| Agrirama’s
Sand Hill School is furnished as a one-room school of the mid-1890’s. The
furnishings were selected as representative examples of those found in
a progressive rural Georgia schoolhouse during the 1890’s time period.
Communities during this time were committed to establishing better and
sufficient educational facilities for their children. It was believed that
with better schoolhouses a higher demand would be placed by the people
to find better teachers. Some families would move to a place that did offer
better educational opportunities (usually a town). Locally, a quote from
the
Sumner Free-Trader expressed another reason, " School-houses,
well furnished, are cheaper than jails filled with criminals." (7/2/1885)
In
the Sand Hill SchoolHouse, a mixture of equipment will be found. Heat will
be provided by a wood-burning "pot-bellied" stove. Water will be drawn
from the neighbors’ well (Traditional Farmhouse). The teacher’s desk is
placed at the front of the class between the black board and the desks.
It is a plain table with one drawer. The students’ desks are called "patent"
because of the special design of the seat. It folds noiselessly and does
not hit the back of the desk. Also, the desks came in different sizes and
could be nailed down to the floor in straight rows. These desks are a marked
improvement over the homemade desks and benches found in many rural schools.
Directly
in front of the desks are the recitation benches. These were a vital piece
of equipment in a one-room schoolhouse that contained children of all ages
and grades. The teacher could only work with one grade at time and the
"scholars" would sit at the recitation bench. If the subject was arithmetic,
they would have their slates and pencils in hand. If the subject was reading,
they would have their books in hand and stand to recite their lessons.
The other children would sit at their desks working on their assignment
and wait their turn for recitation.
School
lasted about 8 hours a day. Students brought their lunches from home in
pails or wrapped up in newspaper. It could be sausage and biscuit or cold
sweet potatoes. In some schools, students brought meat and vegetables from
home and made soup on the stove for lunch.
By
the mid-1890’s, the curriculum required by the State of Georgia included
spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, history, and English
grammar. Writing was practiced with copybooks and pencils while more advanced
students used pen and ink. Different counties used different textbooks
and by the end of the century, there was a push for more uniform textbooks
throughout the state. Webster’s spelling book was a popular one. Parents
were responsible for purchasing books supplied by the local drugstores
or general stores. These books were often handed down within the family.
Rural children on the average attended six months of school, which were
arranged around the farm calendar year. Children did not attend when it
conflicted with farm work at home. Most terms were split into spring and
fall. At the end of the term, "closing exercises" were held. It was a program
designed not only as an exhibit of what the students had learned but as
a social event. It was attended by parents and neighbors and often lasted
an entire day with speeches by teachers and recitations, dialogues, debated
music, and plays by the students. The ability of the teacher was often
judged by how well the "scholars" did at these exercises. A basket dinner
was spread for all to join in. Some exercises ended in recreational activities
such as baseball for the boys and croquet for the young ladies.
SUGGESTED
DAY’S AGENDA
Opening
Activities:
Reading
of proverb for the day (on the board)
Reading
Academic Activities
Arithmetic
Classes (mental and written)
English
Recess
Geography
Writing
Spelling
LUNCH
Tour
of Agrirama Site
Train
Ride
Shop
Country Store
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