McPherson County District: Lindsborg

Public School

By: Ariel Buhr

ED358: Foundations of Education March 3, 2015

Thesis Statement

• In the very early 1900's Common Schools of Kansas had broad branches for teachers to cover with their students. The branches taught around the 1900's are completely different from the requirements that state's have now. Two of those branches were writing and grammar which was specified by Frank Nelson, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to include in the classroom for all ages. In these times the curriculum was based off knowledge of age and not through grade level like it is now, since I have been in school.

West Kentuck, One-room Schoolhouse

The McPherson County Old Mill Museum

District and State Laws

• The state had laws that were a broad spectrum to what districts needed to do.

• Districts placed extra requirements if they felt that their students needed to learn those topics.

Common Schools Of

KansasTo County Superintendents and School Officers:

In accordance with the law, I forward you herewith a copy of the revised laws for the support of schools.

I call your attention to the fact that some new laws of special importance passed at the last session of legislature.

Enough copies have been printed to furnish each school officer of the state with one copy. I earnestly hope the information contained may prove helpful in promoting the educational interests of the state.

FRANK NELSON,

State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

TOPEKA, July 1, 1901. (Laws Of The Regulation, 1901)

Grammar

This grammar sheet was written by a 13 year old boy in 8th grade.

He is learning how to break sentences down.

One thing I noticed was everything is written in cursive.

Grammar

Here is another grammar piece where this student is working on the same sentences.

One difference is the hand writing between the two are a lot different. This paper is a lot clearer and sharper.

Grammar

I thought this was interesting that students were taught how to write a check.

Especially when checks were written out in full.

Comparison past/present

• Before moving on to the Writing, there's an important part that we need to understand.

• Students had other obligations whether the boys stayed home to help on the farm or the girls helped at home with younger children. These and many reasons made some children start school later in life.

• Teachers had requirements on what children needed to learn not necessarily to grade level.

Writing

This writing piece was written by a 9 year old in 3rd grade.

It looks like they were given a sentence to write many times

Also it could be vocabulary for the first 2 words then the sentence starts with Violet.

Writing

Here is another her writing piece but from an 8 year old in 3rd grade.

Again it looks similar to the last but this paper looks like more simple words.

Writing

This piece was written by an 11year old in 4th grade.

For integration this piece could also be involved with history with its simple saying about Spain.

Concluding remarks

Visiting the Old Mill Museum was a great experience for me because it gave me a background on Lindsborg and the history of teaching. To see the different requirements that children had compared to myself in school was interesting. We don't think education has changed much but in reality it has drastically changed. Also to see the way district school were set up and the one room schoolhouse seems insane now to have so many grades in one room!

Acknowledgements

Thanks given to the Old Mill Museum staff for their assistance and use of their archives:

Especially:

Lenora Lynam  and Sheila Malm

Works-Cited

McPherson County Historical Archives. [ca. 1900’s]. Archives at the Old Mill Museum, Lindsborg, KS.  

Laws For The Regulations and Support Of The Common Schools Of Kansas, Together With Notes For School Officers and Official Opinions. Topeka: W. Y. MORGAN,

STATE PRINTER. 1901.