Old school
Manning Lyrics

Down the corridors with rooms that look the same.
Walking down the identical hallways to reach classrooms with similar interior designs.

Numbers on the borders, pictures on the window frames.
Numerals indicated the room numbers, and photos adorned the window frames.

Chalk dust still hangs in the air...
Traces of chalk powder lingered in the atmosphere.

The desks are lined up still so fixed & square.
Each student's desks were aligned uniformly, all constants with no variation.

Hands clean, neatly folded. History, writing, reading stories of old.
With unsoiled palms, children flipped through textbooks on various subjects ranging from history, creative writing, to the classics.

Sound the bell & make a line outside the hall.
The bell rings, signaling the start of the class period, and students line up outside the classroom.

Walking with no talking or feel the slipper fall.
Conversation isn't allowed, or the students shall receive punishment.

Children's echoes in the yard. Time is a wasting; lessons hard.
Kids' voices faintly reverberating outside, signifies that the clock is ticking and learning becomes increasingly challenging.

Hair combed, shoes tied in a bow. Books, pens, satchels hanging all in a row.
Students had to maintain a tidy physical appearance by grooming themselves; their educational materials exhibited in impeccable order.

So you must put your play things down. Sit & pay attention, don't fool around.
The students must stop doing fun activities and pay attention. Behaving inappropriately is not acceptable.

No room for dreamers in this place...
The school system doesn't welcome dreamers or unconventional thinkers.

We train the future master race. Eyes front, ears back, hands down. Turning countless pages, recite the laws.
The school's primary aim is to design an elite group of individuals capable of leading the country. To achieve this outcome, they implement strict regulations, some of which involve having pupils maintain good posture, remain studious with their eyes, and ears, and memorize specific concepts thoroughly.

We got to get away. We need to break the silence & make a stand today against draconian violence.
We must escape the shackles or break free from the oppression suppressing our growth.

Rules were meant to stick, but sticks were not meant to rule. You can teach this dog new tricks. We're nobody's fool.
Regulations were meant to exist, but we shouldn't let ourselves become subject to the doctrines. Furthermore, one can learn new skills or change their ways despite being labeled as inept or rigid.

When the smoke had all blown clear. The teachers looked on chaos with some fear.
After the dust settled, instructors were alarmed at the commotion.

No longer could they put us down. Redress the balance, define the noun. One small Victory, not the War. Made to stand & face the door for my crimes.
The students gain the confidence they need to stand up for their beliefs finally. They cease allowing the teachers to mistreat them or control them through rules. As a result, They mark progress with every small victory but acknowledge that the journey continues beyond achieving just one. Eventually, they own up to their mistakes and serve their punishment accordingly.