Gaudior Academy, History of Education

School in the Early 1900s: A typical school day over 100 years ago
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to go to school over 100 years ago? What lessons would you learn? How would you have dressed? What would you pack for lunch?

Children in the early 1900s went to a very different type of school than you do now. At this time in history, most people lived on farms. Groups of farmers built one-room schoolhouses in which to educate their children. Most children in rural American were taught in these schoolhouses during the winter months when they weren't needed to work on the farm. At the age of 5 or 6, children would begin attending school to learn how to read, write and do arithmetic.

Students ranging in age 5 -20 were all instructed by the same teacher, often whom had little formal education themselves. Depending on where the school was located, there could be 10-15 children in a schoolhouse, or as many as 25. The teacher usually instructed the older students, who then in turn instructed the younger ones.

Every school day, most children would walk to school. There were very few cars in rural America, so most children had to walk, even though it might have been a far distance. Sometimes students were able to hitch a ride on a neighbor's wagon, or even ride the family horse to school!

The teacher began the day by ringing a hand bell. This let the students know it was time for classes to start. Students would line up outside the door, boys on one side, girls on the other. When the children entered the classroom, they hung up their coats and placed their lunches on the floor below. The youngest students sat at the desks closest to the front of the room, while the oldest students sat at the back.

School began with every child saying the Pledge of Allegiance, singing, or both. Children would be put into groups by ability and reading lessons would follow. Most of the students were at many different reading levels. Some were beginning readers while others might be grown men and women returning to school to finish lessons they never learned. Sometimes it might take years for students to pass one grade! The teacher would have each group come up to the front of the class to recite to her while the others sat in their seats. Lessons continued until lunchtime, when students were given an hour break to eat and play.

Students brought their lunch to school wrapped up in cloth or in lunch pails. Lunch pails were made from whatever children could find at home such as old syrup pails, coffee cans or lard cans. Most children packed leftovers from breakfast for lunch, such as biscuits or bread and butter. Sometimes children made sandwiches with homemade jam or small pieces of meat. If their family had an orchard, they might get to bring an apple for lunch when they were in season. If a child was really lucky, their lunch might have homemade cookies in it.

After lunch, lessons resumed. Children were taught arithmetic, usually in ways that could help them on the farm, such as problems involving animals, the cost of running aspects of a farm, or accounting. In early rural America, science and geography were not very important to farming families, so they usually were not taught in school. More lessons were learned and recited to the teacher. School ended around 4 o'clock, when students returned home to do chores on their farms. After chores, homework was completed, usually by lamplight or candlelight.

It sounds like a very long day, doesn't it? Students had to work very hard to get an education, and it was important to them that they do well in their studies.