Difficulties of a Student
The Evening School classes in a town in the
West of Scotland were attended for the most part by workers in the
adjoining ship-yards in the days when Scottish shipbuilding was a major
employer. As the students had been showing commendable zeal in their
desire to overcome certain deficiencies in their earlier education, a
Professor of English was invited to visit the class in his subject with
the object of adding a further stimulous to their efforts at
self-improvement.
No sooner had the Professor entered the
classroom than a voice from the back benches was heard to exclaim : *Hey
Sir! A've nae pencil!"
Seizing the opportunity to introduce a touch
of learning, the Professor addressed the class in general and the
interrupter in particular :-
"I have no pencil
Thou hast no pencil
He has no pencil
We have no pencils
You have no pencils
They have no pencis."
"Weill" came the aggrieved voice again
"whae's got aw the bloomin pencils?"
