Going to School
in the Old Days |
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Children in
Menomonee Falls went to a one-room schoolhouse. This one room school house
was built in 1851 for only $55.00. All of the grades were taught by the
same teacher in one room. Schools were
important to small farming communities.
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School
began with the ringing of the bell. Children
shared benches at some schools houses. Some schools had desks for each student. The desks or benches were in straight
rows facing the teacher.
The children learned reading, writing, and arithmetic
when they weren't needed to work in the fields or at home.
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Children
used quill pens to practice their handwriting. They spent a lot of time learning to write neatly. Good penmanship
was more important than spelling correctly.
The children copied their
lessons over and over, using quill pens dipped into inkwells. Slates and
chalkboards were used for other lessons instead of paper and pencils.
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Students in
the early schools used two books, the Bible and the primer. They spent
much of the day memorizing from the Bible. They learned the alphabet, spelling words, poems, and numbers from the primer. Students also
learned geography and some history.
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Teachers
were very strict and expected the children to always behave. They often
kept birch branches handy and used them to whip the students when they didn't!
If the students didn't do their work, they had to sit on stools and wear
dunce caps. These were pointed hats that made the student look and feel
foolish.
Talking or even whispering during the school day was not allowed!
Students were never allowed to leave their seats with permission.
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Taking care
of the schoolhouse was everyone’s job. Families took turns sending wood to the school for heating. A wood stove located
in the center of the room was the source of heat in the winter. |
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When students were thirsty, they needed
to go outside to get water from the well. They pulled up and down on the
handle to make the water come out.
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A yoke
was used for carrying heavy buckets for fresh drinking water from the
well. The schoolhouse had to be cleaned daily. The chimney had to be cleaned
out, the floors swept, and blackboards cleaned |
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The children
brought their lunches to school. Many used tin lunch pails with lids.
Children sometimes tied different pieces of cloth around the handle to
identify their own lunch pail.
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During recesses
students rushed outdoors. They played games, talked or explored nearby
woods. |
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Using the bathroom meant a trip outside
to the outhouse. There was no such thing as toilet paper. Old newspapers
or magazines would be used if they had them. Corn cobs (without the corn)
or a handful of leaves or grass were also used in place of toilet paper. |
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Children got to school by walking
or riding a horse. Some families had wagons that were used to take the
students to and from school. |
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