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Students experience school day of the 1890s
A group of students from Fort Scott Christian Heights and the Christian Learning Center took a trip back in time on May 6.
Although the morning started out much like any other, the school day was far from the norm, according to Fort Scott Christian Heights fifth and sixth grade teacher Vickie Shead. Instead of attending their regular classes, the students, donned in 1890s clothing, climbed onto a horse-pulled buggy that transported them to the Fort Lincoln School, located on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
Once at the school, the students played old-fashioned games in the school yard while Shead prepared the classroom for the day's lessons. Just as the teacher would have done back in the 1890s, Shead stood at the schoolhouse door and rang a bell when it was time for school to begin for the day. After being lined up in order from smallest to biggest, the students entered the schoolhouse, stood by their desks and waited to be greeted by their teacher.
After a "Good morning students" followed by a "Good morning Mrs. Shead," the students were seated and classes began.
CLC student Marley Davis said she had fun learning about what school was like back in the 1890s.
"I liked how we got to see what it was like to do what they would do for school," she said.
Shead led the students in old-fashioned lessons such as alphabet scriptures, Bible reading and memory gems. Next the students copied a quote by Abraham Lincoln onto their slates and then participated in a babbling reading activity in which every student read aloud from different books at the same time. Also, former one-room schoolhouse teacher Marie Marshall talked to the students for a little while during the school day.
Caleb Bellmyer, CLC, said he was pleased with how the classroom was set up for the event.
"I liked how the grades were arranged," Bellmyer said. "The games they played were fun."
The highlight of the day for FSCH student Myranda Pridey was playing games while learning academic information.
"I thought it was really fun when we played train -- a spelling game," Pridey said.
During recess the students played games that were often played by school children in the 1890s such as grace hoops, which was a game only the girls played; Red Rover; Hoops and Drop the Hanky. FSCH student Ellie Stetler said her favorite recess game was Red Rover.
Once back in class, the students took part in an old fashioned spelling bee, math games and even practiced writing with quill pens, according to Shead. Lunch time was also an authentic old fashioned experience for the students, as their lunches had been packed in tin lunch buckets covered with small quilt-like covers, which could be used as napkins. Before the students were allowed to eat their lunches, they washed their hands with homemade soap at the water pump.
FSCH student Ben Self said he enjoyed the school day that he spent at the one room schoolhouse.
"The one room school house was fun, different and educational," Self said. "It was sweet."
Lauren Stark, CLC, also said she enjoyed the old fashioned experience.
"I thought it was better than our regular school today," Stark said. "It was fun."
Shead who has taught at FSCH for the last six years, conducts similar one room school house lessons every other year while her classes are studying Kansas history, she said. This is the first year that students from CLC and FSCH have participated in the adventure together.