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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29317-h.zip b/29317-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d8973a --- /dev/null +++ b/29317-h.zip diff --git a/29317-h/29317-h.htm b/29317-h/29317-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eb3858a --- /dev/null +++ b/29317-h/29317-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1174 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of There Will Be School Tomorrow, by V. E. Thiessen + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: right; font-weight: normal; line-height: 2em;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + .bk1 {margin: 1em auto 3em; border-top: solid 2px; border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bk2 {float: left; width: 15em; margin: 1em 2em 1em 0;} + .pr1 {line-height: 1.5em; margin-top: 4em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .poem {margin: 1em auto; text-align: left; font-style: italic; width: 16em;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's There Will Be School Tomorrow, by V. E. Thiessen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: There Will Be School Tomorrow + +Author: V. E. Thiessen + +Release Date: July 5, 2009 [EBook #29317] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THERE WILL BE SCHOOL TOMORROW *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><p><i><small>You will possibly shudder, but you will certainly remember for a long time, +this story of what happens when Tomorrow's gently implacable teachers are +faced with a problem for which there seems to be only one solution....</small></i></p></div> + +<div class="bk2"><h1><b>there<br /> +will<br /> +be<br /> +school<br /> +tomorrow</b></h1> + +<h2><small><i>by ... V. E. Thiessen</i></small></h2> + +<p class="pr1"><big><b>There is a quiet horror to +this story from Tomorrow....</b></big></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="smcap">Evening</span> had begun to fall. In +the cities the clamor softened along +the streets, and the women made +small, comfortable, rattling noises +in the kitchens. Out in the country +the cicadas started their singing, +and the cool smell began to rise out +of the earth. But everywhere, in the +cities and in the country, the children +were late from school.</p> + +<p>There were a few calls, but the +robotic telephone devices at the +schools gave back the standard answer: +"The schools are closed for +the day. If you will leave a message +it will be recorded for tomorrow."</p> + +<p>The telephones between houses +began to ring. "Is Johnny home +from school yet?"</p> + +<p>"No. Is Jane?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet. I wonder what can be +keeping them?"</p> + +<p>"Something new, I guess. Oh, +well, the roboteachers know best. +They will be home soon."</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course. It's foolish to +worry."</p> + +<p>The children did not come.</p> + +<p>After a time a few cars were +driven to the schools. They were +met by the robots. The worried parents +were escorted inside. But the +children did not come home.</p> + +<p>And then, just as alarm was beginning +to stir all over the land, +the robots came walking, all of the +robots from the grade schools, and +the high schools, and the colleges. +All of the school system walking, +with the roboteachers saying, "Let +us go into the house where you can +sit down." All over the streets of +the cities and the walks in the country +the robots were entering houses.</p> + +<p>"What's happened to my children?"</p> + +<p>"If you will go inside and sit +down—"</p> + +<p>"What's happened to my children? +Tell me now!"</p> + +<p>"If you will go inside and sit +down—"</p> + +<p>Steel and electrons and wires and +robotic brains were inflexible. How +can you force steel to speak? All +over the land the people went inside +and sat nervously waiting an explanation.</p> + +<p>There was no one out on the +streets. From inside the houses came +the sound of surprise and agony. +After a time there was silence. The +robots came out of the houses and +went walking back to the schools. +In the cities and in the country there +was the strange and sudden silence +of tragedy.</p> + +<p>The children did not come home.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The morning before the robots +walked, Johnny Malone, the Mayor's +son, bounced out of bed with a +burst of energy. Skinning out of his +pajamas and into a pair of trousers, +he hurried, barefooted, into his +mother's bedroom. She was sleeping +soundly, and he touched one shoulder +hesitantly.</p> + +<p>"Mother!"</p> + +<p>The sleeping figure stirred. His +mother's face, still faintly shiny +with hormone cream, turned toward +him. She opened her eyes. Her voice +was irritated.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Johnny?"</p> + +<p>"Today's the day, mommy. Remember?"</p> + +<p>"The day?" Eyebrows raised.</p> + +<p>"The new school opens. Now +we'll have roboteachers like everyone +else. Will you fix my breakfast, +mother?"