What was it Really Like? Clifton Johnson (January 25, 1865 – January 22, 1940) was an American author, illustrator, and photographer. He published some 125 books in many genres including travel books, children's stories, and biographies, many with his own illustrations and photographs. This is the opening for Clifton Johnson's biography on Wikipedia, which includes a detailed inventory of his contributions to the literary world. So what has Johnson to do with our focus on country schools? You'll be surprised to learn how this talented author wrote one of the definitive schoolhouse memoirs describing life in a typical New England 19th century one-room school in Hadley, Massachusetts. Interestingly enough, he wrote this book from memories, "largely his own," as he was 28 years old when he penned "The Country School" in 1893. He includes countless details he obtained from interviews with "friends and acquaintances" who were former students of 19th century schoolhouses. He admittedly staged the photographs for the book (which he took himself), setting up his subjects in the same schoolhouse he attended as a boy. Clifton not only attended the school, but he married the schoolmarm, Anna Tweed, who was teaching at the Hockanum School in 1896. The School still stands today in his hometown of Hadley. His career in writing and publishing is fascinating. Johnson breaks his chapters into "Old Fashioned School Days:" 1800-1825, "The Mid-Century Schools:" 1840-1860, and "The Country School of Today:" (1860-1893- apparently). His book was so popular it went into a number of printings through 1907. Free Digital Copy Link: The Country School, by Clifton Johnson The 1907 edition has been carefully digitized and I am attaching the link below so you can take full advantage of Johnson's remembrances as well as those he obtained through interviews. We thank the Wayback Machine Internet Archive for making this wonderful resource available online. Take a peek into the past for a revealing picture of the "goings on" involving a 19th century one-room school. Jam packed with details!
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Our early public schools systems were indeed disparate, but a common thread among early districts was that children of all ages were taught together in the one-room schoolhouse" Blog Archives
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