School Days Gone By

I have a good friend who often gives me things that I can use for our homeschooling or that pertains to school. Her kids are already through with their homeschooling journey so from time to time, she stumbles upon things and saves them for me. I'm so grateful that she does too!

Amongst some of the items she recently gave me, I found an old paper place mat, folded in half. I'm not sure if she got it at a restaurant or just where, but it was fun to read & with our homeschooling year about to begin here, I thought it was appropriate timing.

School Days Gone By...

'Readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic... spelling bees and McGuffey readers... the school bell has been ringing since "way back when" but things were certainly different.

Cold in the winter... hot in the summer... that's what it was like in the one room schoolhouse. Supplies were few; some unruled paper and a goose quill pen with homemade ink, big brother's hand-me-down speller, and a ruler that Dad had made. When the paper ran out, children had to practice their letters by writing in sand spread over a plank stained black.

School days consisted of reciting passages from the Bible, practicing letters and a little arithmetic, getting into trouble, staying out of trouble, and recess. Of course, in a room with children of all ages, staying out of trouble could be the hardest thing to do. The punishment was often swift and harsh. For example, a child that played hooky was sometimes shackled to his desk to spend the night in the school alone... a scary thought but discipline was often maintained by sheer fright. Students, when reciting, had to "toe the mark"; they had to stand with their toes on a certain crack in the floor boards and not move while they recited their lesson.

Teacher's were poorly paid and traditionally "boarded around." Each family had the teacher as a houseguest for awhile to help pay for their child's schooling. Female teachers were also expected to obey rules like these.

1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.
2. You are not to keep company with men.
3. You must be home between the hours of 8p.m.-6a.m.
4. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores.
5. You may not travel beyond the city limits, unless you have permission of the chairman of the board.
6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man, unless he is your father or brother.
7. You may not smoke cigarettes.
8. You may not dress in bright colors.
9. You may under no circumstances dye your hair.
10. You must wear at least two petticoats.
11. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.
12. To keep the school room neat and clean, you must: sweep the floor at least once daily; scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water; clean the blackboards at least once a day; and start the fire at 7a.m. so that room will be warm by 8a.m.

Indeed... schools have changed with the times but one similarity remains-- part of the school day still consists of getting into trouble, staying out of trouble, and recess!

Author Unknown