The Fascination of Old School Books

I'm sorting through old school books that I've accumulated. They're reminders of my mom's teaching days in one-room schools and of my attending this type of school for grades 1-4.


I enjoyed reading Mother's books when I was a child and found some of these when I cleared her house upon her move to our home in another state.

My daughter and I both have collected old reading, math and grammar books but now find we have more than we may want to save. So we'll sort them out for sale.

Some may be first editions. Others are simply of the era when they were used.

Collecting Old School Books

As I was going through my collection of books, in preparation for our recent yard sale, I came across my collection of old school books.  Some of them reminded me of my school days.  Others were from my mom's time.  Still more I've collected as I've browsed yard sales and antique shops.

Among those in my library:

Seventy Lessons in Spelling (revised) copyright 1885.  This edition was published 1905.
The Sprague Classic Readers (Book One, a Primer) by Sarah E. Sprague, published 1903. 
The Big Show, 1949, paperback
Guess Who, the New Basic Readers, 1951.
Around Green Hills, 1963

Of course, the Dick and Jane, Baby Sally, Spot and Puff were the books I read at the one-room school in Poughquag. 

First Day of School

This time of year, I looked forward to going back to school and seeing all my friends. Sister and I had new dresses for the first day. My brothers had new pants (not jeans for school) and shirts. Even though money wasn't plentiful, Mother got us something new to wear for starting school. Getting a new "store bought" dress was something I looked forward to. (Mother made many of our clothes on her treadle sewing machine. But she purchased dresses for starting school.)

The school was about half a mile from our farm. Mother or Father drove us to school in the morning. But most days we walked home from school, carrying our bookbags and lunch boxes.

I've been trying to find a picture of the Poughquag Schoolhouse but have only come across one on a postcard that probably was an earlier version. The building seems somewhat different from what a friend and I recall. So we're wondering if the original school was distroyed or dismantled an a newer one built when we attended.

Some books available about one-room schools around the country. (Eventually I should compile my blog entries into a book with photos and sketches.)

Legacy of One-Room Schools
One-Room Country Schools: History and Recollections from Wisconsin
Northwest Indiana One Room School
(Image: sxc.hu)

Were Teachers Ever Sick?

As I began to prepare for the opening of the schools in our area and calls for substitute teaching, I wondered, "Were teachers ever sick when I attended the one-room school?"

I don't recall having a substitute teacher nor school being called off because a teacher was absent.  There probably weren't sick days and personal days written into the teachers' contracts.  I have copies of a couple of my mom's contracts.  They were simple documents and I don't remember mention of sick days.  I'll have to pull them out of the file and see what they say.

Do you recall having substitute teachers when you attended one-room schools?

(Back to school image: sxc.hu)

Items for One-Room School Blog

To accompany this blog and my interest in one-room schools, I'm trying to develop some materials that others can use. Some will be nostalgic. Others might be something you could use to give a one-room school effect to your teaching.

So...I'm brainstorming. What would be good?

• Pictures
• List of old text books
• Old books if you can find them (I do collect old reading books)
• My mom's memories in booklet form
• Illustrations as I create them
• Gift items

Mary Emma's Learning Activities Blog

Although this isn't really about one-room schools, although it could interest current teachers and does relate to education, I've begun a blog, Mary Emma's Learning Activities, where I can share lesson plans and activities.

I've long wanted to do this...develop activities from the lessons I teach when I'm subbing, working with home schoolers, and conducting at young author workshops. After providing lessons to home schooling moms during a workshop, I decided it was time to get this going.

Since I've just begun my blog, there isn't much there yet. But keep checking. Also, let me know what might interest you.

Sharing One-Room School Memories

I'm pleased to have others share their one-room school memories. We all have the basic experience of receiving an education in a small school. However, there will be some differences.

How do they differ in various parts of the country, and even in different countries. A friend wrote me about attending one of these places of education in Newfoundland. Another is researching one-room schools in Oregon.

What were your experiences like? How long did you attend? What is the history of your school? What is it used for now? Or perhaps it has disappeared from the landscape.

(Image from sxc.hu)