The Purpose of the School: When the narrator visited Miss Beam's renowned boarding school, he found an authoritative yet kindly middle-aged headmistress with graying hair. Miss Beam explained that while they taught basic scholastic skills (spelling, math, writing), their real curriculum was humanity, thoughtfulness, and good citizenship.
The Experiential Days: To instill genuine empathy rather than superficial sympathy, every child had to experience disability firsthand once every term:
- Blind Day: Eyes were bandaged securely overnight so the student woke up blind. A helper accompanied them, guiding them through the garden. The fear of constantly bumping into unseen objects made this the most stressful yet eye-opening day.
- Lame Day: One leg was tied up and the student used a wooden crutch to hop about.
- Deaf Day: Ears were plugged with cotton wool to experience silence and the struggle to read lips.
- Dumb Day: The mouth was not bandaged, so children had to exercise pure willpower to remain completely silent all day long.
- Injured / Maimed Day: An arm was tied behind the back, requiring assistance to eat and carry items.
The Narrator's Experience: The narrator was asked to guide a 12-year-old girl during her Blind Day. Walking through the garden, he described the flowers, bushes, and approaching groundskeeper, Miss Beam, and students. The girl remarked that having someone guide her made her realize how awful it felt to be in darkness, but also how wonderfully thoughtful people could be. The narrator left the school feeling ten times more thoughtful and sensitive than when he arrived.