One-Room Schoolhouse

Amos and Elizabeth were walking to school. There was a lot of snow. It was 1885. They lived in Walnut Grove. They walked one mile to school every day.

Amos was seven, and Elizabeth was 10. They were in the same class. All of the kids in the town were in the same class. There were 17 students. Their school only had one room. It was called a one-room schoolhouse.

Amos started a fire in the big stove. It kept them warm on cold days. Lizzie cleaned the desks. Some desks were big, and some were small. They all sat in rows.

Miss Laura put slates on all of the desks. She put chalk in the front of the room. Lizzie cleaned the board with a wet cloth. Miss Laura opened the book to the right page.

The bell rang for school to start. All the children came to school. They put their coats on the hooks in the hall. They put their lunches down by their desks. They took the snow off their boots. All of the students stood up to say the pledge to the flag.

The children then ate lunch and played games in the middle of the day. Some children played marbles. Others jumped rope and played clapping games. Some children ran races. Some played ball with sticks.

When the day was over, the children got their books and walked home.