11 Ways School Was Different Than Today

School was so much different in the late 1800s, than it is now.  Let's look at 11 different ways school has changed!

1. In most rural areas, school was once taught in a one-room school house.  A single teacher taught grades one through eight together in the same room. The youngest students would sit in the front and the oldest would sit in the back.  There was no air conditioner but there was a wood stove to heat the room.

2. No student got a ride to school.  Most schoolhouses were built to serve students who lived about four or five miles away, which was easily walked.  For those who have never walked that far, that's an hour walk, one-way.

3. Boys and girls were sometimes separated.  Boys sat on one side of the classroom, while girls sat at the other side.  Sometimes, they even entered through separate doors!

4. The school year was much shorter, students attended school for about 132 days. School days typically started at 9 a.m. and ended at around 4 p.m.  Students had one 15 minute recess and a 45 minute lunch.

5. The schools did not provide school supplies.  In fact, sometimes multiple students had to share one book and most students just had a chalkboard and some chalk. 

6. Students often were expected to help teach the other students.  The stronger and/or older students learned lessons directly from the teacher, then taught the younger or weaker students.

7. Lessons were used to be much different.  Students learned reading, writing, arithmetic, history, grammar, arguing effectively, and geography.  Because most students did not have access to school supplies, students would memorize their lessons and recite what they’d learned to the class.

8. Teachers sometimes lived with their students’ families.  Typically teachers salaries were so little they were given a free place to stay.  If the town did not have a lot of money.  Parents would take turns housing the teacher for a week at a time.

9. Discipline had to be very strict. Teachers were allowed to spank or hit their unruly students.  Of course, after-school detention, cleaning chalkboards, holding heavy bookds for an hour, and writing standards were also considered punishments.

10. There were no free lunches in the late 1800s.  Every student had to bring their own lunch in a pail.  If a student wanted to drink water they would get the water from a well or bucket.  Everyone would drink from the same tin cup.

11. For many students, education ended with eighth grade.  In order to graduate, students would have to pass a final exam.