Life in a One Room School House in Rural America

One room school houses were once the backbone of American education. These schools gave the country’s children a first through eighth grade education. They were taught reading, writing and arithmetic first and then science, geography, and literature in the upper grades. 

The schools were all within walking distance of the students who attended them. There was no public transportation; they either had to walk or ride a horse to school.

The school buildings were normally one room with weather boarded walls. The blackboards were real slate or some remains of the old boards painted on the walls. Located in the center of the room was often a pot-belly stove, which provided heat during the winter months. Parents always furnished the wood and the older boys were let out of class to split it for the next day. In the corner of the school was a table with water and a dipper, which provided water for the students throughout the day and at lunch. 

There was no cafeteria so the students brought their lunch from home. Many of the lunches were biscuits with beef or homemade jelly, fruit and a piece of cake or pie. During the lunch break, the children had time to play games such as “Annie Over” and baseball. They also had time to visit the out house since the schools had no indoor plumbing. 

Holidays were always celebrated in these small schools with Christmas being the most remembered. The room was decorated with popcorn wreaths and paper cutouts made by the children. There was always a Christmas program put on by the children for their parents; there was never a fee and all the parents came.

The schools were usually run by one teacher. Discipline and manners were an important lesson for the children and there was never any rudeness or discourtesy to the small children in school. Sometimes though a little switch or paddle would be used whenever a ruckus started. The worst punishment for most offenders was to stand in the corner in front of everyone because it embarrassed them.

Source: “One Room Schools” at http://www.bland.k12.va.us/bland/rock/oneroomreport.html. LPP