Tips on the Times

Things We Probably Never Knew!
If you curate a schoolhouse you’ve undoubtedly worked to piece together its history beyond the date it was built or closed. In your search you’ve most likely relied on scant existing records, superintendent’s annual reports, personal narratives, lists of students and teachers, and whatever photos you are fortunate to locate. We all take pride in locating information that will bring our schoolhouse to life. 
 
But here’s a resource that can bring the actual era of your schoolhouse to life through the language and customs of the time! Available for short money as new or used books on Amazon these, “Writer’s Guides To Everyday Life in…,” are fun, informative, and fascinating trips through 18th, 19th and 20th century daily life. (Be sure to check out “used” editions on Amazon, Alibris, or Abebooks.)
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Use them to enhance your schoolhouse stories, make your audiences laugh, surprise your listeners, and fact check society during your school’s existence. These books are not expansive histories like high school textbooks or scholarly tomes. Instead, they offer hundreds of pages of surprising definitions, engaging explanations, and delightful vignettes about the times they cover. As a bonus, the chronologies and source references in the index are priceless!
 
As an example, check out the photo below to explore the many topics covered in The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800’s….and have some fun! Just a suggestion.