Day at Scranton School – Pittsville Area Historical Society

Classes of 3^rd and 4^th grade students can participate in a day of learning at Scranton School, a one-room country school experience on PAHS museum grounds at which they learn the way kids did back in the day.

Time is spent immersed in one-room school activities from the 1940s. There is large- and small-group instruction. Students role-play 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade levels. Period clothing is given to the students to wear, and they assume the identity of a student from that time, complete with their period name (which they are called the rest of the day), and the names and descriptions of family members, chores they had to do that morning, some family history, and so on.

Activities include flag raising, clean hands check, taking the “goiter pill” (SweeTART), identity sharing, art lesson, reading exercise, Palmer-method handwriting with a dip pen, abacus math, using a slate, reading by lamplight, end-of-day chores, bell ringing, retiring the flag. There is a lunch break (students bring their own sack lunch) with time for an old-fashioned recess, during which students can participate in playground games and activities of the era.

Each student receives a workbook (which they get to keep) with assignments and activities to complete throughout the day. A picture is taken of each student decked out in their period costume, and a print is provided for them to include in their workbook.

PAHS provides the teacher and also helpers for the small groups. However, we request that the visiting school’s teacher(s)/chaperone(s) remain available throughout the day and at each activity to assist with instruction or guidance of students with special needs or behavioral/discipline issues.

A group of up to 30 students can be accommodated at one time. If you would like a group of students to live this historical immersion experience, complete the registration form and contact us.

Download the registration form (.docx)

Students performing flag ceremony — **All students participate in the daily morning flag ceremony. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing a patriotic song was typical.**

Student Instruction in School — **The teacher instructs the class on what they are to do while she is busy with small group instruction.**

Student using the abacus & slate — **Students using an abacus and a slate.**

Students folding the American flag — **Students learn to fold the American flag as part of the flag lowering ceremony at the end of the day.**

Class recitation at the front of the room — **These students participate in a lesson with the teacher while seated at the recitation benches in the front of the room.**

Students Studying — **While one grade is at the front of the room with the teacher receiving their lesson, the rest of the class is busy studying at their desks.**

Students writing with dip pen & ink — **Practicing writing cursive with a dip pen & ink.**

Students entering school — **Entering the schoolhouse to begin the day.**

Student coloring Gleaners picture — **A student keeps himself busy coloring a line drawing of the ‘Gleaners‘ during class.**

Students reading by oil lamp — **Experiencing what it was like to read by oil lamp.**

See a history of the Scranton Schoolhouse

You can find more stories and information about long ago life at Scranton school, plus life at many other country schools in the towns and communities around the Pittsville area in the book, Reading Riting Rithmetic and Recess by Sally Winkels (1989), sold at the museum, or see the Shopping page on this website.