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)

Contacting Former Schoolmates

I'm contacting my former schoolmates, who attended the one-room school at Poughquag, oh, so many years ago. I'd love to have them add their memories to the comments. We probably all recall something different about our years there.

Some only attended for a year or two, while others spent their first four years at the white school house within sight of Poughquag village.

Do you have one-room school memories of a different school you attended? I'd enjoy hearing from you, too.

Keeping in Contact with One-Room School Classmates

Even though the years have passed, many years, since I attended the one-room school in Poughquag, NY, I'm still in contact with three of my classmates, as well as my sister. We have memories of those few years we acquired learning under Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Burr.

We live in different parts of the country and see one another seldom. But we keep in contact by letter, e-mail and Facebook. I've discovered photos of us taken during those years and must make copies to send to the other gals.

We need to share more of our memories and make them available for our children and grandchildren, who will never attend one of these small schools.

How are you preserving your one-room school heritage?

(Image from: sxc.hu)

Many Fascinated by One-Room Schools

• 
  
  Whenever I've written about one-room schools and my connection with them, I've discovered that others are fascinsted by them, too.
  
  They tell stories about their experiences or want to hear about my connection with these places of learning.
  
  
  Often they:
• Attended one


• Have parents who attended them


• Taught at one


• Have family members of the current generation or previous who taught at a one-room school


• Researched them


• Interviewed those who attended


• Took photos of those existing today, either as a school, home or historic building


• Sketched the schools


• Visited them


• Are simply fascinated with them as part of our American heritage
• Compiled stories about these places of learning

What is your connection with one-room schools?

(Image: sxc.hu)

Attending a One-Room School in Poughquag, NY

My first four years of schooling took place in a one-room schoolhouse, in the village of Poughquag, NY, in the 1940s. My sister and brothers attended, too. Gradually, there were so many students that the townspeople decided to "centralize." That meant becoming part of the Arlington School District.

At first, all students beyond the fourth grade were bussed to the Arlington Central schools on the outskirts of Poughkeepsie, about 15 miles away. However, the bus trip took about an hour and a half because the bus wound around on back roads. My sister, brothers and I were among the first to be picked up and last dropped off.

Eventually the Poughquag school was closed and sold to a family who converted it into a home.

There are many fond memories of school days in a one-room school house. I'll tell more stories about them, as well as my mom's as a teacher in one-room schools.

(Image: sxc.hu)