From settlement days until the mid twentieth century, if you lived in the country in most of North America, children attended a one room school in their district. They either walked, rode a bicycle or a horse, or drove themselves in a wagon/buggy in nice weather, or a sleigh in winter. The school property consisted of the school house, often times with an extra room or two for the teacher's residence. There were outdoor toilets and a barn. A typical day was from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock, with a 15 minute recess. Older children helped to bring in the wood and coal to fire up the furnace, and drew water from the well to fill the water fountain. Younger ones helped the teacher clean the blackboards, sweep and other small tasks. The teacher or older students who were first to arrive, would light the stove. This scene looks peaceful and idyllic. There are unlimited accounts of the good times experienced by pupils in country schools. There are also accounts of anything but good times. Bullying is currently given a lot of attention, but it is nothing new. It was alive and well in all public and high schools, especially where noon hour and recess was not always supervised. Corporal punishment was a regular routine, with teachers striking students with straps and map pointers, etc. There are many accounts to be found in our history of the injustices of corporal punishment. Today, this contravenes the United Nations' Children's Bill of Rights.
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton, Box 400
37 Third Avenue North, Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722 [email protected]
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