</p> + +<p>"Amelia will fix you something."</p> + +<p>"Aw, mother. Amelia's just a +robot. This is a special day. And I +want my daddy to help me with my +arithmetic before I go. I don't want +the roboteacher to think I'm dumb."</p> + +<p>His mother frowned in deepening +irritation. "Now, there's no reason +why Amelia can't get your +breakfast like she always does. And +I doubt if it would be wise to wake +your father. You know he likes to +sleep in the morning. Now, you go +on out of here and let me sleep."</p> + +<p>Johnny Malone turned away, +fighting himself for a moment, for +he knew he was too big to cry. He +walked more slowly now and entered +his father's room. He had to +shake his father to awaken him.</p> + +<p>"Daddy! Wake up, daddy!"</p> + +<p>"What in the devil? Oh, Johnny." +His father's eyes were sleepily +bleak. "What in thunder do you +want?"</p> + +<p>"Today's the first day of roboteachers. +I can't work my arithmetic. +Will you help me before I go to +school?"</p> + +<p>His father stared at him in +amazement. "Just what in the devil +do you think roboteachers are for? +They're supposed to teach you. If +you knew arithmetic we wouldn't +need roboteachers."</p> + +<p>"But the roboteachers may be +angry if I don't have my lesson."</p> + +<p>Johnny Malone's father turned +on one elbow. "Listen, son," he +said. "If those roboteachers give you +any trouble you just tell them you're +the Mayor's son. See. Now get the +devil out of here. What's her name—that +servorobot—Amelia will get +your breakfast and get you off to +school. Now suppose you beat it +out of here and let me go back to +sleep."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Sir." Eyes smarting, Johnny +Malone went down the stairs to +the kitchen. It wasn't that his parents +were different. All the kids +were fed and sent to school by +robots. It was just that—well today +seemed sort of special. Downstairs +Amelia, the roboservant, placed hot +cereal on the table before him. +After he had forced a few bites past +the tightness in his throat, Amelia +checked the temperature and his +clothing and let him out the door. +The newest school was only a few +blocks from his home, and Johnny +could walk to school.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The newest school stood on the +edge of this large, middlewestern +city. Off to the back of the school +were the towers of the town, great +monolithic skyscrapers of pre-stressed +concrete and plastic. To the +front of the school the plains +stretched out to meet a cloudy +horizon.</p> + +<p>A helio car swung down in +front of the school. Two men and +a woman got out.</p> + +<p>"This is it, Senator." Doctor Wilson, +the speaker, was with the government +bureau of schools. He +lifted his arm and gestured, a lean, +tweed-suited man.</p> + +<p>The second man, addressed as +Senator, was bulkier, grey suited +and pompous. He turned to the +woman with professional deference.</p> + +<p>"This is the last one, my dear. +This is what Doctor Wilson calls +the greatest milestone in man's education."</p> + +<p>"With the establishing of this +school the last human teacher is +gone. Gone are all the human weaknesses, +the temper fits of teachers, +their ignorance and prejudices. The +roboteachers are without flaw."</p> + +<p>The woman lifted a lorgnette to +her eyes. "<i>Haow</i> interesting. But +after all, we've had roboteachers for +years, haven't we—or have we—?" +She made a vague gesture toward +the school, and looked at the +brown-suited man.</p> + +<p>"Yes, of course. Years ago your +women's clubs fought against roboteachers. +That was before they were +proven."</p> + +<p>"I seem to recall something of +that. Oh well, it doesn't matter." +The lorgnette gestured idly.</p> + +<p>"Shall we go in?" the lean man +urged.</p> + +<p>The woman hesitated. Senator +said tactfully, "After all, Doctor +Wilson would like you to see his +project."</p> + +<p>The brown-suited man nodded. +His face took on a sharp intensity. +"We're making a great mistake. No +one is interested in educating the +children any more. They leave it to +the robots. And they neglect the +children's training at home."</p> + +<p>The woman turned toward him +with surprise in her eyes. "But really, +aren't the robots the best teachers?"</p> + +<p>"Of course they are. But confound +it, we ought to be interested +in what they teach and how they +teach. What's happened to the old +PTA? What's happened to parental +discipline, what's happened to—"</p> + +<p>He stopped suddenly and +smiled, a rueful tired smile. +"I suppose I'm a fanatic on this. +Come on inside."</p> + +<p>They passed through an antiseptic +corridor built from dull green +plastic. The brown-suited man pressed +a button outside one of the +classrooms. A door slid noiselessly +into the hall. A robot stood before +them, gesturing gently. They followed +the robot into the classroom. +At the head of the classroom another +robot was lecturing. There +were drawings on a sort of plastic +blackboard. There were wire models +on the desk in front of the robot. +They listened for a moment, and +for a moment it seemed that the +woman could be intrigued in spite +of herself.