Answer: Alphonse Daudet’s 1873 short story “The Last Class” begins as Franz, a young French student living in Alsace, France, meanders slowly to class. He considers skipping school but decides against it. As he makes his way to his lesson, Franz chooses to take a longer route through the fields. On his way, Franz passes the notice board at the center of town, just outside the mayor’s office, and comments on the crowd of people clustered around it, reading. Weary from two years of bad news, Franz dryly comments: “‘What has happened?’” In response, the town blacksmith calls after him: “‘It is not safe. Run along quickly to school.’”