rat’ s eyes.
Oneboyhas a disease of bonesfrom his father.he is
reciting the lesson.
The boyon the backseat lookslikeexception He
lookshappy,calmanhcheerful.hismindis fullof game
. He had watched as the squirrelsplayedin the hoolow
of the tree.

4. Secand Stanza
The poetlook,classroom dirty wall and colouris off-
white.
The wall hangsame picturelikea Shakespere,an open
map ofthe worldand few pictureare beautifulplaces.
All thethings are givedoniationsbutthey all the
things are useless and meaningless forall children.