This is because Walter is very poor. HE can't even afford 25 cents. Because of family pride, Walter is not aloud to take money without ever repaying it, and since he knows he couldn't repay her, he refuses the money.
Walter Cunningham cannot accept the quarter from Miss Caroline because his family would not be able to pay her back. (Hes exremely poor) Scout explains this to Miss Caroline, that he is a "Cunningham" Since Miss Caroline is new to the town she did not understand and Scout explains to her that the Cunningham's don't take anything they can't pay back. (This happens on Page.20)
Walter Cunningham Jr. won't take Miss Caroline's quarter because he comes from a family that is struggling financially, and accepting charity, even something as small as a quarter, goes against his principles of self-sufficiency and pride. He knows his family cannot pay back the debt, so he refuses to take what he cannot repay.
The Cunningham's don't have any money to pay back, so Walter won't take the quarter from Miss Caroline. Scout has to explain this to Miss Caroline
Miss Caroline offered to give Walter Cunninghm twenty-five cents because she thought he might not have any lunch money. She did not understand that Walter would not accept charity, as his family was proud and did not take handouts.
Walter didn't bring lunch to school and Miss Caroline gave Walter a quarter for lunch and told him to pay it back the next day. Scout informs Miss Caroline that he is poor and cannot pay it back. Then she is whipped in front of the class with a ruler.
Walter did not take the money because Walter is poor and poor people did not take any money from people. It mainly show a sign if disrespect to the poor because it how's that poor people are like beggars and beg for money from people that have money. # SWAG
Scout blames Walter Cunningham for what happened to her when she defended him. Miss Caroline slaps Scout with a ruler a dozen times and told her to stand in the corner. Scout is embarrassed, and later on she beats him up. Hope that helped. :)
Because she got in trouble for exposing why Walter didn't wanna take ms.Caroline's money
Walter initially invites Mr. Lindner over to their apartment again because he wants to take the money.
He was proud and lindner was only trying to pay the family off
Walter refused to take the money from Lindner because he wanted to maintain his dignity and pride. Accepting the offer would have meant compromising his family's values and dreams for a better life in a neighborhood they aspired to live in. He recognized that the money came with strings attached, reinforcing racial and socioeconomic barriers, which he ultimately rejected in favor of self-respect and empowerment.
Scout explains Walter Cunninghams's situation because Miss Caroline is an outsider and doesn't understand the "country folk" nor the customs of the county and its people. Walter may be poor, but he's not a beggar and refuses to take the quarter from Miss Caroline because he knows that he can't pay it back.