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Question
According to M. Hamel, who are the people that did not take education seriously? What examples does he give to support his view?
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Solution
- According to M. Hamel, the people of Alsace did not take education seriously.
- He gave the example of Franz’s parents who wanted Franz to work on a farm or at the mills instead of learning.
- He also gave his own example, as on multiple occasions, he had asked the students to water his flowers instead of making them learn.
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| Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was. |
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