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The Remedy for Population and Transition As schoolhouse enthusiasts, we know that one-room schools dominated early rural education and the landscape. They served small, independent districts with a limited number of children. Consequently, as populations grew, some districts added a second classroom instead of building a full graded school. Expanded buildings often served as a temporary fix in a transition stage—between the classic one-room school and larger graded schools that came with consolidation. By the early 1900s, school districts across the country began consolidating into larger centralized schools, reducing the need for small rural buildings. This was a bittersweet and contentious age in the evolution of our public school system, as people loved their district schools, often holding out as long as they could to save them. Over time citizens would concede to the need for multi-room schools that would serve a growing population, and better methods of transportation would play a role in accomplishing the goal of consolidation. Here we offer a few examples of early two-room schools serving today as museums, or repurposed for community centers and historic societies. Styles were varied and interesting. Perpendicular, up and down, side by side, choose your favorite!
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 CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ACCESS THE MUSEUM FACEBOOK Thanks to the Brunhoeber Family! The Country School Museum in Caldwell, Kansas exists to the delight of visitors because husband and wife team Mike and Valerie Brunhoeber believed two local icons of education deserved to be saved. With their personal finances and a heap of mid-western determination they trucked these schools to their Ironhorse Ranch knowing they would face years of restoration. We all appreciate their efforts! According their website: The Belleview School District #68 of Sumner County Kansas was built in 1894 and was used as a school until 1956. It served as a polling place for the local township until the late 1990s. In 2010 it was moved to the Ranch to be restored. The Spring Creek School District #36 of Sumner County Kansas was built in 1904 and was used as a school until 1947 then it served as the Spring Creek Community Club up until it was too dilapidated. It was relocated to be restored on April 5th of 2016. The Brunhoebers have been friends of the Country School Association of America for many years and both schools are on the CSAA National Schoolhouse Registry. Visit their website to enjoy their journey in pictures. Recently posted on the Country School Museum Facebook site you'll find the marvelous little video below that tells the story of one-room schools, daily life in a country school, and the contribution of Mike and Valerie Brunhoeber who undertook their own labor of love to create a local museum. How to Wash Clothes in Early Schoolhouse Times In our country school living history programs, we are always searching for artifacts and ideas that bring hands-on learning to life. We want our visitors not just to hear about the past, but to feel something of the demands placed upon children in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Our “field trip scholars” quickly discover how simple their schoolrooms were, with few materials and fewer comforts. Yet the lessons do not end at the schoolhouse door—they also learn of the many chores that awaited them at home, where boys and girls alike carried responsibilities that would surprise, and perhaps humble, most children today. Our contemporary students, if asked how they wash their clothes might say, "My mother does the laundry." If any visitor says that they know how to wash clothes they might say, "I put my clothes in the washing machine." Simple enough, of course! Not so easy in the days of one-room schools. It was a time-consuming chore that required some level of endurance. Below you'll find a very telling graphic that actually lays out a recipe for how to get that wash done! It is titled RECEET FOR WASHIN CLOTHES and is presented in some charming colloquial language. Invite your students to step back into that world. Have them decipher the spelling, interpret the directions, and even correct the text. In doing so, they’ll gain not only a chuckle, but also a deeper appreciation for the everyday labors of the past.  |
