Once education of the young began to be regarded as a necessity, a place in which to provide it also became a necessity. In North America, the first schools in rural areas were usually one-room buildings in which a solitary teacher taught children of all age levels. In small communities, the teacher might have only had a handful of pupils, but in some places had fifty or more. And schools weren’t just schools back then, either. Many also served as the venue for parties, town meetings, political rallies, and religious services.
For more info, visit:
http://www.oneroomschoolhouses.ca/
http://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/richman.html
http://mentalfloss.com/article/58705/11-ways-school-was-different-1800s
