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We went to Naper Settlement in Naperville, Illinois, and here are some
of the things I saw: The people did not live in houses that looked like
today’s. They lived in log houses. Which were very small. They had only
one floor and had only two to three rooms, with a loft upstairs for sleeping.
There were no closets, so they all put their clothes in one big chest that
was about 2½ to 3 feet tall, and 4 feet wide.
The settlers had to make their own food, which usually came from the family’s
farm. They also only had one fireplace that was used for heat, to cook,
and for light. The children in the family slept in the upper-floor. There
were no beds, so they slept in a blanket made of leaves, and/or feathers.
Schools had all eight grades, kindergarten through eighth. They were very
small, and there was only one teacher! Girls went to school all year (except
in the summer). Boys only had to go for 3 - 4 months, because they were
needed on the farm. The students went to school from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Before
coming into class, the students had to wash their feet.
If the children were not paying attention, or talking out of turn, they would have to wear a sign. The signs said; Tongue Wagger, Bite Finger Baby, Idle Boy, and Idle Girl. Also the teacher might draw a circle on the board, and a child would put his or her nose in it. Sometimes the teacher would make a pupil stand up and hold their arms out as far as he or she could. Then she would put any amount of books on each hand. Some
teachers could even live with the students! Every day the children would
say the pledge of allegiance: “I pledge of allegiance, to my flag and to
the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty,
and justice for all.”
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