Podcast
Questions and Answers
Classes where graduating from what two schools?
Classes where graduating from what two schools?
the high school and the grammar school
Who strutted around the school, exerting pressure on the younger grades?
Who strutted around the school, exerting pressure on the younger grades?
juniors
...it never hurt a sixth grader to have a play sister in the _______ grade, or a tenth-year student to be able to call a twelfth grader ______.
...it never hurt a sixth grader to have a play sister in the _______ grade, or a tenth-year student to be able to call a twelfth grader ______.
eighth, Bubba
Like travelers with exotic destinations on their minds, the graduates were remarkably what?
Like travelers with exotic destinations on their minds, the graduates were remarkably what?
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What did the graduates often forget?
What did the graduates often forget?
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Who was tasked with replacing the often lost/forgotten equipment?
Who was tasked with replacing the often lost/forgotten equipment?
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What school did Maya go to? What did it not have compared to the white high school?
What school did Maya go to? What did it not have compared to the white high school?
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What were the two main buildings of Lafayette County Training School?
What were the two main buildings of Lafayette County Training School?
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What was Lafayette County Training School set on?
What was Lafayette County Training School set on?
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What didn't Lafayette County Training School have to separate it from neighboring farms?
What didn't Lafayette County Training School have to separate it from neighboring farms?
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What was the large expanse to the left of the school used as?
What was the large expanse to the left of the school used as?
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When could they borrow bats and balls from the P.E. teacher?
When could they borrow bats and balls from the P.E. teacher?
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Where did the graduating class walk?
Where did the graduating class walk?
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What did the girls do as they were walking?
What did the girls do as they were walking?
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At _____ the boys were friendly and outgoing, opposed to their closed attitudes while ______.
At _____ the boys were friendly and outgoing, opposed to their closed attitudes while ______.
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The small amount of graduates who would go to college would attend where?
The small amount of graduates who would go to college would attend where?
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What does A&M stand for?
What does A&M stand for?
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Where would parents buy new shoes and clothes?
Where would parents buy new shoes and clothes?
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Rich parents had seamstresses make what and hem what?
Rich parents had seamstresses make what and hem what?
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What would the graduation pants be pressed to?
What would the graduation pants be pressed to?
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How many Whitefolks would speak of God and home and the Southern way of life?
How many Whitefolks would speak of God and home and the Southern way of life?
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Who played the music? Who was she? What was the music?
Who played the music? Who was she? What was the music?
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Where did the lower grades sit?
Where did the lower grades sit?
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Where would the seniors wait before they entered?
Where would the seniors wait before they entered?
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What is Maya's class wearing to graduation?
What is Maya's class wearing to graduation?
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Momma's alterations to the graduation dress: she smocked the _____ into tiny crisscrossing _______, then ______ the rest of the bodice.
Momma's alterations to the graduation dress: she smocked the _____ into tiny crisscrossing _______, then ______ the rest of the bodice.
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What did Momma embroider around the hem of Maya's dress?
What did Momma embroider around the hem of Maya's dress?
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Before Momma considered herself finished with the dress, she had added a ______________ on the puff sleeves, and a pointy ________.
Before Momma considered herself finished with the dress, she had added a ______________ on the puff sleeves, and a pointy ________.
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How old is Maya? What grade is she graduating from?
How old is Maya? What grade is she graduating from?
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"The days had become longer and more noticeable." Maya points out that the fading what of former times had been replaced with sure and strong colors?
"The days had become longer and more noticeable." Maya points out that the fading what of former times had been replaced with sure and strong colors?
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Maya began to notice more in her life, such as her classmates' clothes, their skin tones, and the dust that came from what kind of tree? What else did she notice?
Maya began to notice more in her life, such as her classmates' clothes, their skin tones, and the dust that came from what kind of tree? What else did she notice?
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What did Maya start doing more often close to her graduation?
What did Maya start doing more often close to her graduation?
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What year did Maya graduate?
What year did Maya graduate?
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"The ____ of our swift passage remodeled my features. Lost tears were pounded to ____ and then to ____. Years of withdrawal were brushed aside and left behind, as hanging ropes of ___________."
"The ____ of our swift passage remodeled my features. Lost tears were pounded to ____ and then to ____. Years of withdrawal were brushed aside and left behind, as hanging ropes of ___________."
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There were stars hanging up around the school with Maya's achievements on them. Where were they? What colors were the stars?
There were stars hanging up around the school with Maya's achievements on them. Where were they? What colors were the stars?
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What did Maya and Bailey often time themselves saying?
What did Maya and Bailey often time themselves saying?
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Maya memorized the Presidents of the United States in what order?
Maya memorized the Presidents of the United States in what order?
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Who was the president when Maya was graduating?
Who was the president when Maya was graduating?
