Before you read, with partner, recall tome of the best school experlonces ‘you had when you were 1H years old. [As you read, co pow oun eaty seal ‘perience with Margie’ Notes Isaac Asimov (1920-1992), 3 Russan-born American ‘water, considered one Of the great science fitlon authors. He wrote ‘more than 500 books ‘covering virally al reas ‘of koe The Fun wees They Had took the teacher gpa Short Story by Isaac Asimov Margie even wrote it that night inher diary. On the page headed May 17, 2155, she wrote, “Today Tomany found a real book!” twas a very old book: Margi’ grandfather once said that when he was. litle boy his grandfather told him there was time all stories were printed on paper: “They tured the pages which were yellow and eink, and it was awflly funny to read words that tood sll instead of moving the way they were supposed toon a sree, you know. And then, when they tured back othe page before thad the same words omit that it had hha when they read it the frst time “Gee” suid Tommy, “what a vaste, When you'e through with the book, you just throw it away, guss. Our television screen must have had a ngillion books on it and it’s good for plenty more. I would’ throw it away.” Sane with mine.” said Sarg. She was 11 and hadat seen as many telebooks as Tommy had. He was 13. She said, "Where did you find it” “in my house.” He pointed without looking, because he was busy reading. “Inthe aie" “Whats it about?” *School.” Margie was scomfil. “School? Whats there to write about school? {hate school Marge always hated school, but now she ated it more ‘than ever The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in seography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowflly and sent fo the County Inspector ‘The Fun They Had 5.He was around ligle man with a red face and a whole box of tools with dials and wites. He smiled at her and gave her an apple then took the teacher apart, Margie had hoped he wouldnt know how to put it together again, but he knew how allright and after an hour or so, there it ‘vas again, large and black and ugly witha big screen on which all the Tessons were shown and the questions wer asked. That wasnt so bad. “The pat she hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papes, She always had to write them out in a punch code they sade her lear when she was sic yeas old, and the mechanical teacher calculated the marin no time. ‘The Inspector had smiled afer he was finished and patted her hea. He said to her mother, “ls not the litle gi’ fault, Mrs. Jones. think the geography sector was geared alte too quick. Those things happen sometimes. Ive slowed it up o an average 10-year level Actually, the ‘overall pattem of her progress is quite satisfactory.” And he patted Margie’ head again ‘Margie was disappointed, She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy’ teacher away for ‘early a month because the history sector had blanked out completely ‘So she said to Tommy, “Why would anyone write about school?” ‘Torumy looked at her with very superior eyes. “Because it’s not our kind of school, stupid. This isthe old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundzeds of years ago.” He added lofty, pronouncing the ‘word carefly, “Centuries ago." ‘Margie was hur. “Well, | don't know what kind of school they had all that time ago.” She read the book ove his shoulder fora while then said, “Anyoray, they had a teachet.” < “Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn'ta regular teacher, Iwas a man." “A man? How could a man be a teacher?” ‘Well: he jut tod the boys and gis things and save them homework and asked them questions “a man int emart enough.” “Sure he i. My father knows as much a my teacher “He can't, A man can't know as much asa teacher” “He knows almost as much, I betcha." ‘Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said, “1 woulda’ want a strange man in my house to teach me" “6 Future Considerations m0Tommy screamed with laughter. You don't know much, Margie. The teachers did't live in the house. They had a special building and all the ide went there” “And all the kids leamed the same thing?” “Sure if they were the same age" “But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fc the mind of each boy and gilt teaches and hat each kid has to be taught “ier.” “Tus the same they didnt do that way then. Ifyou don't ket, you don't have to read the book.” “1 didn't say I didtlke ig” Margie said quilly. She wanted to read about those funny schools “They werent even half finished when Margi's mother called, “Margie! School!” * Margie looked up. ‘Not ye, Mamma.” “Now,” sid Mrs. Jones. “And it's probably time for Tommy, 100." ‘Marge said to Tory, *Can I read the book some more with you afterschool” “Maybe” he said nonchalandy. He walked away whistling, the dusty old book tucked beneath his ann, ‘Male went into the schoolroom. It was ight next to her bedroom, and the mechanical teacter was on and waiting for her. Kt was aways on atthe same time every day except Saturday and Sunday, because her other ead litle gels learned better if they leazned at regular hours ‘The screen vas lit up, and it said “Todays arithmetic lesson ison the addition of proper fractions, Pease insert yesterda’s homework in the proper slo” ‘Margie did so with asigh, She vfs thinking about the old schools they had when her grandfathers grandfather was a litle boy. all the kids ‘from the whole neighboushood came, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sting together in the schoolroom, going home together at the end ofthe day. They leaned the same things so they could help one nother on the homewoxk and talk about it ‘And the teaclers were people... ‘The mechanical teacier was ashing on the screen: "When we add the fractions and 2—" Marge wat thinking about how de kids must have loved iin the ‘ld days She was thinking about the fun they had. ‘The Fun They Had 7