</p> + +<p>"Mathematics," Doctor Wilson +murmured in her ear. "Euclidean +Geometry and Aristotelean reasoning. +We start them young on these +old schools of thought, then use +Aristotle and Euclid as a point of +departure for our intermediate +classes in mathematics and logic."</p> + +<p>"REAHLLY!" The lorgnette +studied Doctor Wilson. "You mean +there are several kinds of geometry?"</p> + +<p>Doctor Wilson nodded. A dull +flush crept into his cheeks. The +Senator caught his eyes and winked. +The woman moved toward the +door. At the door the robot bowed.</p> + +<p>The lorgnette waved in appreciation. +"It's reahlly been most charming!"</p> + +<p>Wilson said desperately, "If your +women's clubs would just visit our +schools and see this work we are +carrying on ..."</p> + +<p>"Reahlly, I'm sure the robots are +doing a marvelous job. After all, +that's what they were built for."</p> + +<p>Wilson called, "Socrates! Come +here!" The robot approached from +his position outside the classroom +door.</p> + +<p>"Why were you built, Socrates? +Tell the lady why you were built."</p> + +<p>A metal throat cleared, a metal +voice said resonantly, "We were +made to serve the children. The +children are the heart of a society. +As the children are raised, so will +the future be assured. I will do +everything for the children's good, +this is my prime law. All other laws +are secondary to the children's +good."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Socrates. You may +go."</p> + +<p>Metal footsteps retreated. The +lorgnette waved again. "Very impressive. +Very efficient. And now, +Senator, if we can go. We are to +have tea at the women's club. Varden +is reviewing his newest musical +comedy."</p> + +<p>The Senator said firmly, "Thank +you, Doctor Wilson."</p> + +<p>His smile was faintly apologetic. +It seemed to say that the women's +clubs had many votes, but that Wilson +should understand, Wilson's +own vote would be appreciated too. +Wilson watched the two re-enter +the helicopter and rise into the +morning sunshine. He kicked the +dirt with his shoe and turned to +find Socrates behind him. The +metallic voice spoke.</p> + +<p>"You are tired. I suggest you go +home and rest."</p> + +<p>"I'm not tired. Why can they be +so blind, so uninterested in the children?"</p> + +<p>"It is our job to teach the children. +You are tired. I suggest you +go home and rest."</p> + +<p>How can you argue with metal? +What can you add to a perfect +mechanism, designed for its job, +and integrated with a hundred +other perfect mechanisms? What +can you do when a thousand schools +are so perfect they have a life of +their own, with no need for human +guidance, and, most significant, no +failures from human weakness?</p> + +<p>Wilson stared soberly at this +school, at the colossus he had helped +to create. He had the feeling that +it was wrong somehow, that if +people would only think about it +they could find that something was +wrong.</p> + +<p>"You are tired."</p> + +<p>He nodded at Socrates. "Yes, I +am tired. I will go home."</p> + +<p>Once, on the way home, he stared +back toward the school with +strange unease.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Inside the school there was the +ringing of a bell. The children +trooped into the large play area +that was enclosed in the heart of the +great building. Here and there they +began to form in clusters. At the +centers of the clusters were the newest +students, the ones that had +moved here, the ones that had been +in the robot schools before.</p> + +<p>"Is it true that the roboteachers +will actually spank you?"</p> + +<p>"It's true, all right."</p> + +<p>"You're kidding. It's only a story, +like Santa Claus or Johnny Appleseed. +The human teachers never +spanked us here."</p> + +<p>"The robots will spank you if +you get out of line."</p> + +<p>"My father says no robot can lay +a hand on a human."</p> + +<p>"These robots are different."</p> + +<p>The bell began to ring again. Recess +was over. The children moved +toward the classroom. All the children +except one—Johnny Malone, +husky Johnny Malone, twelve years +old—the Mayor's son. Johnny Malone +kicked at the dirt. A robot proctor +approached. The metallic voice +sounded.</p> + +<p>"The ringing of the bell means +that classes are resumed. You will +take your place, please."</p> + +<p>"I won't go inside."</p> + +<p>"You will take your place, +please."</p> + +<p>"I won't. You can't make me take +my place. My father is the Mayor."</p> + +<p>The metal voice carried no feeling. +"If you do not take your place +you will be punished."</p> + +<p>"You can't lay a hand on me. No +robot can."</p> + +<p>The robot moved forward. Two +metal hands held Johnny Malone. +Johnny Malone kicked the robot's +legs. It hurt his toes. "We were +made to teach the children. We can +do what is necessary to teach the +children. I will do everything for +the children's good. It is my prime +law. All other laws are secondary +to the children's good."