 CLICK HERE TO ACCESS FREE DIGITAL GOOGLE BOOK "Memory Gems?" Until I began researching the role of a schoolmarm for my job in a local schoolhouse museum, I hadn't encountered the term that I understood as "aphorisms." Curators handed me a list of activities and referred to these sayings as Memory Gems, historically correct and a might easier term for scholars of all ages. It was apparent they were, and still are, an effective way to teach a moral lesson. Teachers in the past used them regularly as daily lessons and actual Memory Gem books were readily available. In District #1 School, we use memory gems for our penmanship lesson with dip ink pens and memorization lessons for recitation. Short and thoughtful, these intelligent moral guides are great for story starters and discussion. Admittedly, I was surprised and encouraged by the mature responses these gems elicited from our young visitors! If you'd like to add memory gems to your program or simply need more resources for variety, here are some suggestions. One immediate resource for Memory Gems, if you need more, can be found for free on Google Books. Memory Gems: A Compilation of Five Hundred Short and Easy Quotations from Three Hundred Authors William Anderson Bowles Jan 1908 · Goodson Gazette Press Two paperbacks that I've added to my collection are: Training for Citizenship: Memory Gems for Character Building-by William Alexander Smith Memory Gems for Children: Based on Nature and Ethics (Classic Reprint) Both are available on Amazon ($14.70) & Alibris and Abe Books, but are a bit higher in price. 
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Apply Online Now to the End of January 1. It's just about time for our members to think about submitting CSAA grant applications for Scholarship & Artistry, Innovative Curriculum and more. 2. CSAA Preservation grants are for the schoolhouse restoration or disaster relief. 3. Honor Awards are granted for Service, Craftsmanship, and our Young Preservationists. 4. January 31st of each year is the deadline for submission and recipients will be notified by March 31st. Access the links below!   CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO ACCESS THE SMITHSONIAN ONLINE EXHIBIT Meet Edmonia Highgate Thanks to CSAA Board Member, Ralph Buglass, for this fascinating submission! If you we were with us in 2019 at the CSAA Country School Conference, you may recall that the Hosanna School Museum was a school we featured through a presentation by Iris Barnes, Ph.D. The Hosanna School is currently showcased in a Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture online exhibit that you will surely enjoy. Click on the picture at left to reach the Smithsonian Exhibit! Edmonia Goodelle Highgate was an educator, writer, and activist during the Reconstruction Era. Born in Syracuse, New York in 1844, she was the eldest daughter of seven children by Charles and Hannah Francis Highgate. Edmonia graduated from Syracuse High School with honors in 1861. At age 17, she was the school’s first Black graduate. Highgate later earned a teaching certificate from the Syracuse Board of Education. And....the online exhibit also links to a great video about the Hosanna School and a preservation effort underway at a Rosenwald school in another Maryland locality."--Ralph During a leisurely visit to the Hosanna School website, enjoy a drone flyover and digital 3-D look inside this two-story schoolhouse!
www.hosannaschoolmuseum.org/copy-of-hosanna-school "COUNTRY SCHOOLS on COUNTRY ROADS" Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia to Host the 2025 CSAA Annual Country School Conference June 8-10, 2025 Click Button for More Details!  CSAA is celebrating a 20-year milestone and you are invited to join the festivities! It was in 2005 at a meeting in Barbourville, KY that an interested group of one-room school enthusiasts decided to consolidate their efforts and incorporate. The result was that the group became what we now know as the Country School Association of America. Plans are well underway to celebrate that significant beginning with an outstanding conference as we gather at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. The 2025 CSAA Conference, "Country Schools on Country Roads," will be held from Sunday, June 8th through Tuesday, June 10th, 2025. The team at Marshall University, headed by Dr. Teresa Eagle, Dean of the College of Education & Professional Development, and Dr. Isaac Lairson, Professor of Literacy Education, are offering a conference focused not only on the traditional Three-R's, but also referencing the basics of historic preservation as set by the Secretary of the Interior: Restoration, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. Attendees will be afforded the opportunity to explore Appalachian heritage, industries, crafts, and cuisine during our time together. The 2025 conference, with an all-new format, begins on Sunday, June, 8th with a host of activities including schoolhouse, campus, and library tours at MU ahead of the 2:00 P.M. opening events. Dinner that evening will include the key note address and the Preservation, Artistry & Scholarship awards presentations. Monday, June 9th will be filled with programs, and that evening’s entertainment will treat attendees to regional music provided by the Stoney Point String Band. On Tuesday, June 10th the Annual Coach Tour, included this year, will provide a fascinating view of Appalachian heritage, industries, crafts, and cuisine as we travel along Country Roads together visiting Country Schools and historic sites reflecting the area’s 3-R's of Historic Preservation - Restoration, Recreation, Repurpose. Our trip culminates at Heritage Farm Museum & Village where we will have an opportunity to tour the open-air museum, visit the exhibits, and admire the beautifully restored one-room schoolhouse which sits on the former location of Ratcliff School. There we will enjoy dinner and a theatrical performance to round out the day and conclude CSAA’s 2025 conference. Mark your calendars! This will be a unique conference making historical connections to education and preservation while providing schoolhouse enthusiasts an opportunity to connect to friends old and new as they experience “Almost Heaven,” West Virginia!  