d so he
was plunged back again and again into an inner life of his own that fed
almost exclusively on books and had little or nothing in common with the
reality to which the new school was supposed to form a gateway.

PART III

I

The new school was located in another part of the South End, separated
only by the churchyard from the old church of St. Mary Magdalene. It was
a state institution demanding an entrance fee, which, although quite
reasonable, yet sufficed to keep out the children of mere wage earners.
It was a school for the offspring of the "better classes" and good
enough for all but the most select who must needs turn to certain
private institutions of still greater exclusiveness for instruction.

Its official title was St. Mary's Elementary School and it had only five
grades or classes, as they were called, being supplemented by a
"gymnasium," from which the pupils passed on to the university. No boy
was admitted under nine, but there seemed to be no limit at the other
end, for at the time of Keith's entrance the upper grades still held a
few youngsters with well developed moustaches who, from the viewpoint of
Keith's own peach-skinned diminutiveness, looked like veritable
patriarchs. Stories were afloat about their actually being addressed as
"mister" by the teachers.

Admission was conditioned by examinations held in the school itself, and
thither Keith was escorted by his mother one late August day. All
novelties stimulated him, and to his inexperience the rather dingy old
school seemed enormously impressive. The mere fact that it occupied a
whole building all by itself was enough. In addition, however, it had
an assembly hall large enough to hold several hundred boys, and there
were numerous rooms capable of holding thirty or forty boys. Every pupil
had a seat and a small desk of his own. Seeing these desks, with
inkstands sunk into their tops, and special grooves for the penholders,
and lids that could be raised, Keith knew that he must pass the
examinations or die from a broken heart.

The officiating teachers were stern but not unkind. Keith was nervous
from eagerness, but neither frightened nor embarrassed. The questions
asked were ridiculously easy, he thought. When his turn came, he
answered triumphantly, as if he had been playing a game in which he was
quite skilled. Finding him willing and well prepared, the examiners felt
themselves challenged and pressed him more and more. Still