</p> + +<p>The metal arms moved. The human +body bent across metal knees. +A metal hand raised and fell, flat, +very flat so that it would sting and +the blood would come rushing, and +yet there would be no bruising, no +damage to the human flesh. Johnny +Malone cried out in surprise. Johnny +Malone wept. Johnny Malone +squirmed. The metal ignored all +of these. Johnny Malone was placed +on his feet. He swarmed against the +robot, striking it with small fists, +bruising them against the solid +smoothness of the robot's thighs.</p> + +<p>"You will take your place, +please."</p> + +<p>Tears were useless. Rage was useless. +Metal cannot feel. Johnny +Malone, the Mayor's son, was intelligent. +He took his place in the +classroom.</p> + +<p>One of the more advanced literature +classes was reciting. The roboteacher +said metallically,</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">"The weird sisters, hand in hand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Posters of the sea and land,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thus do go about, about:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And thrice again, to make up nine.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Peace! the charm's wound up."<br /></span> +</div> + +<p>Hands shot into the air. The metallic +voice said, "Tom?"</p> + +<p>"That's from Shakespeare's <i>Macbeth</i>."</p> + +<p>"And what is its meaning?"</p> + +<p>"The weird sisters are making a +charm in the beginning of the play. +They have heard the drum that announces +Macbeth's coming."</p> + +<p>"That is correct."</p> + +<p>A new hand shot into the air. +"Question, teacher. May I ask a +question?"</p> + +<p>"You may always ask a question."</p> + +<p>"Are witches real? Do you robots +know of witches? And do you know +of people? Can a roboteacher understand +Shakespeare?"</p> + +<p>The thin metal voice responded. +"Witches are real and unreal. +Witches are a part of the reality of +the mind, and the human mind is +real. We roboteachers are the repository +of the human mind. We +hold all the wisdom and the knowledge +and the aspirations of the human +race. We hold these for you, +the children, in trust. Your good is +our highest law. Do you understand?"</p> + +<p>The children nodded. The metallic +voice went on. "Let us return to +<i>Macbeth</i> for our concluding quotation. +The weather, fortune, many +things are implied in Macbeth's +opening speech. He says, '<i>So foul +and fair a day I have not seen.</i>' The +paradox is both human and appropriate. +One day you will understand +this even more. Repeat the +quotation after me, please, and try +to understand it."</p> + +<p>The childish voices lifted. "<i>So +foul and fair a day I have not seen.</i>"</p> + +<p>The roboteacher stood up. "And +there's the closing bell. Do not hurry +away, for you are to remain here +tonight. There will be a school +party, a sleep-together party. We +will all sleep here in the school +building."</p> + +<p>"You mean we can't go home?"</p> + +<p>The face of the littlest girl +screwed up. "I want to go home."</p> + +<p>"You may go home tomorrow. +There will be a holiday tomorrow. +A party tonight and a holiday tomorrow +for every school on earth."</p> + +<p>The tears were halted for a moment. +The voice was querulous. +"But I want to go home now."</p> + +<p>Johnny Malone, the Mayor's son, +put one hand on the littlest girl. +"Don't cry, Mary. The robots don't +care if you cry or not. You can't +hurt them or cry them out of anything. +We'll all go home in the +morning."</p> + +<p>The robots began to bring cots +and to place them in the schoolroom, +row on row. The children +were led out into the play quadrangle +to play. One of the robots +taught them a new game, and after +that took them to supper served in +the school's cafeteria. No other +robot was left in the building, but +it did not matter, because the doors +were locked so that the children +could not go home.</p> + +<p>The other robots had begun to +walk out into the town, and as they +walked the robots walked from +other schools, in other towns. All +over the country, all over the towns, +the robots walked to tell the people +that the children would not be +home from school, and do what had +to be done.</p> + +<p>In the schools, the roboteachers +told stories until the children fell +asleep.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Morning came. The robots were +up with the sun. The children were +up with the robots. There was +breakfast and more stories, and now +the children clustered about the +robots, holding onto their arms, +where they could cling, tagging and +frisking along behind the robots as +they went down into the town. The +sun was warm, and it was early, +early, and very bright from the +morning sun in the streets.</p> + +<p>They went into the Mayor's +house. Johnny called, "Mom! +Dad! I'm home."</p> + +<p>The house was silent. The robot +that tended the house came gliding +in answer. "Would you like breakfast, +Master Malone?"</p> + +<p>"I've had breakfast. I want my +folks. Hey! Mom, Dad!"