Tommy calling the old teacher a man strengthens which viewpoint?

Correct answer: Old education had human presence

The governing concept is the contrast between human-centred schooling and machine-based instruction. Tommy clarifies that the teacher in an old school was a man, meaning a real person who taught children in a shared classroom. This supports the view that older education included human presence, conversation, observation, and personal guidance. Hence option A is correct. Option B contradicts the picture of children attending school, while C reverses the contrast because machines dominate Margie's future system. Option D is also false: the story's old schools used printed books, including the one Tommy discovers. Tommy's wording therefore highlights the human character of traditional schooling.