Attending grade school in a one room school house during the late thirties and early forties was very different from today's standards.
We walked to school, sometimes a mile or more, whether it was snowing, raining or whatever weather. If the school was open, we would manage to arrive, no matter what. During those days, school books were a valuable asset in learning, do not recall carrying them home many times, merely notebooks, etc. For special assignments parents would take us to the local library for reference material. We attended Kindergarten through the eigth grade. Many children were unable to attend school because of the need to work on farms.
We had no running water in the schoolhouse, two children were assigned the task of carrying water in a bucket from a close neighboring farm. One would take an end of a broom handle with the bucket of water, and the other child would grasp the other end. Somehow we managed to arrive back at the schoolhouse with over a half bucket full of water.
We would recite the "Pledge of Allegiance" (as what this graphic depicts) before classes began. The school room had many wooden desks which filled the room. A pot bellied coal stove was at the front, for providing heat during the winter months. Boys were assigned to go to the basement and bring fuel as needed. We oftentimes placed a potatoe brought from home on top of the stove, to cook during morning classes, and/or place frozen ice cream in a jar outside. The teacher's desk was in the middle of the room facing the students. Then two or three long benches remained in the room when she called a class for attendance, then the classmates would be seated there. The other classes, would collect study books in preparation of their class call. Students were assigned tasks for erasing and cleaning the long blackboards from chalk writings for studies by the teacher. Sometimes, on an overcast day, it was difficult to read, etc. because we had no lighting, the teacher made allowances for those days.
During recess hours we played games such as "andy over" where teams were designated to throw a ball over the schoolhouse and catch it. Also, we played "kitten ball", played on the "teeter totter", and utilized the small "back houses" designated for girls and one for boys. Then, once we heard the teacher ringing the hand bell, recess was over and was time to return to classes.
The great annual event "Christmas Program" was much anticipated by everyone. We decorated our schoolhouse and placed a curtain from storage across the front of the room where it could be pulled open to disclose activities of student performers. We had a piano, and a mother of the students would play it for the student activities, i.e. singing, dancing or sometimes reading poetry and other things. Farmers brought their lanterns and hung them around the school room for lighting the night of the program. Wives furnished food, including ice cream made by a hand drawn freezer, pies, and all types of delicious home made food. Ham, canned beef, potatoe salad, etc. All of which were canned by them or cured, even sometimes rabbits which were hunted. After the performance of the voluntary acts by the students, the food was served, then conversations entailed, by all. This activity usually lasted until late at night, much enjoyment for all.
Sometimes, the Superintendent of Schools would appear unannounced at our schoolhouse, horrors, everyone stiffened up with fear. She would sit at the back of the schoolhouse and observe our classes. Needless to say we were at our best possible behavior.
All in all, we managed to learn many things as we progressed our way into adult hood. Including making friends. Happy was the day when we graduated, and moved on to another school house in the city. High School!!!!
I began elementary school in 1933 in a small country school in north
Idaho.
It was a 4 room school house, but only 3 rooms were being used at
the time. My first grade teacher taught the first 3 grades in one
room, 4th,5th and 6th grades were in another and 7th and 8th grades
in another. One teacher for each room.
Discipline was handled by the teacher in the room, and it was
enforced with an iron hand and a 12 inch ruler. (it really stung
across the palm of the hand) Of course, I was a very well behaved.
If I remember correctly there were about 30 of us for the first 3
grades.
We opened each day with a pledge allegiance to the flag, then she
read a verse from the Bible, which was expected from the public.
For us first graders,learning the alphabet was the beginning of the
day, learning the letters, then practicing penmanship. While we did
that , teacher was on to the other grades..
I always slacked off on the penmanship when she began reading to the
3rd grade, because each day she read a chapter from Moby Dick to
them. I firmly believe that was the beginning of my love for
reading, and I still do it to this day. I know that over the three
years she taught those grades, I heard her read from other classics
We also learned the basics of history, geography, and arithmatic in
those early years.
Hours were from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4. You brought your own lunch,
school lunch was unheard of. I ate a lot of peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches and deviled ham,and oatmeal cookies by the barrel over a
period of the next 8 years that I spent in that school.
Ross Paulus
The 1930's were a perilous time for public education. With cash money in short supply parents were unable to provide their children with the necessary clothes, supplies, and textbooks (which were not furnished in some states) to attend school. Taxes, especially in rural areas, went unpaid. With the loss of revenue, school boards were forced to try numerous strategies to keep their districts operating. School terms were shortened. Teachers' salaries were cut. One new teacher was paid $40 a month for a five month school year - and was very glad for the job! When a rural county in Arkansas was forced to charge tuition one year in order to keep the schools open, some children were forced to drop out for that year. One farmer was able to barter wood to fuel the classrooms' potbellied stoves for his four children's tuition, thus enabling them to continue their education.
