There was a time when formal, classroom-type education was restricted to the children of the very wealthy. There was a time when all formal education was private and controlled primarily by religious organizations. By the nineteenth century, however, the idealistic and revolutionary notion that education should be public and available to all children was beginning to take hold. As American and Canadian “pioneers” began moving westward to establish their farms, ranches, and small towns on lands recently stolen from aboriginal peoples, one of the first community structures built in these new towns was often the school.
At a time when many people would like to return to an era in which education is private and religious, it is interesting to look at the depictions of the “pioneer” schools in museums.
Fort Missoula, Missoula, Montana
The Grant Creek Schoolhouse was built in 1907 and moved to the Museum’s park in 1976. This one-room schoolhouse served a farming community.
Methodist Parsonage, Willamette Heritage Center, Salem, Oregon
The Methodist Parsonage, constructed in 1841, was originally the living quarters for the missionaries involved with the Oregon Mission Manual Labor School that would be built on the present-day campus of Willamette University in Salem. In 1844, the mission was disbanded, and the building became the parsonage for the Methodist Church. Today the Parsonage is at the Willamette Heritage Center.
Swan Valley Historical Museum, Condon, Montana
The one-room Smith Creek School was built in 1918 and was used until 1932. This building on the museum grounds is a replica of the original structure which was destroyed in 2011.
Sherman County Historical Museum, Moro, Oregon
According to the museum display:
“The one-room school usually taught students of all grades one through twelve. The sole teacher was most likely a young, unmarried woman; sometimes the students were older and bigger than the school marm. And often the older students attended school only when not needed at home. Teachers often lived with local families, rotating from home to home.
Learning consisted of reading, writing and arithmetic using only the most basic resources of slates, chalk and few (mostly donated) books. The teacher tried to impart ‘good manners’ too.”
Fort Dalles Museum, The Dalles, Oregon
Presby House Museum, Goldendale, Washington
Deschutes Historical Museum, Bend, Oregon
The Deschutes Historical Museum is located in the historic Reid School in Bend, Oregon. The building itself is a testament to education and importance which people assigned to education. The displays in the museums also provide some insights into that “old-time education.”
Heritage Museum, Libby, Montana
Fort Steele Heritage Village, British Columbia
The public school is shown above. One teacher in the 1890s would teach as many as 90 students. Subjects included reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic were taken by all students. Science was not taught in rural schools such as this one.
Twin Bridges School, Nevada City Living History Museum, Nevada City, Montana
In 1867, an average of 15 students attended this school. In addition to their studies, children did the cleaning, carried water, and brought in firewood.
Heritage Station Museum, Pendleton, Oregon
White River Valley Museum, Auburn, Washington
The schoolhouse was often the first public building which the American immigrants would put up. Labor and materials were usually donated.
Museums 201/301
The series compares similar museum exhibits from several museums. More from this series:
Museums 201: Radios ( photo diary)
Museums 201: Saddles (photo diary)
Museums 201: Telephones (photo diary)
Museums 201: The blacksmith shop (photo diary)
Museums 201: Quilts (photo diary)
Museums 201: Sewing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Washing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Electric ranges and refrigerators (photo diary)