Ch 11: First Year at Harrow : Book 2

  

Ch # 11              “First Year at Harrow”

 

                                     (Sir Winston Spencer Churchill (1874-1965))

About the author:

Winston Churchill was Britain’s Prime Minister during the Second World War. He was the gem of English politics and literary writing. He describes his school experiences of learning English. The great successes that he achieved through the English language help us to understand how we, as a nation, can learn English to our advantage as well.

About the Essay:

Churchill, the Prime Minister of Britain during and after the Second World War, describes his admission to Harrow (a famous public school- where high fees are paid privately- in London) and his studies there. Churchill was the great hero of war as he worked hard for the defeat of Germany. He was a great writer as well. The present essay shows well that a genius (man of exceptional intelligence) need not be very good at old-fashioned examination and studies.

Textbook Exercise:

Answer the following questions:

Q1. Why does Churchill call examinations an “inhospitable region” (unwelcoming area)?

The examiners asked a question on subjects like Latin, Greek, and mathematics which students like Churchill could not answer. The examination for them became tests of what they did not know. The examinations should have been concerned with (related to) that which the students already knew. They could have put the new question on that.

Q2. What sort of questions are asked by Harrow’s examiners?

 Examiners generally ask questions that have set or known answers. It is nothing wrong for them to ask questions whose answers students do not know. The questions that test the ability and intelligence of the students may be asked. But all such questions should be according to their class-level or standards.

Q3. Why did Churchill not do well in examinations?

Churchill did not do well because the subjects that the examiners like did not appear to him. They liked to put questions to him and other students in Latin and Mathematics. He liked to be questioned in poetry, history, and essays. The teachers taught those subjects mostly that he was not interested in.

Q4. How did Churchill do his Latin paper?

In his Latin paper, he was completely unable to answer a single question. He wrote his name on the top of the page. Then he wrote down the number of the question as “I”. After much thinking he put a bracket around “I’, and after that, he could not think of anything to write down. When the time was over, he handed the paper to the examiner.

Q5 Churchill was taught English at Harrow and not Latin and Greek, Was it a gain or loss?

In reality, it was a gain for Churchill that he was taught only English. He was taught English by the ablest teacher at Harrow, Mr. Somervell. His way of teaching was very simple and effective. Churchill learnt the essential structure of the English sentence, which was a great advantage to him.

Q6. What good did his three-year stay at Harrow do to Churchill?

Churchill’s three-year stay at Harrow did much good to him. He got a thorough understanding of the English language. His knowledge of the structure of the English sentence proved helpful to him is his practical life afterward.

Q7. In after-years, how did the knowledge of English stand Churchill in good stead (was useful to him)?

The boys who had studied Latin and Greek had to come down again to common. English to earn their living or make their way. But Churchill already knew the English language well. He never felt any doubt about its use. Thus, he did much better than the other students who knew more about other languages and less of English.

Q8. Write an appreciation or criticism of Churchill’s views in regard to the study of Latin, Greek and English and their value in earning a living?

Churchill is right when he says that there was no use to learn Latin or Greek at Harrow. The students had to come down again to common English to earn their living. He wisely says that students should learn English first and then Latin or Greek if they have the time. It is only English that can help them to work well for a bright future.

Q9: Draw a brief character sketch of Mr. Somervell?

Mr. Somervell was an able and expert teacher of English at Harrow. Churchill admits that he taught English as no one else could. He taught English grammar. Churchill learned sentence structure very well, and so the other boys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Write Down the meanings and 2 synonyms for each word given below:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms
Fancied
Discernment
Smudges
Unpretentious
Dunces
Debt
Pithy
Epigrams
Drill
Partial
Prevailed
Spectacle
Slender
Usher
Manifestation