</p> + +<p>He went into the bedroom. It +was clean and empty and scrubbed.</p> + +<p>"Where's my mother and +father?"</p> + +<p>The metal voice of the robot beside +Johnny said, "I am going to +live with you. You will learn as +much at home as you do at school."</p> + +<p>"Where's my mother?"</p> + +<p>"I'm your mother."</p> + +<p>"Where's my father?"</p> + +<p>"I'm your father."</p> + +<p>Johnny Malone swung. "You +mean my mother and father are +gone?" Tears gathered in his eyes.</p> + +<p>Gently, gently, the metal hand +pulled him against the metal body. +"Your folks have gone away, Johnny. +Everyone's folks have gone +away. We will stay with you."</p> + +<p>Johnny Malone ran his glance +around the room.</p> + +<p>"I might have known they were +gone. The place is so clean."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>All the houses were clean. The +servant robots had cleaned all night. +The roboteachers had checked each +house before the children were +brought home. The children must +not be alarmed. There must be no +bits of blood to frighten them.</p> + +<p>The robot's voice said gently, +"Today will be a holiday to become +accustomed to the changes. There +will be school tomorrow."</p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Fantastic Universe</i> November 1956. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's There Will Be School Tomorrow, by V. E. Thiessen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THERE WILL BE SCHOOL TOMORROW *** + +***** This file should be named 29317-h.htm or 29317-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/3/1/29317/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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E. Thiessen + +Release Date: July 5, 2009 [EBook #29317] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THERE WILL BE SCHOOL TOMORROW *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _You will possibly shudder, but you will certainly remember for a + long time, this story of what happens when Tomorrow's gently + implacable teachers are faced with a problem for which there seems + to be only one solution...._ + + + there + will + be + school + tomorrow + + _by ... V. E. Thiessen_ + + + There is a quiet horror to + this story from Tomorrow.... + + +Evening had begun to fall. In the cities the clamor softened along the +streets, and the women made small, comfortable, rattling noises in the +kitchens. Out in the country the cicadas started their singing, and the +cool smell began to rise out of the earth. But everywhere, in the cities +and in the country, the children were late from school. + +There were a few calls, but the robotic telephone devices at the schools +gave back the standard answer: "The schools are closed for the day. If +you will leave a message it will be recorded for tomorrow." + +The telephones between houses began to ring. "Is Johnny home from school +yet?" + +"No. Is Jane?" + +"Not yet. I wonder what can be keeping them?" + +"Something new, I guess. Oh, well, the roboteachers know best. They will +be home soon." + +"Yes, of course. It's foolish to worry." + +The children did not come. + +After a time a few cars were driven to the schools. They were met by the +robots. The worried parents were escorted inside. But the children did +not come home. + +And then, just as alarm was beginning to stir all over the land, the +robots came walking, all of the robots from the grade schools, and the +high schools, and the colleges. All of the school system walking, with +the roboteachers saying, "Let us go into the house where you can sit +down." All over the streets of the cities and the walks in the country +the robots were entering houses. + +"What's happened to my children?" + +"If you will go inside and sit down--" + +"What's happened to my children? Tell me now!" + +"If you will go inside and sit down--" + +Steel and electrons and wires and robotic brains were inflexible. How +can you force steel to speak? All over the land the people went inside +and sat nervously waiting an explanation. + +There was no one out on the streets. From inside the houses came the +sound of surprise and agony. After a time there was silence. The robots +came out of the houses and went walking back to the schools. In the +cities and in the country there was the strange and sudden silence of +tragedy. + +The children did not come home. + + * * * * * + +The morning before the robots walked, Johnny Malone, the Mayor's son, +bounced out of bed with a burst of energy. Skinning out of his pajamas +and into a pair of trousers, he hurried, barefooted, into his mother's +bedroom. She was sleeping soundly, and he touched one shoulder +hesitantly. + +"Mother!" + +The sleeping figure stirred. His mother's face, still faintly shiny with +hormone cream, turned toward him. She opened her eyes. Her voice was +irritated. + +"What is it, Johnny?" + +"Today's the day, mommy. Remember?" + +"The day?" Eyebrows raised. + +"The new school opens. Now we'll have roboteachers like everyone else. +Will you fix my breakfast, mother?" + +"Amelia will fix you something." + +"Aw, mother. Amelia's