Old Schooling
This page is about...
On this page you will learn about the past ways of schooling and what it would be like for a student. You will see the how students got to school every day, what an ordinary school day would be like, the punishments for misbehaving,pros and cons of past schools, and some great pictures of an old schoolhouse in our community!
Our Community
In my team's community we have an old schoolhouse. It is a red brick schoolhouse that was restored to become a little museum! One very intresting fact about the little red schoolhouse was that it was in use from 1844-1950. 1950 was a pretty late time for a one room schoolhouse! Erica H. took the time to go to the schoolhouse museum and take pictures. Here they are!
Richmond Schoolhouse Pictures
| 1 This is the front of the schoolhouse. |
2 This is the historical marker sign. Read it - it has a lot of info! |
3 This is the museum sign. |
Richmond Schoolhouse Pictures
| 4 This is the inside of the schoolhouse. You can see the stove for keeping the kids warm. |
5 This is the back of the classroom. *Did you know that eighth graders sat in the very back of the classroom because they were the oldest? Kindergarten or first grade sat in the front. |
6 You can see the chalkboard in this picture. |
Richmond Schoolhouse Pictures
| 7 This is the schoolhouse's water pump. |
8 This is the back of the schoolhouse. |
9 This is the schoolhouse door. |
Richmond Schoolhouse Pictures
| 10 This is the outhouse. |
11 This is another shot of the back of the schoolhouse. |
12 This is the front again. |
Transportation to Education
In the past, children walked to school. Yeah, that’s right they walked! We are not talking just around the block, either. Students could have to walk a mile every day, or down the street. It all depended on where the pupil lived. Be glad you have school buses and cars today!
An "Ordinary" School Day in the Past
An ordinary school day in the past would go like this: the students would walk to school. They then would do spelling in which they would take out their chalk and slate. The teacher would call on a student, give them a word, and they would try to spell it on their slate. Next the teacher would read poetry for reading class. After that the kids would go outside to eat their homemade lunch, then recess which was outside when the weather permitted. Next they would go back inside for math where they’d simply answer problems that the teacher would write on the black board. Finally they would read their social studies books telling about their ancestors. Ending their school day with walking back home.
Consequences of Schools in the Past
In the past, discipline was way different! The punishments of the past may sound kind of funny to you, but for the children back then, punishments were embarrasing and even could hurt a little bit! One way of discipling was the dreaded dunce cap. Say you laughed at another person or talked in class, do you know what you would have to do? You would have to sit in the corner with a huge, pointed cap that said "DUNCE" on it on your head. We know you may be laughing, but put yourself in those shoes! Another consequence of bad behavior was (What I would say is probably the painful one!) getting slapped on the knuckles with a wooden ruler. Good thing teachers are not allowed to do that anymore! Did you ever think about what your nose would feel like on a freezing chalkboard? Think of this, it's the dead middle of winter, and you and your class were having recess. Then, you see Robert pull Elizibeth's pig tail. The next thing you know, little Robert is standing face front to the chalkboard with his nose pressed against it. When he's finally allowed to take his nose of the board, it's as red as a tomato! But don't laugh, or you could be in little Robert's position next! It's a great thing conesquences are a little more "civilized" today!
Pros and Cons of Schooling in the Past
There were a lot of pros and cons in the past’s schools. Cons are bad points. Pros are good points. One con of old education was pupils didn’t have access to the internet and computers like students do today. They did everything on paper or chalk and slate. Another con was that students had to walk to school from wherever they lived. Today we have transportation. A pro in the past was discipline. The teachers were stricter and they whipped their students in to shape! The children knew not to misbehave. A final pro was summer vacation. Did you know, summer vacation was only invented so that students could help on the farm! I wonder if they looked forward to it as much as students do now!