Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 23: More Historical Papers
Pioneer Schools
-As transcribed from pages 889 - 890
School conditions were
materially different in the early days from what they are now.
The pioneer schoolhouses had homemade desks placed close to the
wall. Sometimes as many as twenty pupils had to rise to let the
classes pass to and from recitation. In many schools there were
no recitation seats and the classes had to stand. The desks and
woodwork were often unpainted, but teacher and pupils were expected to
keep all as white as soap and sand would make them. Each teacher,
with the help of her pupils, cleaned her own schoolhouse.
Long-handled dippers, washbasin, soap, towels, and mirrors came
gradually, as did maps, charts and other helps. The three R's,
with the addition of grammar and spelling, were the essentials, and
pity the teacher who could not do all the "sums."
It may be that undue emphasis was placed upon arithmetic, as nothign
was omitted, even though it had no practical value in itself. But
for those pupils who had no hope of ever studying the higher
mathematics or a foreign language, the mental discipline from their
arithmetic was invaluable.
In mental arithmetic drills, and it was mental, the pupil would listen
attentively while the teacher read a problem once. He would then
stand, repeat the problem correctly, give each step in the solution,
and the conclusion, training along many lines. The pupils of
early days did not have the culture that the pupils of later days have,
but they learned how to work, they were able to help themselves, and
they could spell.
What a frolic was the old-time spelling school! How the children
did work over those spelling lessons! Books were taken home and
hours were spent preparing for the next spelling school. Often
three or more schools met and fought hard, if bloodless, battles for
the championship. Yes, it was exciting fun, but it also taught
spelling.
The children furnished their own text books, and often there were not
enough to go around. Nor were the books always suited to the
needs of the child. Four different kinds of readers or
arithmetics were often found in one class.
Out of school the teacher was truly a part of the family with which she
boarded. She sat with them around the kitchen fire, washed in the
family basin, used the common family towel, and shared not only a room,
but a bed with one or two children. The food was plain, but
plentiful and wholesome, and although the houses were small and often
very cold, they were real homes. Every one shared the joys and
sorrows of the others.
- By Margaret Anderson