Protagonist Miss Bird founded a school for girls’ education and etiquette which she has overseen for fifty-three years. She prides herself in her refined alumnae, whose contributions have always tided the school over. Yet the winds have shifted – manners among her girls are diminishing, skirts hitching higher and speech hardening. Vice-principal Miss Stern and school parent Mr. O’Brien hint day after day at her impending retirement and the necessity of the new leadership a Board of Trustees would bring. The board insists on admitting one Negro* student to keep up with appearances, despite her objection. Miss Bird balks at the undermining of her authority, but at present she is shaking with guilt in the aftermath of the worst wrong she has committed since the school’s founding.

Board chairman’s daughter Patrisha O’Brien is brought to Miss Bird’s office accompanied by the Negro* student Denise, having entreated the latter to secretly assist her with geometry lessons. While Patrisha first humbles herself at Miss Bird’s admonishments, the conflict escalates as Miss Bird notices remnants of nail polish on her hands and cockiness in her posture as she begins to defend herself. Daddy practically runs this school, Patrisha asserts, you won’t be around much longer. At this Miss Bird’s rage overcomes her and she slaps the child, a torrent of unbridled anger never before unleashed. She is left ruminating on her old age and confusion, the fate of the school hanging in the balance.

*Negro is the now outmoded term used in the story; Black would be appropriate todauy.