An Elementary School Classroom In A Slum By Stephen Spender

Social injustice and class inequalities have pervaded our society around the world. The gap can be abridged only by imparting quality education and providing hygienic environment to slum dwellers.

The poem "An Elementary School Classroom In A Slum" has been composed by Stephen Spender who had interest in social justice and politics. The poet has drawn the authentic picture of slum students and their schools. He has proved the fact giving an example of the slum school of Tyrol in Australian Alpine (Province). The poem can be summarized in following ways : -


Pathetic condition of slum children - Stephen Spender has drawn the pitiable picture of the children residing in slums in Austrian Alpine province. They never enjoy the beauty of the waves of sea-storms. Children have dull, pale and dry faces. They have torn and uncombed hair and girls are depressed. Some children are thin like papers and have been suffering from inherited disease.

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Real world of slum children - According to the poet the civilized world has no relation with the world of slum-dwellers. Streets are narrow and future is in dark. They are far off from rivers, caps and shining stars their education is also of lower standard. The picture of Shakespeare look like wicked for them. The world map is unless and meaningless because it fails to include the narrow lanes of slums. People are destined to live in dark room with heap of garbage's around. They do not have clothes to wear. It can be said that their residences are hells.

Lack of coordination - The poet reveals the fact that there is a lack of co-ordination between the map and the world of slum-dwellers. Even there is no use of literature and Shakespeare for them. The rich and powerful people avoid slums representation on the map because they seem ugly blots for them.

Unhygienic surrounding - The poet says that slum children have to study in unhygienic surrounding. One student is sitting at the back of the dim class and dreaming of squirrel's game. He peeps out the window to see outside word. The wall of the classroom are painted in cream color. But pungent smell is emitted.

Decoration with donated stuffs - Stephen Spender makes us clear that the unpleasant walls of the school has been decorated with donated stuffs like the picture of Shakespeare's head, Scenery of building with domes, World maps and scenery of beautiful valleys.

Ironical facts - He says that domes of the civilized and developed world shine in every city around the globe but it does not have any meaning for the residents of Tyrol valley. The valley of the beautiful flowers is dominated with church bells, only. The world map is drawn in the interest of the rich and powerful people. But slum children's world is nothing except windows.

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Personal request of the poet for betterment - Stephen Spender requests the governors, inspectors and official visitors to slums to abridge the gap. They Should work for the betterment of slum children observing the fact of the worst and unhygienic environment. The Government should take immediate appropriate actions to educate them. The poet says that lives of the slum-dwellers are shut like catacombs. The dirty and unhygienic conditions have shut their gates towards better education, life and progress. So educated people should come forward to help slum children to break obstacles for their betterment.

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