Memories of a Rural School Teacher, 1928-1930 by Mrs. Frank T. Dahlgren
From the "Mill on the Willow"
The schools where I taught were very much alike - a box shaped building longer than wide. Two had wood and coal sheds attached, one had the shed thirty feet from the main school building.
Entry was made into the cloak room, on either side were hooks for coats and a shelf for dinner pails. Inside the door leading to the main school room was an aisle in the center leading to the teacher's desk with pupils' desks on either side. There was a potbelly stove on the right and at the back of the room, a counter on which a pail of water and dipper was placed.
Outside at the rear of the biuilding were two outside toilets; one for boys, one for girls.
I taught all eight grades and was the janitor. I would sweep out after school, bank the fire and pray. The next morning I would be out early to start the fire in the old stove. I received $85.00 a month because I asked for it. Other teachers were paid less. The same books were used year after year. Supplies were erasers, chalk, ink and construction paper.
I lived at a home with modern plumbing. I would ride a bicycle to school until snow came and then went on horseback. It added up to 586 miles on horseback in one school year. A few times, Earl Rice had to take me to school in his one-horse sleigh. Twice I was stuck out in the country because of blizzards that lasted three days each.
The schools where I taught were very much alike - a box shaped building longer than wide. Two had wood and coal sheds attached, one had the shed thirty feet from the main school building.
Entry was made into the cloak room, on either side were hooks for coats and a shelf for dinner pails. Inside the door leading to the main school room was an aisle in the center leading to the teacher's desk with pupils' desks on either side. There was a potbelly stove on the right and at the back of the room, a counter on which a pail of water and dipper was placed.
Outside at the rear of the biuilding were two outside toilets; one for boys, one for girls.
I taught all eight grades and was the janitor. I would sweep out after school, bank the fire and pray. The next morning I would be out early to start the fire in the old stove. I received $85.00 a month because I asked for it. Other teachers were paid less. The same books were used year after year. Supplies were erasers, chalk, ink and construction paper.
I lived at a home with modern plumbing. I would ride a bicycle to school until snow came and then went on horseback. It added up to 586 miles on horseback in one school year. A few times, Earl Rice had to take me to school in his one-horse sleigh. Twice I was stuck out in the country because of blizzards that lasted three days each.