Butter Day Summary and Analysis

In "Butter Day," Goolrick describes the school environment he participated in as a child. In kindergarten and first grade, Goolrick and others went to a one-woman school, run by Mrs. Lackman. Mrs. Lackman was abusive, in that she would not allow children to use the bathroom, and then would make fun of them for wetting themselves. One young boy in Goolrick's class was tormented each day, as she made him sit in a high chair for being a "baby" while she continued not to allow him access to a bathroom. Goolrick's brother claimed to be taught to read in one day at Mrs. Lackman's school, but Goolrick knows his brother often pretended not to know how to do something until he could do it perfectly.

Lackman had a son as well, but he was schizophrenic and was often closed...