That Forgetful Shore by Trudy Morgan-Cole

he brought in a picture from The Illustrated London News to show them the new King, King Edward. He told them how King Edward had been called Prince Bertie when he was just a prince, and even though he was a middle-aged man now with grown children of his own he was still considered a bit scandalous for his wild ways, but he was their king now and they all must pray for him as they had done for his good mother, God rest her soul. Now it’s been “God Save the King” for four years and there are children in the schoolroom who have never sung “God Save the Queen” in their lives.
    When the lessons start it’s the usual thing, the older ones helping the younger, but with Triffie here to take the very littlest ones through their alphabet and First Reader, Mr. Bishop has a little more time to spare for the older ones. He teaches a Geography lesson to the oldest group, while the children in the Third and Fourth Readers are reading. Triffie gathers the smallest ones, those who are six and seven years old, on the bench nearest the stove. Some of their feet don’t touch the floor yet; many of them only know the alphabet and a few simple words. She reads them a story from the First Reader and writes some of the words on her slate for them to copy down.
    Charlie Mercer shoves Isaac French off the bench, hoping to get in trouble and get sent outside so he won’t have to write. Triffie goes to sit between the two boys, settles Isaac to his copying and then opens up the Primer for Charlie. It’s a hopeless task. “The fat cat sat on the mat” means nothing to him when he sees it on the page, much less: “Lo! I am on my ox.” He laughs at “an ox, a box and a fox,” but can’t see the difference between the f and the b . He has learned to recite the alphabet from memory but can’t recognize most of the letters: he sees no connection between the shape of b and the sound at the beginning of “box.” Will and Isaac, who are at the end of the Primer, have to copy out sentences like “Jack is on the deck of a ship,” and “I wish I had to go on a ship.” Charlie, hearing these sentences spoken aloud, gives a wistful sigh.
    Charlie is seven now and Triffie has her doubts about him. His mother already has one poor silly boy at home, Edward, who can’t learn at all – not letters or anything else. He can’t even go out in boat for fear he’ll fall in the water. His brothers Fred and Harry both left school when they were ten to go out fishing; Alf, the next oldest Mercer boy, will leave this year. But at least they all got as far as the Second Reader. Poor Charlie’s not simple the way Edward is, but Triffie’s not sure he’ll ever master the Primer.
    On the other end of the bench, in every sense, is Matthew White. He has every advantage, of course, being the minister’s son, books all around and both his parents being educated people: Mrs. White was a teacher in St. John’s before she was married. But Trif knows well enough all that background doesn’t guarantee a bright child; Matthew’s older brother and sister are capable enough, but nothing special. Matthew is six, a year younger than Charlie, Will and Isaac, but he’s already through the first Royal Reader and into the second. He’s bored when the other children his age go through the Primer or hear simple stories, but if he’s put with the older children, then Ki Barbour and Wilf Dawe and some of the other big boys tease him. This morning, while she works through the simple words with the others, Triffie gives Matthew “The Wreck of the Hesperus” to memorize, to say up front on Friday afternoon when Mr. Bishop always has recitations.
    â€œI do not know what I would do without you, Triffie,” Mr. Bishop says at dinnertime when the noisy flood of children has poured from the room.
    â€œYou’d do what you did before, Sir,”