A Glimpse at the "Back-to-School" Supplies of Colonial America

I've got a passel of grand-kids heading back to school, from first-year college student to high school, grade school, Kindergarten, and Preschool. "Back-to-school" is a loosely used term in our family, as several of these youngsters are home-schooled. Therefore, while their days are definitely geared toward formal education, they aren't actually heading away from home. For them, the practice of "doing school" is not so different in some ways than what a lot of children experienced in Colonial America. Only some of the tools have changed.

Education

While school attendance didn't become compulsory in America until only a hundred years ago, education was by no means lacking before then. In fact, there were numerous laws concerning education on the books in the first thirteen colonies. What that actually meant varies.

In the northern colonies, schools were being established by the colonial government among communities where people grouped together. In the middle colonies, most of that need was met by the free market. Schoolmasters commonly opened up shop and charged a fee for students to attend. In the southern colonies and on the frontier, most children were educated at home, at their mother's knees and in the fields, barns, and tool sheds where they learned the trades they'd need to become productive adults. In fact, almost all students, wherever they were raised, began their educations at home. The majority learned to read before they actually took on more formal education outside the home. It is said that the literacy rate in Colonial America was higher than 90%.

Materials

Across the colonies, most students used the same types of school supplies, and that list looks a bit different in some aspects than it does today. Many children began to learn their letters, memorize Scripture, and do simple reading exercises and mathematical sums with the help of a Hornbook.

A Hornbook was a small, wooden paddle with lessons tacked on the front. (About the size of a or 4" x 6" note card or a little larger.) Hornbooks usually had a hole in the end of the handle which could be strung with a cord for wearing on a child's belt or around the neck. The lesson itself was covered with a transparent piece of horn--kind of an early laminate--to protect it. I find this alone to be an amazing process, stemming from the 1500s. The horn, usually from an ox or sheep, went through a process of being boiled, separated, cooled in water, and eventually pressed into plates. This process took weeks.

Hornbooks were eventually made of other materials too. If you'd like to do an educational, historical project with your children, grandchildren, or students, you can make your own hornbooks (not out of actual horn, of course). I'll post the link to the craft project at the end.

The Bible was the main book from which most children learned to read and memorize. Children commonly attended church and were familiar with Scripture. Those who couldn't attend were still taught the Word. Thus, they soon became proficient readers by learning to read passages in the Bible.

The New-England Primer was the main teaching textbook for children besides the Bible. Of course, any other books that might be available were prized. and many of these might be considered religious literature -- books such as Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan and Isaac Watt's Divine Songs.  

Writing Implements - Bear in mind, that children who grew up without the benefit of these basic educational supplies had less to work with, yet even on the frontier students would practice their letters with quills or lumps of coal on pieces of birch bark.

Slates came into use later. Used originally for roofing, they became popular in education in the latter part of the 18th century. Slates were about the size of a modern notebook, or a touch smaller, and were framed by wood.

A willingness to hard work was expected in order to acquire an educated mind. I include this, because hands-on experiences in practical daily living such as learning to sew, knit, build a wheel, churn butter, card wool, plant and harvest, work with iron and wood, practice animal husbandry--the list goes on--were tasks just as important as learning the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. No child could acquire skills for daily living and the ability to develop a trade without first learning a practical work ethic. 

This is just a brief overview of things that might have been considered when preparing to teach a child in the American colonies. Despite the limited books and tools available to the average household compared with what we have today (not even considering computer technology), youngsters grew up well-educated in the societies in which they lived. 

What is your favorite book or item on your back-to-school list this fall (even if you nor anyone in your household is going back to school)?

Would you like to make a hornbook with your youngster? 

Click here to check out this fun project at Bookmaking With Kids.

Blessings~

Naomi Musch

https://naomimusch.com/

Reenactments as Learning Tools for Homeschoolers by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Last year I had the privilege of attending a reenactment of the Battle of the Hook which took place in Gloucester, Virginia. Cynthia Howerter has also blogged about this experience on Colonial Quills. Today I am writing about the value in bringing your homeschoolers to such events.

The picture above is the scene we were met with when we entered Warner Hall. Can you imagine, living back in the time of the American Revolution, what it would be like to wake up and find an army encamped in your fields? By bringing children to some of these events, they can see in real life what their history books are talking about (without the gore of course!)

Youth in regimental uniform

You can bet that the young fellow pictured above has learned a great deal about colonial times by participating in reenactments with his parents. We've just begun homeschooling this year, but we've been bringing our son to many of these events over the years. And he earned perfect SOL History scores in public school. God has been good in giving us opportunities, where we live, to experience "living history" in Virginia's Historic Triangle.

The adults we met were very helpful in answering questions about their regiments, which had come from all over the United States. This is an opportunity for your young scholar to hear from people who have knowledge about specific parts of the eastern seaboard. Before going to an event, ask your homeschooling child to come up with some questions they'd like answered. Have them bring a small notepad and a backpack.

Also, for moms and dads, bring your pocketbook for all the amazing shops for reenactors clothing! I was able to purchase a colonial outfit for myself at a fraction of the cost I would have paid for such an ensemble locally. Word of caution--when purchasing hand sewn items for children, double check that the stitching is tight and is double stitched. I found a gorgeous shirt for my son that tore after only one wearing. I should have known to have checked because I learned to sew as a child.




With Virginia reenact ors dressed in frontiersmen's garb, this is an opportunity for parents to ask their children why these soldiers are dressed differently. And to discuss the differences between local militia units and being part of the Continental Army. Also great chance to ask about what the militia men and their families faced by having left their homes, and potentially crops, behind.

Frontiersmen Reenactors

We also got to view an arrival by water, which was really wonderful! If you look at the water, you'll see reenact ors arriving at the battle scene by boat! I've never seen anything like that before.

Set at gorgeous Warner Hall, a bed and breakfast, The Battle of the Hook Reenactment was open to the public. But you can also come stay on these historic grounds at other times as a paying guest at the inn. Last year they also had a Christmas event with cookies and hot cocoa for the children.  Warner Hall was so expansive I had to take two pictures to fit it all in. Notice how the building extends to the right. And below I've added the picture of the left flank.

This is the main house at Warner Hall

Left flanking house from Warner Hall

Looks like a great place for Mom and Dad to come back to by themselves, don't you agree?

Here's the link to The Inn at Warner Hall (click here.)













Read more about Warner Hall here on Janet Grunst's post last year on CQ (Click here.)

Jennifer Hudson Taylor also blogged about the value of reenactments. (Click here.)


Q: Do you have a special reenactment event that you like to attend?




Bio: Carrie Fancett Pagels is the Amazon bestselling author of "The Fruitcake Challenge" and "Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance" and loves almost all things colonial!