| Show wassecond song much enjoyed and then to work Arithmetic was first as 1t was considered the most difficult subject Here we learned to add subtract and do long and short division Afterhalf hour of teaching the teacher made an assignment for homework Homework was always expected of even the youngest pupils and considered an essential part of their education Next camehalf hour of permanship When class started the teacher would say Make two lines an inch apart at the top of your paper or slate Then she started the lesson by saying Round round straight round round straight and we would make perfectly round circles andstraight line staying inside the confines of the two lines When we became well drilled we would stand up and shake our hands to keep them ninble and prevent cramps from the laborious tight holds we had beld on our pencils or chalk Then on tos ands now making three lines orline between the first two so thes would be half as high as thes This drill was practiced every day When the gong sounded we were formed in line and marched orderly down the stairs and outside for recess We would all nmakebee-line for the little houses in the southwest corner of the school ground These foul-smelling outhouses were never cleaned Vulgar filthy pictures and writings decorated the walls Two holes were in each bench smaller one for the small children If perchance someone missed the hole the filth was left to dry of itself No effort was ever made to clean or remove the wetness high fence separated the boys from the girls but that didnprevent loud talk coming through from the boys to the girls or vice versa This errand was quickly taken care of and We were soon out on the playground ready forgame of Sister Perute jump rope ball or Nip cat Often we crossed the street east and junped the big creek that ran along the Barton lot At the sound of the bell we again formedline for the march into the building Mter recess came the dreaded language lesson where We learned to speak properly write themes diagram sentences and conjugate verbs Suchstruggle with adjectives and adverbs Then came short exercise drill where we bent over touched our toes with our fingers reached to the ceiling and shook our heads History was boring nothing but wars of Independence or the Constitution of the United States When the gong sounded for noon we again formedline though never were we allowed to begin marching until everyone ha coats overshoes and place One hour was allo for lunch Sometimes we to our lunches and were allowed -120 |
