Pearl and Alice holding a scrap-book belonging to Pearl.
This is my interview with Pearl Spurrell. She was a one room school teacher in Hatchet Cove and then Butter Cove. Pearl graduated from high school at the age of 16 years in the Spring of 1965. She started teaching in the Fall of that same year.
What was the name of the school you taught in? Where was it located?
The first one room school I taught in was at Hatchet Cove. Then I taught in a one room school called St. Alban’s at Butter Cove. I went to St. Alban’s in 1965 and it closed in 1973.
What church operated your school?
The school in Butter Cove was operated by the Anglican church.
What did the classroom you taught in look like?
The school was by the ocean on the edge of the land. The wall facing the water was full of big windows. We had a green chalkboard with colored chalk and the Queens picture on the wall. At the back there was 3 very small storage rooms and a shelf for toys. We never had a pot belly stove. The first year I taught we had a coal stove and after that it was changed to a floor furnace.
How long did you teach in the one room school?
I was 16 when I graduated in the spring. Then I went to a 6 week long course in the summer out to St. John’s and finally started teaching in the Fall. I taught for one year in Hatchet Cove and 4 years in St. Alban’s. I was teaching for 5 years but 10 if you include substituting.
When did school start and end (times of days and months)?
School started in September just after Labour Day ended and ended around June 21. There was a requirement of 187 teaching days. School began 9:30 am., the students left for lunch at 12:30-2:00 and then they got out of school at 4:00 pm.
What where some rules?
They are about the same as the rules we have now. You couldn’t talk to the other students unless you were working on a project together and you couldn’t look at others either, you had to be looking only at the teacher. There was absolutely no cheating. You also had to be on time, have clean nails and keep your hair out of you face.
What were the punishments for breaking the rules?
If you broke the rules you had to stay after school and write out lines which the students didn’t like at all. I owned a strap but I never used it, it barely left the drawer it was kept in.
What grades were taught at that school?
It was primer (kindergarten) to Grade 11 but I taught primer to Grade 6 and the rest went to Gooseberry Cove. In my school, primer was from September-December and then it was grade one from January-June.
How many students were in the school you taught at?
In Hatchets Cove it was about 13, but at Butter Cove the most I ever had was 18.
Was there only one teacher every school day for the year?
Yes. The only other person I saw was the school inspector. I was considered the principal and teacher.
Was there any bullying in the school?
Not really because they all had the same supplies, toys and clothes so there wasn’t anything to pick on anyone about.
Did you find it stressful?
No, not at all. I was well respected in the classroom and the community because I was the teacher and the students were no trouble for the most part.
What subjects did you teach?
I taught Math, English, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Geography for Grade 4, History (of NL) up to Grade 5 and World History for Grade 6.
Was there any routines you or the students had to do (ex. Bringing a junk of wood and lighting the pot belly stove)?
We said the Lord’s Prayer each morning. On Fridays we had junior Red Cross meeting and all the students would bring in a penny or a nickel for the meeting. We didn’t know when but each month the school inspector would come in.
What did you and the students wear to school?
I always wore a dress or a skirt to school, the students didn’t have a dress code. The school board tried school uniforms for one year but it didn’t work out.
Where did you use the bathroom?
There was 3 outdoor bathrooms, one for the girls, one for the boys and one for the teacher.
Do you think it was harder, easier or about the same as teaching in a modern day school?
Easier. There was no pressure of other people and it was very adaptable or easy to cope with. Since there wasn’t a lot of students they all knew each other so, the older students helped the younger ones and there was no bullying.
How would you say that one room schools are different from modern day schools?
In one room schools there was one teacher and no extra-curricular activities unlike modern day schools. The two schools were very different in size and numbers but they both had the same opportunities to learn.
What was your favourite thing about teaching in a one room school?
I liked that I was my own boss. I had complete control over what I was doing and I liked having the same class.
What was something you didn’t like while teaching in a one room school?
Sometimes it would’ve been nice having another adult’s opinion on an idea. Nothing besides that.
Is there anything else you would like to add that wasn’t already asked?
I almost never took sick days but when I did there was no substitute. So if I wasn’t there that meant no school for the day. I went to teacher workshops with other teachers throughout the year. The school had no insulation which was bad for all the wind we got. The parents bought the kids their own supplies but the government bought the toys for the school. We had an open house after report cards (they were sent out three times a year) in the afternoon. Parents only came if they had problems with their kid. We held Christmas concerts where the parents would come in and watch. For Valentine’s day we created homemade Valentines and kept them in a ‘Valentines box’ made out of a butter box and gave them out on Valentine’s Day.
One-room school at Butter Cove (photo donated by Elaine Spurrell)