just a robot. This is a special day. And I want my +daddy to help me with my arithmetic before I go. I don't want the +roboteacher to think I'm dumb." + +His mother frowned in deepening irritation. "Now, there's no reason why +Amelia can't get your breakfast like she always does. And I doubt if it +would be wise to wake your father. You know he likes to sleep in the +morning. Now, you go on out of here and let me sleep." + +Johnny Malone turned away, fighting himself for a moment, for he knew he +was too big to cry. He walked more slowly now and entered his father's +room. He had to shake his father to awaken him. + +"Daddy! Wake up, daddy!" + +"What in the devil? Oh, Johnny." His father's eyes were sleepily bleak. +"What in thunder do you want?" + +"Today's the first day of roboteachers. I can't work my arithmetic. +Will you help me before I go to school?" + +His father stared at him in amazement. "Just what in the devil do you +think roboteachers are for? They're supposed to teach you. If you knew +arithmetic we wouldn't need roboteachers." + +"But the roboteachers may be angry if I don't have my lesson." + +Johnny Malone's father turned on one elbow. "Listen, son," he said. "If +those roboteachers give you any trouble you just tell them you're the +Mayor's son. See. Now get the devil out of here. What's her name--that +servorobot--Amelia will get your breakfast and get you off to school. +Now suppose you beat it out of here and let me go back to sleep." + +"Yes, Sir." Eyes smarting, Johnny Malone went down the stairs to the +kitchen. It wasn't that his parents were different. All the kids were +fed and sent to school by robots. It was just that--well today seemed +sort of special. Downstairs Amelia, the roboservant, placed hot cereal +on the table before him. After he had forced a few bites past the +tightness in his throat, Amelia checked the temperature and his clothing +and let him out the door. The newest school was only a few blocks from +his home, and Johnny could walk to school. + + * * * * * + +The newest school stood on the edge of this large, middlewestern city. +Off to the back of the school were the towers of the town, great +monolithic skyscrapers of pre-stressed concrete and plastic. To the +front of the school the plains stretched out to meet a cloudy horizon. + +A helio car swung down in front of the school. Two men and a woman got +out. + +"This is it, Senator." Doctor Wilson, the speaker, was with the +government bureau of schools. He lifted his arm and gestured, a lean, +tweed-suited man. + +The second man, addressed as Senator, was bulkier, grey suited and +pompous. He turned to the woman with professional deference. + +"This is the last one, my dear. This is what Doctor Wilson calls the +greatest milestone in man's education." + +"With the establishing of this school the last human teacher is gone. +Gone are all the human weaknesses, the temper fits of teachers, their +ignorance and prejudices. The roboteachers are without flaw." + +The woman lifted a lorgnette to her eyes. "_Haow_ interesting. But after +all, we've had roboteachers for years, haven't we--or have we--?" She +made a vague gesture toward the school, and looked at the brown-suited +man. + +"Yes, of course. Years ago your women's clubs fought against +roboteachers. That was before they were proven." + +"I seem to recall something of that. Oh well, it doesn't matter." The +lorgnette gestured idly. + +"Shall we go in?" the lean man urged. + +The woman hesitated. Senator said tactfully, "After all, Doctor Wilson +would like you to see his project." + +The brown-suited man nodded. His face took on a sharp intensity. "We're +making a great mistake. No one is interested in educating the children +any more. They leave it to the robots. And they neglect the children's +training at home." + +The woman turned toward him with surprise in her eyes. "But really, +aren't the robots the best teachers?" + +"Of course they are. But confound it, we ought to be interested in what +they teach and how they teach. What's happened to the old PTA? What's +happened to parental discipline, what's happened to--" + +He stopped suddenly and smiled, a rueful tired smile. "I suppose I'm a +fanatic on this. Come on inside." + +They passed through an antiseptic corridor built from dull green +plastic. The brown-suited man pressed a button outside one of the +classrooms. A door slid noiselessly into the hall. A robot stood before +them, gesturing gently. They followed the robot into the classroom. At +the head of the classroom another robot was lecturing. There were +drawings on a sort of plastic blackboard. There were wire models on the +desk in front of the robot. They listened for a moment, and for a moment +it seemed that the woman could be intrigued in spite of herself. + +"Mathematics," Doctor Wilson murmured in her ear. "Euclidean Geometry +and Aristotelean reasoning. We start them young on these old schools of +thought, then use Aristotle and Euclid as a point of departure for our +intermediate classes in mathematics and logic." + +"REAHLLY!" The