Margie hated school mainly because it was boring, lonely, and stressful. She had to study alone at home in a small room, and her mechanical teacher gave her lessons and tests every day at fixed times. The teacher often gave her poor marks, especially in geography, which made her dislike school even more. There were no classmates, no human teacher, and no fun or interaction.
Margie thought the old kind of school must have been fun because children studied together in a school building. They had a human teacher who could understand students better. Children could learn, talk, laugh, and help one another, making school a happy social place. Reading about it in Tommy’s book made Margie imagine that learning with friends would be much more enjoyable than studying alone with a machine.