The narrator accompanies a little blind girl on a walk through Miss Beam's school, describing the surroundings to help orient the girl. As they walk, the narrator identifies the head girl Millie by her blue skirt, pink blouse, and light hair. They also see the old gardener Peter tying roses, and a student named Berryl on crutches. By having to describe what they encounter, the narrator finds themself thinking more thoughtfully about their surroundings and the people there. At the end of the walk, the narrator is sorry to leave and walks away reflecting on sharing in others' sorrows.

1. WELCOME
UNIT – 5
ENGLISH

2. The school for sympathy

3. THE SCHOOL FOR
SYMPATHY
- Edward Verall Lucas

4. Miss Beam is walking up and down the
terrace with a tall girl.
‘What has the girl got on?’ my companion
asked me.
‘A blue skirt and a pink blouse.’
‘I think it’s Millie,’ she said. ‘What colour
is her hair?’
‘Very light,’ I said.
‘Yes, that’s Millie. She is the head girl. She
is very decent.’

5. ‘There’s an old man tying up roses,’ I
said.
‘Yes, that’s Peter. He is the gardener.
He’s
hundreds of years old!’
‘And here comes a dark girl in red, on
crutches.’
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘that’s Berryl.’

6. And so we walked on, and in guiding
this little girl about I discovered that I was
many times more thoughtful already than
usual. I also realised that having to
describe the surroundings to another,
makes them more interesting.

7. When Miss Beam came to release me I
was sorry to go. I walked back to the town
murmuring (incorrectly as ever) the lines:
Can I see another’s woe,
And not share their sorrow too?
O no, never can it be,
Never, never, can it be.

8. COMPANION –one that
accompanies another
CRUTCHES –a type of stick that you
put under your arm to help you walk
when you have hurt your leg or foot.

9. DISCOVER- to find or learn
something that nobody had
found or knew before.

10. MURMUR –to say
something in a low quiet
voice.

11. SCAFFOLDING QUESTIONS
1. Which clues helped the little girl
identify Millie?
2. Who are Peter and Berryl in
the lesson?

12. 1.She was told that the girl
was wearing a blue skirt
and pink blouse and her
hair was very light.

13. 2.Peter is the gardener
and Berryl is a student
like the girl.

14. Fill in the bubbles using the words or
phrases which show quality, appearance,
and personality of Miss Beam.
ACTIVITY

16. Assignment
Give a brief account of
the author’s visit in
Miss Beams school