The lessons learned in classrooms of the past were far different than those of today. Children are prepared for a world filled with technology and transportation and often visit the foreign countries whose languages they learn. In 1883, Giles County had about 2,217 children enrolled in 54 schools with 54 teachers making a little over $20 per month. The multitude of schools reflected a smaller world. The widespread population of the county and the difficulty of travel from one area to another made it necessary to locate schools near the students.
Classrooms looked different, with rows of wooden desks holding each students books and supplies and a place for the ink well. The seat of one desk was attached to the desk of the student in front, so classrooms seldom deviated from the row format. A blackboard and pot-bellied stove often rounded out the room’s décor.Old school books seem quaint today, but reflect the agricultural roots of the community and a different way of life. The following word problems were in an 1848 arithmetic book:
“In a pile of wood, 96 feet long, 5 feet high, and 4 feet wide, how many cords?”
“How many yards of cloth are there in 19 pieces; each piece containing 27 yd. 3qr. 2na.?”
An 1858 English grammar book conjugates the regular verb “to love” in the singular, second person, present tense as “thou lovest” and third person, present tense as “he loveth.” A 1920 geography book has 48 states and very different countries and borders in Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa than those students learn about today. Old encyclopedia sets are much smaller than the world we can Google today.
Though a lot of the information in old books seems quaint today, we all could learn from the qualities on which a 1930s student was graded: trustworthiness, respect, careful use of materials, politeness, consideration, preparedness, and refraining from unnecessary talking.
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