By Prescott Woods 7A2-ID1

The schools in the colonies were very small. The school houses, only had one room and one teacher. There were some privately taught children, and some children were taught by their parents. Unlike today, the schools in the colonies were based on what your parents did. If your parent was a planter for example, you would learn the ways of planting once you got a bit older. The general and basic subjects of what kids learn goes as follows: reading, writing, math, poems and prayers.

The Teachers.. Teachers in the colonial times were given far more authority then they are today. The teachers were like parents, or worse to the students. Teachers gave harsh punishments like hanging signs over misbehaving students or making them wear a “dunce” hat. Some acts would even require the teacher to take a whip to the student! Teachers relied on the bible for their teachings. The teachers who taught at school houses had the real responsibility. Some teachers were hired to privately tutor by the parents. The schools called “dame schools” were schools where women taught from their home. We modern day people wouldn’t last 1 day in a colonial school..

Girls learned only just enough to cover everything having to do with household duties. Girls were taught by “governess’s”. The governess studied from England and were somewhat educated. Unless the girl was planning to be a professor or governess, they would normally not go to England to get a great education as this was considered unimportant for women. Women would learn all the basic household chores in school. They studied art, music, French, social etiquette, needlework, spinning, weaving, cooking, and nursing. Those were all the skills needed to raise a family and house. They didn’t wear denim and tee-shirts by the way. They didn’t wear flip flops either 

Ahh yes, boys! Boys were better educated then girls. Very different than today! I know loads of girls smarter than many boys.. Not saying I’m one of them :D. Anyway, boys were taught more to have a more specific profession than the girls. The boys have a more advanced curriculum than the girls. Mainly because the boys need to work for the household. The boys studied higher math, Greek, Latin, science, celestial navigation,geography, history, fencing, social etiquette, and plantation management. Boys, after finishing their main education in the New World, would travel to England for more advanced studies and experiences. This would be the equivalent of college nowadays. Lets pretend that this nice boy was drawn by a skilled painter and not photographed. Photography didn’t exist……

They didn’t have much. Since textbooks were scarce, kids had to recite the lesson out of it until they memorized it. Other study tools included a hornbook, and the bible.

Another difference the schools today: they wrote with lumps of lead or charcoal! They wrote on an older form of modern day paper. They wrote on straight birch bark. Yep, they peeled this birch bark and wrote on it with the charcoal lumps shown!

I wouldn’t want to be a student in colonial times!

Yay Mark Twain!

  and-books.jpg and-books.jpg  -young-boy-wearing-a-backpack-ready-for-school.jpg -young-boy-wearing-a-backpack-ready-for-school.jpg     6F8D3D011513/12665/photo06.jpg 6F8D3D011513/12665/photo06.jpg  Book: Every Day Life in Early America by David F. Hawke