History/Geography

1st and 2nd graders learn about history through a skit called Toys Teach History that was created by our Schoolmarm Ruth Pelkey. She has the students put their heads on their desks with their eyes closed. She then puts a toy on each of their desks. From there she begins to give hints and ask questions that relate to the various toys. It is a fun learning experience where students try to figure out what such things as an icebox was used for.

Please click on this link to find out about this one-room schoolhouse lesson: Toys Teach History

History of Ohio's One-Room Schools

One-room schoolhouses in Ohio were formed from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 that said, “being necessary to good government, and the happiness of mankind, school and the means of educations shall forever be preserved.”

There were limited educational opportunities in the Northwest Territory and Ohio once it became a state. Mothers educated their children at home, although there were a number of schools founded in towns and villages. The settlers believed that schools would have a civilizing influence on Ohio.

The settlers in Ohio took this ordinance to heart and developed a particularly strong concern for education. As each new settlement was formed, a school district was set up and a means for education was provided. Much of the time, schools in rural areas were governed by rural farmers who had little or no education themselves. However, these farmers were determined that their children should learn how to read, write, and do arithmetic.

Because of their rural setting, one-room schools were often thought of as poor, unfortunate places where an education was mediocre at best. This was not the case. The one-room setting of these schools was often an advantage. In the country schools, students had more flexibility between grades.

Students were advanced based on their abilities, not on their ages. Students who excelled could sit with older students and the students who needed more help could sit with younger students. Since everybody was in the same room, it really didn’t matter who was in what class.