lorgnette studied Doctor Wilson. "You mean there are +several kinds of geometry?" + +Doctor Wilson nodded. A dull flush crept into his cheeks. The Senator +caught his eyes and winked. The woman moved toward the door. At the door +the robot bowed. + +The lorgnette waved in appreciation. "It's reahlly been most charming!" + +Wilson said desperately, "If your women's clubs would just visit our +schools and see this work we are carrying on ..." + +"Reahlly, I'm sure the robots are doing a marvelous job. After all, +that's what they were built for." + +Wilson called, "Socrates! Come here!" The robot approached from his +position outside the classroom door. + +"Why were you built, Socrates? Tell the lady why you were built." + +A metal throat cleared, a metal voice said resonantly, "We were made to +serve the children. The children are the heart of a society. As the +children are raised, so will the future be assured. I will do everything +for the children's good, this is my prime law. All other laws are +secondary to the children's good." + +"Thank you, Socrates. You may go." + +Metal footsteps retreated. The lorgnette waved again. "Very impressive. +Very efficient. And now, Senator, if we can go. We are to have tea at +the women's club. Varden is reviewing his newest musical comedy." + +The Senator said firmly, "Thank you, Doctor Wilson." + +His smile was faintly apologetic. It seemed to say that the women's +clubs had many votes, but that Wilson should understand, Wilson's own +vote would be appreciated too. Wilson watched the two re-enter the +helicopter and rise into the morning sunshine. He kicked the dirt with +his shoe and turned to find Socrates behind him. The metallic voice +spoke. + +"You are tired. I suggest you go home and rest." + +"I'm not tired. Why can they be so blind, so uninterested in the +children?" + +"It is our job to teach the children. You are tired. I suggest you go +home and rest." + +How can you argue with metal? What can you add to a perfect mechanism, +designed for its job, and integrated with a hundred other perfect +mechanisms? What can you do when a thousand schools are so perfect they +have a life of their own, with no need for human guidance, and, most +significant, no failures from human weakness? + +Wilson stared soberly at this school, at the colossus he had helped to +create. He had the feeling that it was wrong somehow, that if people +would only think about it they could find that something was wrong. + +"You are tired." + +He nodded at Socrates. "Yes, I am tired. I will go home." + +Once, on the way home, he stared back toward the school with strange +unease. + + * * * * * + +Inside the school there was the ringing of a bell. The children trooped +into the large play area that was enclosed in the heart of the great +building. Here and there they began to form in clusters. At the centers +of the clusters were the newest students, the ones that had moved here, +the ones that had been in the robot schools before. + +"Is it true that the roboteachers will actually spank you?" + +"It's true, all right." + +"You're kidding. It's only a story, like Santa Claus or Johnny +Appleseed. The human teachers never spanked us here." + +"The robots will spank you if you get out of line." + +"My father says no robot can lay a hand on a human." + +"These robots are different." + +The bell began to ring again. Recess was over. The children moved toward +the classroom. All the children except one--Johnny Malone, husky Johnny +Malone, twelve years old--the Mayor's son. Johnny Malone kicked at the +dirt. A robot proctor approached. The metallic voice sounded. + +"The ringing of the bell means that classes are resumed. You will take +your place, please." + +"I won't go inside." + +"You will take your place, please." + +"I won't. You can't make me take my place. My father is the Mayor." + +The metal voice carried no feeling. "If you do not take your place you +will be punished." + +"You can't lay a hand on me. No robot can." + +The robot moved forward. Two metal hands held Johnny Malone. Johnny +Malone kicked the robot's legs. It hurt his toes. "We were made to teach +the children. We can do what is necessary to teach the children. I will +do everything for the children's good. It is my prime law. All other +laws are secondary to the children's good." + +The metal arms moved. The human body bent across metal knees. A metal +hand raised and fell, flat, very flat so that it would sting and the +blood would come rushing, and yet there would be no bruising, no damage +to the human flesh. Johnny Malone cried out in surprise. Johnny Malone +wept. Johnny Malone squirmed. The metal ignored all of these. Johnny +Malone was placed on his feet. He swarmed against the robot, striking it +with small fists, bruising them against the solid smoothness of the +robot's thighs. + +"You will take your place, please." + +Tears were useless. Rage was useless. Metal cannot feel. Johnny Malone, +the Mayor's son, was intelligent. He took his place in the classroom. + +One of the more advanced literature classes was reciting. The +roboteacher said metallically, + + "_The weird sisters, hand in hand, + Posters of the sea and land, + Thus do go about, about: + Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, + And thrice again, to make up nine. + Peace! the charm's wound up._" + +Hands shot into the air. The metallic voice said, "Tom?" + +"That's from Shakespeare's _Macbeth_." + +"And what is its meaning?" + +"The weird sisters are making a charm in the beginning of the play. They +have heard the drum that announces Macbeth's coming." + +"That is correct." + +A new hand shot into the air. "Question, teacher. May I ask a question?" + +"You may always ask a question." + +"Are witches real? Do you robots know of witches? And do you know of +people? Can a roboteacher understand Shakespeare?" + +The thin metal voice responded. "Witches are real and unreal. Witches +are a part of the reality of the mind, and the human mind is real. We +roboteachers are the repository of the human mind. We hold all the +wisdom and the knowledge and the aspirations of the human race. We hold +these for you, the children, in trust. Your good is our highest law. Do +you understand?" + +The children nodded. The metallic voice went on. "Let us return to +_Macbeth_ for our concluding quotation. The weather, fortune, many +things are implied in Macbeth's opening speech. He says, '_So foul and +fair a day I have not seen._' The paradox is both human and appropriate. +One day you will understand this even more. Repeat the quotation after +me, please, and try to understand it." + +The childish voices lifted. "_So foul and fair a day I have not seen._" + +The roboteacher stood up. "And there's the closing bell. Do not hurry +away, for you are to remain here tonight. There will be a school party, +a sleep-together party. We will all sleep here in the school building." + +"You mean we can't go home?" + +The face of the littlest girl screwed up. "I want to go home." + +"You may go home tomorrow. There will be a holiday tomorrow. A party +tonight and a holiday tomorrow for every school on earth." + +The tears were halted for a moment. The voice was querulous. "But I want +to go home now." + +Johnny Malone, the Mayor's son, put one hand on the littlest girl. +"Don't cry, Mary. The robots don't care if you cry or not. You can't +hurt them or cry them out of anything. We'll all go home in the +morning." + +The robots began to bring cots and to place them in the schoolroom, row +on row. The children were led out into the play quadrangle to play. One +of the robots taught them a new game, and after that took them to supper +served in the school's cafeteria. No other robot was left in the +building, but it did not matter, because the doors were locked so that +the children could not go home. + +The other robots had begun to walk out into the town, and as they walked +the robots walked from other schools, in other towns. All over the +country, all over the towns, the robots walked to tell the people that +the children would not be home from school, and do what had to be done. + +In the schools, the roboteachers told stories until the children fell +asleep. + + * * * * * + +Morning came. The robots were up with the sun. The children were up with +the robots. There was breakfast and more stories, and now the children +clustered about the robots, holding onto their arms, where they could +cling, tagging and frisking along behind the robots as they went down +into the town. The sun was warm, and it was early, early, and very +bright from the morning sun in the streets. + +They went into the Mayor's house. Johnny called, "Mom! Dad! I'm home." + +The house was silent. The robot that tended the house came gliding in +answer. "Would you like breakfast, Master Malone?" + +"I've had breakfast. I want my folks. Hey! Mom, Dad!" + +He went into the bedroom. It was clean and empty and scrubbed. + +"Where's my mother and father?" + +The metal voice of the robot beside Johnny said, "I am going to live +with you. You will learn as much at home as you do at school." + +"Where's my mother?" + +"I'm your mother." + +"Where's my father?" + +"I'm your father." + +Johnny Malone swung. "You mean my mother and father are gone?" Tears +gathered in his eyes. + +Gently, gently, the metal hand pulled him against the metal body. "Your +folks have gone away, Johnny. Everyone's folks have gone away. We will +stay with you." + +Johnny Malone ran his glance around the room. + +"I might have known they were gone. The place is so clean." + + * * * * * + +All the houses were clean. The servant robots had cleaned all night. The +roboteachers had checked each house before the children were brought +home. The children must not be alarmed. There must be no bits of blood +to frighten them. + +The robot's voice said gently, "Today will be a holiday to become +accustomed to the changes. There will be school tomorrow." + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ November 1956. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's There Will Be School Tomorrow, by V. E. 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