March 19, 2024

One-room Schoolhouse Days Relived by Rehoboth Pupils

Posted

This was the fifty-first year that school children, from Rehoboth and surrounding communities, have attended the Hornbine School to re-enact a school day from the 19th century. This October, Palmer River School fourth grade children dressed in "old fashioned" clothes and visited the Hornbine School for the day.

Their first activity was to walk the short distance from their bus to the school in the brisk cold autumn air. Then they were introduced, among other things, to the outhouse. They learned that there are many other names given to this small building such as privy and sanitary. After raising the flag and singing a patriotic song, the students entered the old school and were seated.

The class discussed common chores they would have completed in their daily lives before walking to school. Helping Mom with the younger children; feeding the animals; bringing in wood for the fire; and milking the cows, were some of the chores discussed.

Class activities included writing with a slate pencil on their slates; using a feather ink pen to write their name, school and date; reading "round robin" up at the teacher's desk and practicing for the spelling bee. (Most everyone visited the necessary!)

Towards the end of the morning, Frances Megan, who lives in the neighborhood, explained what it was like, when she attended the Hornbine School back in the 1930s. The pupils enjoyed listening to Frances. Then, the class went outside to eat lunch and play some "old fashioned" games like Jacob's Ladder, Graces and roll the hoop.

Following the Spelling Bee, the whole class gathered outside the school for pictures before returning to their classroom at The Palmer River School.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

Share!
Truly local news delivered to every home in town