Study the editorial cartoon by Bill Mauldin. A dilapidated schoolhouse sits in darkness. Pieces of the schoolhouse are strewn about and the "public school" sign is hanging crookedly. How does the atmosphere around the school contribute to the effectiveness of the cartoon? The dark atmosphere shows that public schools have been the victims of destructive weather events. The scary atmosphere grabs the reader's attention and dramatizes the loss of public schools. The atmosphere of destruction shows readers that this schoolhouse was not built well. The scary trees and the haunted atmosphere make the reader believe that public schools are mysterious, ghostly places.