One Room School

by Alice Spurrell, 2023

Summary

In completing this heritage fair project, I interviewed two, one room school teachers. It helped me understand that although some things were more difficult such as maintaining the schools and bringing in wood to keep it warm all day, other aspects were easier than now. An example of this was the absence of a  principal, which reduce the pressure for the teacher. Also, where there wasn’t a lot of students and older kids helped the younger ones with their work.

Both Myrna [Vey] and Pearl [Spurrell] said in their interview that they would rather teach in a one room school because of those reasons which I found interesting. Another thing about one room schools I found interesting was the fact that there was little to no bullying. Nowadays in modern schools there are many cases of bullying and we have a day devoted to the acknowledgement of bullying. In the one room schoolhouse besides the scattered argument between boys over a girl, most all the kids got along.

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Interview with Pearl Spurrell

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 Queen’s 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 Hatchet 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.

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Interview with Myrna Vey

Myrna Vey is currently a Deacon of the Anglican Church in Hodge’s Cove. She use 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 Heart’s 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 it the same school 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.

 

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Uploaded June 2023