I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Chapter 23 Flashcards

Questions and Answers

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?

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 .

eighth, Bubba

Like travelers with exotic destinations on their minds, the graduates were remarkably what?

forgetful Signup and view all the answers

What did the graduates often forget?

books, tablets, and pencils Signup and view all the answers

Who was tasked with replacing the often lost/forgotten equipment?

volunteers Signup and view all the answers

What school did Maya go to? What did it not have compared to the white high school?

Lafayette County Training School, lawn, hedges, tennis court, climbing ivy Signup and view all the answers

What were the two main buildings of Lafayette County Training School?

the grade school and home economics Signup and view all the answers

What was Lafayette County Training School set on?

a dirt hill Signup and view all the answers

What didn't Lafayette County Training School have to separate it from neighboring farms?

a fence Signup and view all the answers

What was the large expanse to the left of the school used as?

a baseball diamond or a basketball court Signup and view all the answers

When could they borrow bats and balls from the P.E. teacher?

if the borrower was qualified and if the diamond wasn't occupied Signup and view all the answers

Where did the graduating class walk?

over a rocky area shaded by a few persimmon trees Signup and view all the answers

What did the girls do as they were walking?

held hands Signup and view all the answers

At _ the boys were friendly and outgoing, opposed to their closed attitudes while __.

graduation, studying for finals Signup and view all the answers

The small amount of graduates who would go to college would attend where?

one of the South's A&M schools Signup and view all the answers

What does A&M stand for?

Agricultural and Mechanical Signup and view all the answers

Where would parents buy new shoes and clothes?

Sears and Roebuck or Montgomery Ward Signup and view all the answers

Rich parents had seamstresses make what and hem what?

floating graduation dresses, second-hand pants Signup and view all the answers

What would the graduation pants be pressed to?

a military slickness Signup and view all the answers

How many Whitefolks would speak of God and home and the Southern way of life?

2 or 3 Signup and view all the answers

Who played the music? Who was she? What was the music?

Mrs. Parsons, the principal's wife, the graduation march Signup and view all the answers

Where did the lower grades sit?

below the platform Signup and view all the answers

Where would the seniors wait before they entered?

empty classrooms Signup and view all the answers

What is Maya's class wearing to graduation?

butter-yellow pique dresses Signup and view all the answers

Momma's alterations to the graduation dress: she smocked the _ into tiny crisscrossing _, then ____ the rest of the bodice.

yoke, puckers, shirred Signup and view all the answers

What did Momma embroider around the hem of Maya's dress?

raised daisies Signup and view all the answers

Before Momma considered herself finished with the dress, she had added a ______ on the puff sleeves, and a pointy .

crocheted cuff, crocheted collar Signup and view all the answers

How old is Maya? What grade is she graduating from?

12, 8th Signup and view all the answers

"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?

beige Signup and view all the answers

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?

pussy willows, clouds Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya start doing more often close to her graduation?

smiling Signup and view all the answers

What year did Maya graduate?

1940 Signup and view all the answers

"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 _______."

wind, mud, dust, parasitic moss Signup and view all the answers

There were stars hanging up around the school with Maya's achievements on them. Where were they? What colors were the stars?

the classroom blackboard and the bulletin board in the auditorium, red, white, and blue Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya and Bailey often time themselves saying?

the Preamble Signup and view all the answers

Maya memorized the Presidents of the United States in what order?

chronological and alphabetical Signup and view all the answers

Who was the president when Maya was graduating?

FDR Signup and view all the answers

Who did Maya rehearse the exercises with?

Louise Signup and view all the answers

Who was class valedictorian?

Henry Reed Signup and view all the answers

Henry Reed was a small, very black boy with __ eyes, a long, broad nose and an oddly shaped _.

hooded, head Signup and view all the answers

Who did Henry Reed live with?

his grandmother Signup and view all the answers

What was the title of Henry Reed's valedictorian speech?

To Be or Not to Be Signup and view all the answers

Who helped write the valedictorian speech?

a tenth-grade teacher Signup and view all the answers

What specific part of his valedictorian speech had Henry Reed been working on for months?

dramatic stresses Signup and view all the answers

What were the younger kids supposed to perform?

a play about buttercups and daisies and bunny rabbits Signup and view all the answers

What did the little kids' songs sound like?

silver bells Signup and view all the answers

What were the older girls supposed to do?

make refreshments Signup and view all the answers

What smells wafted around the home economics building due to the older girls' cooking?

ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chocolate Signup and view all the answers

What were the woodshop boys supposed to make? With what? Out of what?

sets and stage scenery, axes and saws, fresh timber Signup and view all the answers

Although it talked about backsliders, gamblers, and general ne'er-do-wells, what was the sermon actually about?

graduation Signup and view all the answers

When did the preacher say the graduates' names in the service?

the beginning Signup and view all the answers

What did Momma and Uncle Willie give Maya as a graduation gift? Who also had one?

a Mickey Mouse watch, Bailey Signup and view all the answers

What did Louise give Maya as a graduation gift?

four embroidered handkerchiefs Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya give Louise as a graduation gift?

three crocheted doilies Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the minister's wife?

Mrs. Sneed Signup and view all the answers

What did Mrs. Sneed give Maya as a graduation gift?

an underskirt for her graduation dress Signup and view all the answers

"Nearly every customer gave me a __ or maybe even a _ with the instruction 'Keep on moving to higher ground,' or some such encouragement."

nickel, dime Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya do as soon as she woke up?

throw open the back door Signup and view all the answers

What was Maya's clothing situation the morning of graduation?

a robe, and barefoot Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya use as an excuse for going outside in the backyard?

checking her new beans Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya believe she would do before she got her diploma?

die Signup and view all the answers

What was Bailey wearing when he got Maya her gift?

a robe Signup and view all the answers

What was the box Bailey gave Maya wrapped in?

Christmas paper Signup and view all the answers

What did Bailey's gift feel like?

a box of chocolates Signup and view all the answers

What was Bailey's gift?

a leather-bound copy of a collection of poems by Edgar Allan Poe Signup and view all the answers

What did Maya and Bailey call Edgar Allan Poe?

Eap Signup and view all the answers

As Maya walked in the garden, what was the first poem that she read from the book?

Annabel Lee Signup and view all the answers

What day of the week did Maya graduate on?

Friday Signup and view all the answers

What did they have to eat on the morning of Maya's graduation?

Sunday breakfast Signup and view all the answers

When Maya opened her eyes from the blessing, what did she find on her plate?

the watch Signup and view all the answers

What did Bailey volunteer to do for Maya because she was too jittery before his bath that evening?

her chores Signup and view all the answers

What did the temporary sign for the Store say? What was it made of?

CLOSED.GRADUATION., cardboard Signup and view all the answers

What did everyone say Maya looked like in her dress?

a sunbeam Signup and view all the answers

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?

Bailey and Uncle Willie, Uncle Willie Signup and view all the answers

Little children dashed out of the dark like what?

fireflies Signup and view all the answers

What were the little kids wearing?

crepe paper dresses and butterfly wings Signup and view all the answers

Who signaled the kids to sit?

the choir director Signup and view all the answers

What song did the band start playing immediately after the graduates sat?

the national anthem Signup and view all the answers

What did they do after they sang the national anthem?

recite the pledge of allegiance Signup and view all the answers

What were they supposed to sing after the pledge of allegiance?

the Negro National Anthem Signup and view all the answers

Who led the graduates in prayer?

the Baptist minister Signup and view all the answers

Whose voice was one of Maya's favorites?

the principal's Signup and view all the answers

According to the principal, who was 'our late great leader'?

Booker T. Washington Signup and view all the answers

The principal's voice faded away like a river diminishing to a stream and then a what?

trickle Signup and view all the answers

Who was the guest speaker at graduation/who gave the commencement address?

Mr. Edward Donleavy Signup and view all the answers

Where is Mr. Edward Donleavy from?

Texarkana Signup and view all the answers

What caused Mr. Edward Donleavy to have to 'speak and run'?

the irregularity of the train schedule Signup and view all the answers

How many white men came through the offstage door?

2 Signup and view all the answers

Which white man went to the speaker's platform, the shorter or the taller?

shorter Signup and view all the answers

Where did the taller white man go?

the center seat Signup and view all the answers

Who was the center seat already occupied by?

the principal Signup and view all the answers

Who gave up his seat to the principal?

the minister Signup and view all the answers

But Amens and Yes, sir's began to fall around the room like rain through a _________________.

ragged umbrella Signup and view all the answers

What was the white school called that was getting improvements in the fall?

The Central School Signup and view all the answers

Where was the artist from that was supposed to teach the kids at The Central School?

Little Rock Signup and view all the answers

What were the white kids at The Central School going to get for their laboratory?

new microscopes and chemistry equipment Signup and view all the answers

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.

football tacklers, basketball Signup and view all the answers

With the new improvements, the white kids had the chance to be what? What did black boys have the chance to be?

Galileos and Madame Curies and Edisons and Gauguins, Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises Signup and view all the answers

What was another name for Joe Louis?

the Brown Bomber Signup and view all the answers

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.

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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.