On Thursday, Dr. Joseph Morgan, a white man who is the school superintendent, makes his annual visit to Grant's school. In addition to drilling the students, he inspects their teeth, as if they were horses (or slaves). When Grant tries to tell Dr. Morgan that he needs books and supplies, Dr. Morgan ignores his request, focusing instead on the need for student hygiene.
The following week, the school receives its first load of wood, marking the beginning of winter. As he watches the men unload the wood, Grant reminisces about his own school days and thinks about his former teacher, Matthew Antoine, who advised him to leave Bayonne before it destroyed him.