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Who did Maya rehearse the exercises with?
Who did Maya rehearse the exercises with?
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Who was class valedictorian?
Who was class valedictorian?
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Henry Reed was a small, very black boy with ______ eyes, a long, broad nose and an oddly shaped _____.
Henry Reed was a small, very black boy with ______ eyes, a long, broad nose and an oddly shaped _____.
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Who did Henry Reed live with?
Who did Henry Reed live with?
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What was the title of Henry Reed's valedictorian speech?
What was the title of Henry Reed's valedictorian speech?
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Who helped write the valedictorian speech?
Who helped write the valedictorian speech?
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What specific part of his valedictorian speech had Henry Reed been working on for months?
What specific part of his valedictorian speech had Henry Reed been working on for months?
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What were the younger kids supposed to perform?
What were the younger kids supposed to perform?
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What did the little kids' songs sound like?
What did the little kids' songs sound like?
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What were the older girls supposed to do?
What were the older girls supposed to do?
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What smells wafted around the home economics building due to the older girls' cooking?
What smells wafted around the home economics building due to the older girls' cooking?
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What were the woodshop boys supposed to make? With what? Out of what?
What were the woodshop boys supposed to make? With what? Out of what?
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Although it talked about backsliders, gamblers, and general ne'er-do-wells, what was the sermon actually about?
Although it talked about backsliders, gamblers, and general ne'er-do-wells, what was the sermon actually about?
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When did the preacher say the graduates' names in the service?
When did the preacher say the graduates' names in the service?
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What did Momma and Uncle Willie give Maya as a graduation gift? Who also had one?
What did Momma and Uncle Willie give Maya as a graduation gift? Who also had one?
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What did Louise give Maya as a graduation gift?
What did Louise give Maya as a graduation gift?
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What did Maya give Louise as a graduation gift?
What did Maya give Louise as a graduation gift?
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What was the name of the minister's wife?
What was the name of the minister's wife?
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What did Mrs. Sneed give Maya as a graduation gift?
What did Mrs. Sneed give Maya as a graduation gift?
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"Nearly every customer gave me a ______ or maybe even a _____ with the instruction 'Keep on moving to higher ground,' or some such encouragement."
"Nearly every customer gave me a ______ or maybe even a _____ with the instruction 'Keep on moving to higher ground,' or some such encouragement."
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What did Maya do as soon as she woke up?
What did Maya do as soon as she woke up?
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What was Maya's clothing situation the morning of graduation?
What was Maya's clothing situation the morning of graduation?
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What did Maya use as an excuse for going outside in the backyard?
What did Maya use as an excuse for going outside in the backyard?
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What did Maya believe she would do before she got her diploma?
What did Maya believe she would do before she got her diploma?
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What was Bailey wearing when he got Maya her gift?
What was Bailey wearing when he got Maya her gift?
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What was the box Bailey gave Maya wrapped in?
What was the box Bailey gave Maya wrapped in?
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What did Bailey's gift feel like?
What did Bailey's gift feel like?
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What was Bailey's gift?
What was Bailey's gift?
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What did Maya and Bailey call Edgar Allan Poe?
What did Maya and Bailey call Edgar Allan Poe?
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As Maya walked in the garden, what was the first poem that she read from the book?
As Maya walked in the garden, what was the first poem that she read from the book?
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What day of the week did Maya graduate on?
What day of the week did Maya graduate on?
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What did they have to eat on the morning of Maya's graduation?
What did they have to eat on the morning of Maya's graduation?
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When Maya opened her eyes from the blessing, what did she find on her plate?
When Maya opened her eyes from the blessing, what did she find on her plate?
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What did Bailey volunteer to do for Maya because she was too jittery before his bath that evening?
What did Bailey volunteer to do for Maya because she was too jittery before his bath that evening?
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What did the temporary sign for the Store say? What was it made of?
What did the temporary sign for the Store say? What was it made of?
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What did everyone say Maya looked like in her dress?
What did everyone say Maya looked like in her dress?
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When the family was walking to the school, who brought up the rear? Who wanted to be the only one to bring up the rear?
When the family was walking to the school, who brought up the rear? Who wanted to be the only one to bring up the rear?
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Little children dashed out of the dark like what?
Little children dashed out of the dark like what?
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What were the little kids wearing?
What were the little kids wearing?
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Who signaled the kids to sit?
Who signaled the kids to sit?
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What song did the band start playing immediately after the graduates sat?
What song did the band start playing immediately after the graduates sat?
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What did they do after they sang the national anthem?
What did they do after they sang the national anthem?
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What were they supposed to sing after the pledge of allegiance?
What were they supposed to sing after the pledge of allegiance?
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Who led the graduates in prayer?
Who led the graduates in prayer?
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Whose voice was one of Maya's favorites?
