Egg Harbor Township has a long tradition of providing good schools for our children. During the late nineteenth century most of our communities had their own neighborhood schools. Each were centrally located in the community so that the children could walk from their homes every day. Each school had a bell tower with a large bell that would toll a few minutes before the children were due to enter. Parents nearby could also hear the bell and would hurry any late children out the door and send them on their way.
Students would bring their own lunch every day and place their lunch bag near their coats and hats upon entering the school. Certain students had extra responsibilities such as bringing in the firewood or coal for the school stove. Others would draw fresh water from the well and bring it into the classroom.
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Classroom from the Steelmanville school c1890 |
Each school had a large central classroom that accommodated all classes from first through eighth and beyond to the advanced classes, grades nine through twelve, that we now call high school. Many times the older students would assist the teacher by teaching the younger ones. Reading, writing and arithmetic were the primary lessons, but literature and history were also taught. Each classroom had a picture of our first president, George Washington, hanging on the wall, as if watching all the children.
The children were usually seated with the youngest near the front of the room and the older, taller, children near the rear. Many classrooms had double desks, which meant that two students shared a single desk, sitting side-by-side.
Each day would begin with the flag salute followed by the reading of some scripture from the bible. After this the students would begin their day.
The day was divided into several sessions, the early morning, the late morning, and the afternoon. Each session was divided by recesses times where the children would play games outside in the school yard. Usually lunch was one hour long and the children would use their remaining time after eating by going outside. The school bell would toll a few minutes before recesses or lunch was to end.
The teachers usually lived nearby during the school year, sometimes renting rooms from families in the neighborhood. They were a big part of our communities. As many were young and single they were frequently invited to dinner at the students homes in the evenings. Teachers who played instruments would usually entertain parents when visiting. Sometimes they supplemented their incomes by giving music lessons. Most students lived on small farms, so they would bring fresh vegetables and fruits for the teacher. Students who's fathers hunted or fished would also bring the teacher some fresh meat for their dinners from time to time.
Students who misbehaved were punished in many ways, as spanking was not uncommon back then, some students learned their lessons the hard way. Others might be asked to clean the blackboard, scrub the floor or do other manual chores. It's the way it was then.
Bathrooms were outside privies, or outhouses as some call them. When the weather was cold, the trip outside and back to the classroom was usually a quick one. The same during hot weather because of the odor associated with outhouses. |
