by Tracy '11

Most towns didn’t have a school. If you didn’t have a school you would be taught at home.  Some kids went to school but some kids didn’t.

The first school that kids went to was called a Dame School. It was in a woman’s house and they had to sit on hard benches.  The only heat came from the fireplace and the boys had to get the wood.

by Mike M., Parth and Patrick, Class of 2011

The first school that kids went to was called a Dame School. The teachers were always women. The kids had school at the teacher’s house.

Boys learned more than girls because they went to another school after regular school. Education was too expensive for some children’s parents.

by Gordon, Daniel and Ian, Class of 2011

After dame schools boys moved to a school called the Common School. Common schools were not comfortable. Imagine having to sit in a cold room with nothing to rest upon but a hard wooden bench. The lighting in the rooms was from only a fire. Each student had to bring in wood from home to keep the fire going.

by Elizabeth '11

When kids learned to read and write they were done with school.   Wealthy boys sometimes went to other schools.

by Michael, Ryan and Frank, Class of 2011

The children’s teacher is a woman. The children would go to the teacher’s house.  They did not have pages to turn. The teacher would cook or do chores while the children were doing their lesson. After Dame School the boys went on to another school to learn more. Girls would stay home.

by Mike M., Parth and Patrick, Class of 2011

Boys learned more than girls because they went to another school after regular school. Education was too expensive for some children’s parents.