Contributed by LauraWinn Kane
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My Great-Grandfather, CharlesBolton Hedgcock, was born and raised in Schuyler County, Illinois. I thought the following might be of interest. It is a transcriptionof a letter received from him in response to questions I had asked fora grade-school report I did in 1976. He was 89 then. It mainly describeshis schooling.
2/20/76.
To Our Great Granddaughter;
Laura Lee Winn.
Dear Laura:
We are so glad to hear from you and flattered that you should want to knowabout our early schooling. Since your G. Grandmother can neither talk orwrite, because of a stroke, I will tell you of mine and add that hers wassimilar.
I was born May 27, 1886 in a one room log cabin in my Grandfather AndrewJackson Hedgcocks farm. Of this I am proud. My Grandfather Rev. John CastonBolton M.D. helped my mother bring me into this world and baptized me later.He was educated to minister to both the physical and spiritual needs ofhis flock. I started to school when I was six years old, 1892. By thistime I was living in our four room home my parents bought on an 80 acrefarm when I was one year old.
Did I walk to school? Yes. Our home was less than ½ a mile fromthe school. Others in our school walked as far as two miles. They oftenrode a horse or used a horse drawn cart.
Was it in the country? I am proud to say it was in the country, known asRound Prairie. The Kickapoo Indians had burned this patch of prairie everythird year so it would grow prairie grass for buffalo pasture. Buffaloprovided food for the tribe and the skins were used for tents and clothing- especially boots.
Where the bathrooms inside? No. We called them privies. One for girls andone for boys – located at each end and back side of the large school yard.Water was pumped from a well in the center of the front side of the lawnnext to the front fence.
What time did school start? It started in the fall after the farm cropswere harvested. Both boys + girls, men + women worked in the harvesting.School lasted 5 months. A spring term was held later for the young childrenless than 9 years old. Both boys + girls went to work all day the nextday after their 9th birthday. Our day lasted from 4:00 AM to about 9:00or 10:00 oclock at night. Chores, feeding, currying horses etc. from 4to 5:30. Breakfast 5:30. In the field at 6:00 AM or get a reputation forlaziness – feared by people of that day + place. The school day lastedfrom 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. One hour noon and two 15 minute recesses.
What were the subjects? Arithmetic, grammar, spelling, reading, writing,(and I mean writing – not scribbling or printing) history of communityand state, and later the United States. School opened each morning witha song or two and a recitation of the Lords Prayer. This prayer was notrattled off but repeated slowly + meaningfully when the teacher was reallya good one.
Round Prairie school was a one room building with two entrance doors, onefor girls, one for boys. An entrance hall or room for each where overcoats,caps, mittens, overshoes etc could be put on a hook + floor beneath. Themain room was about 36 x 32. Four windows along each side. Kerosenelamps with reflectors between each window and two on the wall behind +above the teachers desk. A wood burning stove in the center of the entranceend of the room. Ceiling high. Blackboards across the whole of the teachersdesk end. The teacher cleaned + swept the floor before leaving in the evening.Older boys kept fire going in winter. The school was a beautiful building,painted white – repeated painted every second or third year. There wasa large wooden porch at
the entrance end and a boardsidewalk from the highway to this porch. It was 6 feet wide. We used tohippity hop its length.
The West half of the school yard had a grove of maple trees. The East halfhad no trees so ball games could be played.
We did not have grades. Children were grouped according to their abilityto master subject matter. I was in the fast group in arithmetic in a mediumgroup for history.
In the winter literary society met there twice a month. My father madea reputation as a debater. My mother was easily the best speller. Her father- a minister – had seen to that.
I am so glad our school was not graded. Why should children who learn easily- and those who learn slowly be in the same class. There were no flunks.Schools in Tucson, Arizona are experimenting with this kind of education.I am totally for it + feel sorry for pupils who must be held back and boredwith a slow class. How poor children who learn slowly shed tears tryingto keep up. Maybe educators – who are usually easy learners cause the slowlearners to suffer – will change their minds about this matter.
Tell your teacher what I think. Tell her I am Professor Emeritus of NorthernMichigan University with a record of 10 years High School teaching + coaching,and 35 years of Collegiate teaching + coaching.
Many will tell you I should not have told you this but with me it is apart of my convictions after living nearly 90 years + teaching 45 of them.
Your mother tells me you are enjoying this way of being educated.
I am so glad you like school. It speaks well for both you, your parents,your teachers.
With Great
Grandparental love,
CB + Maude Hedgcock.
P.S.
Clothing worn: Boys overalls,girls long skirts but of a cloth that lasted under hard usage. Bare footedin summer up to age 16 or so. Number of pupils: Winter – some 20 to 30.One year 3 were 20 and 21 years old. Summer: some 15, maybe, most of whomwere under 9 years of age.
How about New Math: Beforeit was installed I voted for it – not really understanding what it meant.
I hope it will be discontinued – soon. Why should all persons understandthe math needed to get to the moon? Cause it to be mastered by the engineerswho are going to enter that type of work.
Copyright 1999, 2000 LauraWinn Kane
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