ILMASSAC-L Archives
Archiver > ILMASSAC > 2003-05 > 1053307603
From: Bill <>
Subject: [ILMASSAC] Little Egypt Heritage, 18 May 2003, Vol 2 #20
Date: Sun, 18 May 2003 21:26:53 -0400
Little Egypt Heritage Articles
Stories of Southern Illinois
(c) Bill Oliver
18 May 2003
Vol 2 Issue: #20
ISBN: pending
Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt,
I dedicate this article to JR, an Office Manager and one of
many who knew me in another occupation.
Having an active imagination and a zest for discovery, my
mind is most active; constantly seeking new information with
which to draw new conclusions. It sometimes surprises me
that I spend so much time thinking and reading about
history, or, the past. School, until Graduate School, being
a late developer, was never my strong suit. My early years
are dotted with memories of being sent to the Principal's
Office, or set in the huge coat closets each classroom had
in schools built in or before the 1930s. However,
eventually how to read was learned, albeit, at a most slow
speed. Still a passion for reading The Leatherstocking
Tales and historical novels about pioneers and colonial days
developed. Since so much time was spent in those school
closets it was thought that that was the place to read, so
my reading took place in room corners or literally in
closets. There were exceptions though, becoming a teenager
the great outdoors was discovered.and the solitude of the
forests was a great place to read. The trunk of a tree at
water's edge, with a fishing pole, line and "bobber"
signaled to any passerby that quiet was the operative
condition and I would not be disturbed. Once while checking
up on me, Dad discovered my secret, but that is another
story.
My education was very varied. The elementary buildings or
schools that I attended ranged from small two or three room
schools to as many as thirty six rooms in three floors.
And, one building was built in the Mediterreanian style with
an inner courtyard. High School days were first spent in a
63 building and then in a building so large that my senior
class contained over twenty sections or just short of 500
June graduates.
Seven decades ago, and more, most features of rural and
urban schools were common to any school in the whole
mid-west or Heartland of America, be they located in
Nebraska, southern Illinois, or northwestern Ohio. The
biggest difference was the isolation of rural one room
school teachers from any professional support.
Superintendents were too far away to be in frequent contact
with their staff and the supplying Normal Schools were aloof
with their duties.
The rural teachers arrived early and had heat going if
necessary. The ringing of the school bell, summoning those
within hearing that school would soon commence, usually
occurred about 30 minutes before "take-up" time. Then about
five minutes before the "starting" bell, the bell would be
again rung for the students to "line-up".
The school day would begin with "opening exercises", such as
the Pledge of Allegiance and singing and/or the reading of
stories. Then school lessons began according to the posted
schedule. As a pupil, never thinking about such things, it
didn't occur to me until joining the profession that
scheduling had to have been an exercise in mental
gymnastics. It fully hit home with me when becoming an
administrator. As a Principal of an large elementary
school, schedules for special teachers such as music and
physical education were necessary, plus subject scheduling
for 350 jurior high school pupils required some skill.
In rural schools with all grades in one room there may have
been less subjects, but still, getting all subjects for all
levels could be complicated and it might need changing from
time to time depending on the age and levels of those
attending. Attendance yesteryear had different rules than
today.
Subjects were more fundamental ... reading, writing and
arithmetic, with alternating subjects such as geography,
history, physiology and civics. These latter subjects were
taught on different days. To lessen the burden, not only
were subjects alternated but so were grade levels. They
were sometimes taught in alternating years, with the
exception that first and second grades were usually taught
every year. Another plan to ease the burden was to teach
combined grade levels.
Most learning was by rote ... learned and recited. The
oldest students receiving new lessons and the younger pupils
always being familiar with the lessons by listening to the
lesson being presented to the more advanced pupils.
Teachers, being very human, would run lessons overtime.
This necessitated cutting other lessons short or even
occasionally eliminating them, or others. Though my Dad
would say that penmanship was a "Cinderella" subject, being
cut the most. It is a marvel to read his written words.
His handwriting, and that of his father and uncles, were
calligraphers. There handwriting was artistic, stylized,
and elegant ... absolutely beautiful. Even at nearly ninety
years of age, Dad's writing was as neat as his "spit and
polish" Marine Corps bearing.
Anyway, regaining the topic, flexibility was the watch word
for teachers.
Morals and manners were always taught within the context of
other subjects, often as writing practice for penmanship.
Oh, did I leave out spelling? Not to worry ... spelling and
other fact related subjects, such as history and geography,
allowed parents and neighbors the opportunity to socialize
and express great pride in the pupils, themselves and their
communities. Friday evenings were times for spelling bees
and history and/or geography contests, followed with pie
"suppers".
Learning was much more rigid in the smaller rural schools.
There was much less "room" for curiosity or questioning.
Recitation of facts was the vogue. One of the reasons for
my trips to the office was always wanting to know why.
However, there entered into the teaching curriculum the
"State Courses of Study". The States, in their infinite
wisdom, began requiring strict adherence to these courses
and superintendents wrote tests based on them. Thus, giving
birth to the standardized testing emphasizing the
deficiencies perceived in our educational system. Students
could now be "tracked" into their future life's work.
Something Euro-education had been doing for some time.
Grandma never finished the sixth grade, but she read. She
read her Bible many times over from cover to cover. She
knew the writings of many religious philosophers. And, she
read enough to maintain a great knowledge of current
events. She truly grew up in a wonderfully changing and
advancing world. Yet, in the back of my mind, my world was
also a very changing and advancing world. And, I knew that
as it changed and the knowledge changed new conclusions were
being demanded. What excitement! The old ways, the old
knowledge, just didn't allow us to participate in the old
ways. Computers are just a small part of the modern
change. The next advancement will probably be a cell phone
implant. <grin>
Without a doubt, during my career all the teaching methods
were tried ... lecture, discussion, demonstration,
dramatization, constructiion. There was reading silently,
reading aloud, reading for clarity of thought, reading for
understanding, some experiemnts, drill, blackboard,
projects, recitations and testing. There were even thinking
lessons.
There were/are advantages and disadvantages to rural, one
room schools. The rural school was the greatest single
element in building the community, the state, and the
nation. It was so much a part of this country that its
ideals still lived in our history and our hearts. The
"Little Red" Schoolhouse did its job.
Wado,
Bill
-=-
Other sites worth visiting:
http://www.rense.com/general32/cxcol.htm
http://www.earthsky.com/BBS/Observers-Notebook/19x18.html
http://www.earthsky.com/BBS/Observers-Notebook/19x104.html
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html
This thread: