The Fun They Had, Class 8th DAV Board

Summary of the Chapter-
The story opens with Margie writing in her diary about an old book that Tommy had found. Margie was reminded of her grandfather who had once talked about his grandfather who went to an actual school where the students were taught by human teachers.
However, Margie and Tommy lived in the future world, in the year 2157 where education was completely computerized. They did not go to schools. Instead, they had a special study room where a computer taught them. The computer teacher was programmed and adjusted according to the needs of each child. Now and then the computer teacher developed faults which were fixed by a County Inspector.
Both Tommy and Margie wondered at the book found by Tommy in his attic. They wondered at it as they read books on the screen of their computer teacher. Margie felt that the computer teacher was boring; she disliked the mechanical teaching and learning. She also wondered how much fun it would be studying in a school. Studying in a fun way, with other children and that too from a human teacher.

Word – Meaning

Crinkly	Wrinkled
Attic	Store room
Nonchalantly	Calmly
Waste	Worthless
Disappointed	Unhappy, Sad
Screamed	Shouted
Exist	Live
Scornful	Showing dislike
Telebook	A book that can be read on T.V. screen
Loftily	In a superior way
Flashing	Twinkling, Gleaming
Real	Actual
Sector	Part, Section
Awfully	Dreadfully
Patted	Tapped

Question/ Answers

1.      What was awfully funny about the words written in the book found by Tommy?

It was awfully funny that the words stood still in the book found by Tommy and the pages showed same words when they were turned back.

2.      Why had Margie started hating her school more than ever?

Margie had started hating her school more than ever because her mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse.

3.      What was the complication in the geography sector of Margie’s teacher?

The geography sector of Margie’s teacher was geared a little too quick.

4.      ‘Margie thought he would not know how to put it together again.’ Whom do ‘he’ and ‘it’ refer to? Why did Margie not want ‘It’ to be put together again?

‘He’ refers to county inspector and ‘It’ refers to mechanical teacher. Margie did not want ‘it’ to be put together again because she had to do test and show her home-work.

Hots

1.      ‘What is waste!’ What is Tommy referring to as a waste? Is it really a waste? Discuss.

Tommy is referring to an old book as a waste. No, it is not really a waste because this book contains a lot of information. It gives us knowledge about different things. In fact books can be read and re-read.

2.      ‘How could a man be a teacher.’ Says Margie. But we do have human teachers. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of having a computer as a teacher as compared to human teacher.

Advantages of computer teacher-

Computer teacher does teaching, checking work and calculations quickly as compared to human teacher. They have more knowledge than human teacher.

Disadvantages of computer teacher-

Sometimes there is problem in Robotic teacher related to data handling and it may blank out completely. It does not teach about moral values.

Values

1.      ‘Margie was thinking about the fun, they, who went to a school to study along with their friends, had.’ Why did Margie think going to school could be fun? Do you and your friends also think so? Discuss.

Margie was thinking about how going to school could be fun. She thought about how the kids must have loved it in old days. She also thought that the kids from the whole neighbourhood came laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together to study in the classroom, going home together at the end of the day. Yes, I and my friends also think so.

Extra Questions

1.      What kind of teachers did Margie and Tommy have?

They had mechanical teacher.

2.      Why did Margie’s mother send for the county inspector?

She sent for the county inspector because Margie was doing worse and worse in her tests.

3.      How does Tommy describe the old kind of school?

Tommy described that old kind of school used to be a special building where all the students studied together.

4.      How does Tommy describe the old kind of teacher?

They were human teachers and they did not live in student’s house.

5.      The title of the story is ‘The Fun They Had.’ Who were ‘they’? What fun did they have?

‘They’ were the students of old schools, centuries ago. All the kids from the whole neighbourhod came laughing and shouting in schoolroom, going home together at the end of the day. They learned the same thing so that they could help one another in homework and talk about it.

Writing Skill

1.      After discussing the pros and cons of two types of schools, can we try to create a situation wherein the best aspects of both schools are included? Write an article for your school magazine expressing your opinion about the perfect school you dream of.

A Perfect School

There are many pros and cons in two types of schools. I dream a school which is in special building and will have a human teacher. The perfect school would offer a pleasant environment to students. There are facilities like language lab, science lab, computer lab and mathematics lab. It would certainly be a place where students feel comfortable to learn in smart classrooms. The students are taught moral values by a human teacher. All students study together, laugh together, shout together and help each other with class work and homework. Sports and extra co-curricular activities would be an integral part of the school curriculum.