This essay on three recent books by outstanding scholars--"La raison scolaire" by Bernard Lahire, "Histoire de l'enseignement du francais du XVII[superscript e] au XX[superscript e] siecle" by Andre Chervel, and "L'ecole et la lecture obligatoire" by Anne-Marie Chartier--offers the opportunity to acquaint readers with French research on teaching written language and to show the value of historical research for understanding past and current developments. The discussion highlights issues of "inequality" and "failure" in the face of the arbitrary and changing nature of schooled literacy and the vital role that teachers have played in redefining the everyday meaning and craft of teaching.