Heritage Farm Museum and Village  CSAA Travel Memories & Virtual Tour In June of 2017, a skilled driver maneuvered his busload of CSAA conference goers half-way up Tucker Mountain Road in East Andover, NH. This is a dirt road wide enough...well...for one bus. Had you been a down the mountain traveler, it would have been a bit shocking to see a luxury coach in your path. The visit took us to the Tucker Mountain School as part of our annual coach tour of local schoolhouses. Colby- Sawyer College was the conference venue and we traveled to seven NH country schools that beautiful June day. Here, Andover Historical Society Trustee, Donna Baker-Hartwell, takes us on a virtual tour of the Tucker Mountain Schoolhouse. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and now serves as a museum exhibiting details of an earlier way of education. The museum is open from 1 to 3 PM on the second Sunday of the month from June to October. The schoolhouse was built in 1837 to provide elementary education for the children of Tucker Mountain on land donated by William Tucker in 1836. The schoolhouse, built by William's brother Benjami Tucker, cost $100. This schoolhouse is the ONLY one of the 13 that existed in Andover at the end of the 19th century that remains in its original condition. It stands today on its original location, looking much as it did when it was active as a local schoolhouse. It was donated to the Andover Historical Society by Madelyn Thompson Baker in 2004 to ensure the continuing maintenance and preservation of this unique historic building. Tucker Mountain Bonus Video Below! Early Days of Education in New England "Year 1887: A Re-enactment of a Day at the Tucker Mountain School, E. Andover, New Hampshire" Written and produced by Donna Baker-Hartwell This authentic photo taken in 1887 would lead its owner to a delightful discovery and an endearing re-creation of that moment in time. Enjoy her original script and the story of the production! After researching town reports, Donna Baker-Hartwell discovered the teacher in her vintage photo was none other than her own great-grandmother, Stella Tuttle! She dreamed of bringing that photo alive in a video, and she set out to do just that. Donna wrote the script about a day at Tucker Mountain School, collected artifacts for the school, enlisted the help of locals to ready the schoolhouse, and organized residents and schoolchildren to portray their 19th century counterparts. She was ready to realize her dream. It is amazing to note is that the video was completed in only two days of filming with no rehearsals! Acknowledgement and thanks to: Donna Baker-Hartwell and the good citizens of E. Andover.  1887 Photo Inspires Reenactment Video in East Andover, NH A little red schoolhouse, a tree-lined lane, a young teacher watchful of her students, a batted ball in mid-flight. This captivating photograph of a moment in time in 1887 resurfaced in 2010 and piqued the interest of East Andover, NH native, Donna Baker-Hartwell, who lives a short distance from the Tucker Mountain School. In fact, Donna's mother purchased this schoolhouse in the 1960's and eventually donated it to the Andover Historical Society in 2004. In time, Donna would uncover her family's connection to the snapshot as well, and embark on a journey to bring the photo to life in a short film. Through Donna's own words, we will discover what she learned of its history and how she envisioned her project. Enjoy her video above! Donna's Story... Submitted by Donna Baker-Hartwell "I've always loved the old photo of the students playing outside the school. And I often thought that it would be fun to reenact that very moment. I began to plan for the reenactment at the Tucker Mountain School. I had just met Ethney McMahon (videographer) while she and friend Larry Chase were creating the video, "This Old Town." I showed her the old photo and told her what I wanted to do. She volunteered her time and talent to help. There could not have been anyone better to work with. The Schoolhouse Work Work to restore the outside of the schoolhouse had recently been done, putting wooden shingles on the roof and the installing a replica of the original chimney. However, inside the classroom, the ceiling needed to be restored to its original plaster surface. I called contractor Ken Reid to ask him if he thought it was possible to get it done before cold weather (which meant about 3 weeks). He said that he didn't see why not! His encouragement, enthusiasm and willingness to help get this done kept the reenactment project moving forward. The Cast, the Crew, and the Script I wanted Andover children to take part in the film and I was thrilled when four of the members of the cast were Tucker Mountain residents. Adult actors would be Andover residents as well. It was rather magical when things started to fall into place. Heather Makechnie was the best person for overseeing the making of the costumes. She had a good eye for detail. The costumes were made by volunteers and paid for by private donations. I wrote the script with the help of town and school reports and our two town history publications- the Eastman and Chaffee. Then I began collecting school books, slates and other artifacts which would be needed for authenticity. We held an organizational meeting with cast members and parents and set the dates for the filming. All of the interior scenes were to be filmed on April 18th of 2010 and all of the exterior scenes were to be filmed on June 5th. There were no rehearsals and we had one day for filming. The Revelation and Change of Plans! Two nights before the filming began, I was working on creating a "record book" for the classroom attendance. I went back through town and school reports. I had been focusing on the reports of 1889 and 1890 as these were the years history books had labeled this photo as having been taken. I happened to pick up the 1888 report and discovered that Issa Tuttle (my great-grandmother's sister) taught at the school in 1887. I knew I had one good photo of Issa in family genealogy files and soon I had it in my hands and could match it with the figure of the teacher in the photo. This lead to the discovery that the central figure in the photo was Issa's younger sister, my great-grandmother, Stella Tuttle! I had two days to correct the history, rewrite the script, give some of the cast new identities and add more students. I wanted the reenactment to be historically correct. It was both exciting and nerve wracking to say the least. The end result is a video clip of under ten minutes which I hope will be a useful teaching tool for understanding what rural education was like in New England in the late1800's. Musician, Kathy Lowe of New London volunteered her talent as a dulcimer player to provide music of the period." Additional information from Donna Baker-Hartwell's research....
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