Whose voice was one of Maya's favorites?
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According to the principal, who was 'our late great leader'?
According to the principal, who was 'our late great leader'?
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The principal's voice faded away like a river diminishing to a stream and then a what?
The principal's voice faded away like a river diminishing to a stream and then a what?
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Who was the guest speaker at graduation/who gave the commencement address?
Who was the guest speaker at graduation/who gave the commencement address?
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Where is Mr. Edward Donleavy from?
Where is Mr. Edward Donleavy from?
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What caused Mr. Edward Donleavy to have to 'speak and run'?
What caused Mr. Edward Donleavy to have to 'speak and run'?
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How many white men came through the offstage door?
How many white men came through the offstage door?
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Which white man went to the speaker's platform, the shorter or the taller?
Which white man went to the speaker's platform, the shorter or the taller?
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Where did the taller white man go?
Where did the taller white man go?
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Who was the center seat already occupied by?
Who was the center seat already occupied by?
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Who gave up his seat to the principal?
Who gave up his seat to the principal?
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But Amens and Yes, sir's began to fall around the room like rain through a _________________.
But Amens and Yes, sir's began to fall around the room like rain through a _________________.
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What was the white school called that was getting improvements in the fall?
What was the white school called that was getting improvements in the fall?
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Where was the artist from that was supposed to teach the kids at The Central School?
Where was the artist from that was supposed to teach the kids at The Central School?
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What were the white kids at The Central School going to get for their laboratory?
What were the white kids at The Central School going to get for their laboratory?
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Donleavy racistly points out that one of the first-line ___________ at Arkansas Agricultural and Mechanical College graduated from good old Lafayette County Training School and one of the best __________ players at Fisk sank his first ball at Lafayette County Training School.
Donleavy racistly points out that one of the first-line ___________ at Arkansas Agricultural and Mechanical College graduated from good old Lafayette County Training School and one of the best __________ players at Fisk sank his first ball at Lafayette County Training School.
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With the new improvements, the white kids had the chance to be what? What did black boys have the chance to be?
With the new improvements, the white kids had the chance to be what? What did black boys have the chance to be?
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What was another name for Joe Louis?
What was another name for Joe Louis?
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Study Notes
Graduation Overview
- Graduates from Lafayette County Training School included Maya and her peers from high school and grammar school.
- Juniors exerted influence over younger students, highlighting social dynamics.
- Graduating students were often forgetful, neglecting essentials like books and supplies.
School Description
- Lafayette County Training School lacked amenities compared to the white high school, including landscaping and facilities like tennis courts.
- The school had two main buildings: a grade school and a home economics building, located on a dirt hill with no fencing separating it from farms.
Graduation Day Events
- Graduating students walked towards a rocky area shaded by persimmon trees, bonding by holding hands.
- The boys exhibited friendliness during graduation as opposed to their serious demeanor during finals.
- A limited number of graduates planned to attend South's A&M schools, focusing on agricultural and mechanical studies.
Attire and Gifts
- Graduation attire for the girls consisted of butter-yellow pique dresses, with elaborate alterations made by Maya's Momma.
- Graduation gifts included a Mickey Mouse watch from Momma and Uncle Willie, embroidered handkerchiefs from Louise, and a collection of Poe's poems from Bailey.
Ceremony Highlights
- The graduation ceremony included the national anthem, the pledge of allegiance, and the Negro National Anthem.
- Prayer was led by the Baptist minister, with the principal praising Booker T. Washington.
- Mr. Edward Donleavy, a guest speaker from Texarkana, delivered the commencement address, with a peculiar emphasis on racial inequalities and future opportunities for students.
Reactions and Atmosphere
- The atmosphere was one of excitement and pride, evident in the compliments on Maya’s appearance in her dress, likened to a sunbeam.
- The intention of the sermon was graduation, though it included references to various societal issues and failures.
Notable Figures
- Henry Reed, the class valedictorian, delivered a speech titled "To Be or Not to Be," which he creatively honed with the help of a teacher.
- The ceremony witnessed the involvement of family members and community, reflecting the greater social fabric.
Cultural Context
- The school environment fostered cultural memory, as Maya recalled her classmates' diverse backgrounds and the unique sounds of their school life.
- Social disparities were starkly illustrated in the speech by highlighting the opportunities afforded to white students versus Black students.
Personal Reflections
- Maya's internal experiences blossomed around graduation, noted by her awareness of her surroundings and emotional growth, including an increase in her smiling and recognition of the vibrancy of life around her.
- The chapter encapsulates a journey through childhood to adolescence, culminating in a significant milestone marked by ceremony and celebration.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of Chapter 23 from Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings' with these flashcards. This quiz focuses on key concepts and characters from the chapter, providing a fun way to reinforce your understanding of the text.
