Our School House

The Quiet Valley School
duplicates a school circa 1893

We constructed our schoolhouse in 1994 to duplicated what would have been in the area at the time of our farm. There are many antiques in the school: old books, hand made windows with bubble glass, old slate blackboards, Washington and Lincoln portraits, larg map teacher's desk, dunce stool, wood stove. The student's desks were handmade and are appropriate for the time era.

Heating and Lighting. Children carried in wood for the stove. The wood was given by the parents of students as a way of supporting the school. Kerosene began to be used in the oil lamps in 1850. Before that, it may have been whale oil. A school may not have wall mounted oil lamps.

There were 143 schools in Monroe County. School attendance was not compulsory until 1895. If a child was needed to help at home, he would not attend. Often older boys might attend the winter session when they were not needed on the farm. The compulsory attendance act was passed in 1895 for ages 8 - 13. In 1901, it was extended to age 16.

School term began in November, after the harvest and went until spring to allow time for planting. Children might return for a summer session to catch up on work.

The school day went from 8am to 4pm. Children would rise very early to help with chores, eat breakfast, get ready, and walk weveral miles to school. The School Marm rang the bell for children to line up outside, boys and girls separate, to enter the school. They sat on opposite sides of the room.

Lessons were done on small slates with a slate (lead) pencil. Paper and pens were very expensive. Children would use books belonging to older siblings or parents so there was no uniformity of texts. Older students would practice penmanship by writing in copy books using ink pens and homemade ink (walnuts, berries).

Discipline was stricter in Colonial times when children were beaten. By 1893, punishments were less severe: dunce seat, tattletale, paddle, or switch..

Pictures courtesy of Hamptons Locations