Importance of school

Ruth and Lucille are outsiders at the school in Fingerbone. They discover that under Sylvie's care they can play truant for months at a time and no one will reprimand them, possibly because Sylvie's odd behavior is becoming public knowledge. When Lucille begins to look for a way out of Sylvie's realm, she turns to the school. She cultivates friendships with girls from school and eventually is rescued by her home economics teacher, Miss Royce. Ruth does better at school after Lucille turns away from her because she needs to find something to distract her from the sorrow of losing Lucille's companionship.