[[CW: internalized class discrimination]]

Ben scoffed and shook his head. "Your expectations are too high," he said. He leaned back and drew from his pipe, keeping the smoke in his lungs for a few second before blowing it out. He continued: "I appreciate ye keepin' Bram from bad influences, but really, keepin' them in some kind of order and keepin' 'em from gettin' worse is the best ye can do, and in feedin' them yer doin' more for them than most teachers would. These bairns aren't there to learn. They are there because the Magistrates will fine us if we keep 'em home." As Ben had found out the hard way in the past. "But they're not like yer fine boys in yer fancy schools. They're not made for learnin', they're made for workin'. Occassionally ye'll find one that's clever. Our Alice was. Could have been a teacher, that's what 'er teacher said. But the rest of 'em, if ye can teach 'em their letters, ye're a good teacher alright."