As we prepare for school to start and summer to end ( at least for the College students of Magrath) it made me ponder what school was like 60 years ago. Luckily for me the answers were right in front of me. We have stories from the Lehi School, Bradshaw School, Farmhill School, St Mary School and of course La Prairie.
While reading through the teacher's memories of some of her students, one thought stuck out in my mind. The teacher could recall all of the girls working very hard to make houses by the trees. They had rocks bordering the rooms and they made brooms out of weeds and would sweep the floors and play pretend all recess long. The boys apparently took great joy in pretending to be tornadoes/dinosaurs really anything that would be destructive and take down the houses the girls had worked so hard to make.
I can also recall doing part of my student teaching in a Grade 1 classroom. A young girl had made a beautiful house out of blocks and a young boy decided that he was a storm coming in to test the strength of the house. It makes me smile to know that not a lot has to change over the years.
What has changed that I am most grateful for is heating that I personally do not have to worry about. Back in the day it was the responsibility of the teacher to come in early and start a fire in the stove to warm up the classroom before the students arrived. It was quite the task to keep coal and wood in stock. Teachers and students would often arrive in the classroom freezing from walking or driving to school in harsh winds and snowy conditions.
It was not easy, but the dedication to learn and teach from these students and teachers is inspiring. Come in today and see what other stories and pictures we have for viewing. Don't forget we also have years and years of year books to see!
While reading through the teacher's memories of some of her students, one thought stuck out in my mind. The teacher could recall all of the girls working very hard to make houses by the trees. They had rocks bordering the rooms and they made brooms out of weeds and would sweep the floors and play pretend all recess long. The boys apparently took great joy in pretending to be tornadoes/dinosaurs really anything that would be destructive and take down the houses the girls had worked so hard to make.
I can also recall doing part of my student teaching in a Grade 1 classroom. A young girl had made a beautiful house out of blocks and a young boy decided that he was a storm coming in to test the strength of the house. It makes me smile to know that not a lot has to change over the years.
What has changed that I am most grateful for is heating that I personally do not have to worry about. Back in the day it was the responsibility of the teacher to come in early and start a fire in the stove to warm up the classroom before the students arrived. It was quite the task to keep coal and wood in stock. Teachers and students would often arrive in the classroom freezing from walking or driving to school in harsh winds and snowy conditions.
It was not easy, but the dedication to learn and teach from these students and teachers is inspiring. Come in today and see what other stories and pictures we have for viewing. Don't forget we also have years and years of year books to see!
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