Myrna Vey and Alice Spurrell holding Dick and Jane Primer Book
Myrna Vey is currently a Deacon of the Anglican Church in Hodges Cove. She used to teach in a one room school located in Long Beach in 1963 and I interviewed her for my project.
What was the name of the school you taught in and where was it located?
The first school that I taught in was a two room School in Little Hearts Ease and then I taught in was a one room school in Long Beach in 1963. It was located where the Anglican church is now.
What church ran your school?
The Anglican church ran the school that I taught at but there was another school that was operated by the United church that I was transferred to.
What did the classroom you taught in look like?
There was no play area inside so the students would play outside. There was a globe, a map and a chalkboard on the wall. At the front, there was a small stage with a teacher’s desk on it. There was also a pot belly stove in the middle of the room that was changed to a floor stove when we got electricity.
How long did you teach in a one room school for?
I graduated when I was 16 in May and started teaching in the fall. I taught for 13 years.
When did school start and end (times of days and months)?
School started after labour day and there was a required number of teaching days. We had (about 185 days). It started at 9:00 am then the students went home at 12:00 for lunch and came back at 1:00 pm. School was out at 3:00 pm.
What where some rules?
You had to take off your coat when you came in and you couldn’t run in the room. You needed to have clean nails and take care of your things. Also no throwing snow in other people’s faces. There wasn’t a lot of rules, just the basic rules.
What were the punishments for breaking the rules?
If the students broke rules while playing a game, I would stop or end the game. and I owned a strap but I never used it. It sat beside me on a chair.
What grades existed?
There was primer (kindergarten) to Grade 8
How many students were in the school where you taught?
20-25 students.
Was there only one teacher every school day for the year?
Yes.
Was there any bullying in the school?
No, everyone was on the same scale because they all lived in the same place and they all had the same quality clothes. Some of the boys fought over the girls and I would break up the fight and there was nothing serious. Even though they were little, they had respect for each other.
Did you find it stressful?
No, but in some ways. It was a little stressful keeping everyone busy but it wasn’t always because the older grades helped out the younger grades and they did with what they had to do. When they were finished they would work on their copy books which were books that they practiced writing.
What subjects did you teach?
Reading, spelling, arithmetic (math), language, science, geography, history of Newfoundland, and Physical Education.
Was there any routines you or the students had to do (ex. Bringing a junk of wood and lighting the pot belly stove)?
We always said the Lord’s Prayer in the morning when school started. We sang the Ode to Newfoundland on special occasions and we had a service on holidays. I rang my bell after lunch or play time indicating that class was starting and at the end of the day the students left by grades.
What did you and the students wear to school?
We wore regular clothes and there was no dress code.
Where did you use the bathroom?
At first there was an outhouse. Then there was a toilet with no water and someone would come in and flush it out with a bucket of water. Finally and then there was a room divided into two rooms, each having a toilet with working water.
Do you think it was harder, easier or same level of difficulty as teaching in a modern day school?
I have taught in a modern day school and a one room school but I think that it’s easier because it was less stressful. You had no one watching you and you didn’t have to deal with other teachers or a principal.
How would you say that one room schools are different from modern day schools?
In a one room school there were more grades to teach but there were less kids. Because of that the students listened more and modern day schools would have more supplies.
What was your favourite thing about teaching in a one room school?
The different ages and the diversity.
What was something you didn’t like teaching in a one room school?
No place to wash your hand and poor heating.
Is there anything else you would like to add that wasn’t already asked?
With the stove someone from the community would come in the morning and light it and the teacher would never bring wood. There were concerts held and report cards sent home at Christmas, Easter and at the end of the year that said if you passed. There were no parent teacher meetings, just notes sent home, and Red Cross meetings with the students were held on Fridays. Finally, when it was time for needles a nurse would come in and give them to the students.
School in Long Beach (Photo credit: Shirley Smith Jennings)