In the Old West, literacy was not a luxury that most adults enjoyed.  In fact, many adults couldn't read or write, particularly during the first half of the nineteenth century.  By 1870, educational opportunities were improved by the employment of organized school districts.

The Schoolhouse

The early schoolhouse was the family cabin using whatever education materials were at hand.  In most homes, the Bible was the text for learning to read and write.  Frontier educators, usually the children's mother or a literate neighbor, used the dirt floor of the cabin for a blackboard.  Children could learn the letters of the alphabet and math problems using a stick to write in the dirt.  

To employ a teacher and build a schoolhouse for the children of the area depended on one thing:  financial resources of the residents.  Donation of land and assistance in constructing a schoolhouse cabin was a community effort.  

Inside the Schoolhouse

Wood burning stoves (like the one in the photograph) were placed inside the schoolhouse to ward off the cold of winter.  The distribution of heat was uneven to say the least.  Students seated closest to the stove could get quite warm while those furthest away may feel a chill.  Despite the less than perfect environmental conditions by today's standards, students attended school to learn.

The materials available for students varied.  Most had a spelling book and the teacher had several books available for teaching.  Students were required to supply their own slates, tablets, rulers and pencils.  

Transportation to School

Attendance by students to school depended on weather and time of year, particularly in farming communities.   Rarely did parents accompany their children to school.  Students either walked, rode one of the family's horses or drove a team and wagon.  The schoolhouse was usually centrally located so it was accessible by the children of the community.  

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