Transcript Education in the Colonies

By Prescott Woods
7A2-ID1
The schools in the colonies were very small. The
school houses, only had one room and one
teacher. There were some privately taught
children, and some children were taught by
their parents. Unlike today, the schools in the
colonies were based on what your parents did.
If your parent was a planter for example, you
would learn the ways of planting once you got
a bit older. The general and basic subjects of
what kids learn goes as follows: reading,
writing, math, poems and prayers.
The Teachers..
Teachers in the colonial times
were given far more authority
then they are today. The
teachers were like parents, or
worse to the students. Teachers
gave harsh punishments like
hanging signs over misbehaving
students or making them wear a
“dunce” hat. Some acts would
even require the teacher to take a
whip to the student!
Teachers relied on the bible for
their teachings. The teachers
who taught at school houses had
the real responsibility. Some
teachers were hired to privately
tutor by the parents. The schools
called “dame schools” were
schools where women taught
from their home.
We modern day people wouldn’t last 1 day
in a colonial school..
Girls learned only just enough to cover
everything having to do with household
duties.
Girls were taught by “governess’s”. The
governess studied from England and
were somewhat educated. Unless the girl
was planning to be a professor or
governess, they would normally not go to
England to get a great education as this
was considered unimportant for women.
Women would learn all the basic household
chores in school. They studied art, music,
French, social etiquette, needlework,
spinning, weaving, cooking, and nursing.
Those were all the skills needed to raise a
family and house.
They didn’t wear denim and
tee-shirts by the way. They
didn’t wear flip flops either
Lets pretend that this nice boy
was drawn by a skilled painter
and not photographed.
Photography didn’t exist……
Ahh yes, boys! Boys were better
educated then girls. Very different
than today! I know loads of girls
smarter than many boys.. Not saying
I’m one of them :D.
Anyway, boys were taught more to have
a more specific profession than the
girls. The boys have a more
advanced curriculum than the girls.
Mainly because the boys need to
work for the household. The boys
studied higher math, Greek, Latin,
science, celestial navigation
,geography, history, fencing, social
etiquette, and plantation
management.
Boys, after finishing their main education
in the New World, would travel to
England for more advanced studies
and experiences. This would be the
equivalent of college nowadays.
They didn’t have much. Since textbooks were
scarce, kids had to recite the lesson out of it
until they memorized it. Other study tools
included a hornbook, and the bible.
Another difference the schools today: they wrote
with lumps of lead or charcoal!
They wrote on an older form of modern day
paper. They wrote on straight birch bark.
Yep, they peeled this birch
bark and wrote on it with the
charcoal lumps shown!
I wouldn’t want to be a student in
colonial times!
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http://biozhena.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/hicol033-colonial-classroom.jpg
http://watermarked.cutcaster.com/cutcaster-photo-100511206-Teenage-girl-with-backpackand-books.jpg
http://us.cdn1.123rf.com/168nwm/speedo101/speedo1010907/speedo101090700045/5285147
-young-boy-wearing-a-backpack-ready-for-school.jpg
http://www.bookmakingwithkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/real-hornbooks.jpg
http://www.spiceplace.com/images/lump-charcoal.jpg
http://www.gladwinhistory.org/screen/building1.jpg
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/88373FE2-CFD8-4B2F-85C36F8D3D011513/12665/photo06.jpg
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Book: Every Day Life in Early America by David F. Hawke