What’s your school like? Back in the 1800s, many American kids, especially kids who didn’t live in cities, attended school in a one-room schoolhouse. One teacher taught all the kids in the school.

Schoolhouses

In some ways, classrooms in the 1800s were similar to today’s classrooms. Students sat at desks, and there was usually a larger desk for the teacher. But schoolrooms were different in many ways, too. There was no electricity and no central heating. In the middle or back of the room, there was a stove that burned wood to keep everyone warm. Someone had to chop the wood for the stove. That person was often the teacher!

In the 1800s, schools did not have indoor bathrooms. Instead, they had a privy or outhouse. This was a small building located somewhere near the schoolhouse. There was no plumbing, so you couldn’t flush anything!

The School Year

Today, most U.S. schools are open between August or September and May or June. But in the 1800s, the school year was different. For example, Wisconsin schools had two “terms.” The winter term lasted from November to April. The summer term lasted from May to August. Outside of cities, many families had farms. Boys from farming families often did not attend school for months at a time. They had to help their parents prepare fields for planting and then harvest, or pick, the crops.

Teachers

In the early 1800s, most teachers were men. By the 1860s, though, more women became teachers. Women teachers were not allowed to be married. If they got married, they had to quit their jobs. In many towns, the teacher lived with a local family.

 School Supplies

In the 1800s, paper was expensive, so many students used it only when they took tests. Most of the time, they wrote on slates, which were small chalkboards. Slates could be wiped clean and used again and again. Books were also expensive, so students often shared them instead of having their own.