Over my life I have had many experiences and adventures.
I was a teacher for a while...37 years. Teaching was a challenge but a very satisfying experience.
I entered teacher's college before my 18th birthday. This was a one year course that did a pretty good job of preparing people to teach.
I got a job in a one room country school. I started teaching before my 19th birthday. Most people would look at 19 year olds as if they were a joke in a classroom. 19 year olds would not be hired today.
I had nine students. The school building was old and in very poor condition. It was built using green lumber which shrunk so there were many cracks in the walls.. You could see daylight out of the northeast corner. There was no insulation. It was heated by a heater not a furnace. Sometimes we would sit around the heater to keep warm. Most mornings we sat around the heater until the building warmed up.
I liked working with those nine kids. I particularly liked the grade ones. It was most satisfying to see how much they had learned in one year.
I enjoyed this year. The parents were most supportive. It was at a time when the rural population was in decline. Schools with this level of enrolment should have been closed but, school divisions could not purchase buses and there wasn't equipment to clean snow off the roads.
I taught one year and resigned. The district wanted me to stay. They had a series of poor teachers before me so wanted me to stay.
The next year the school was closed and the students bused to town.
Really amazing! 9 kids being taught by a 19 year-old! I'd be wearing thermal underwear in those conditions. Too bad you couldn't stay. I bet they remembered you for a long time. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI remember each one of them but I've never seen them since.
DeleteI wonder where all those kids are now...we know about the teacher 😉
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with an older person passing on knowledge to a younger.. isn't that what an apprenticeship is
I have a general idea where most of them are .
DeleteIt is amazing at 19 years old you were teaching students. It is rewarding knowing that you were helping these 9 kids. Take care, have a great day and happy new week!
ReplyDeleteYou could easily say that I was one of them.
Deletei got my first proper govt job call letter when i was 19 :)
ReplyDeleteso true that even private school don't give job to 19 years old now (which mom had not allowed to join because of my brother and his wife' issues).
thanks for sharing the glimpse of special times .
it is always a nice cozy feeling to look back what we achieved in early years of life
health peace and joy!
It's a year that stands out more than any other.
DeleteThose were the days! But very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteTeachers were scarce so I guess they couldn't be too fussy.
DeleteWhat a different time that was! I sure enjoying seeing those cuties.
ReplyDeleteIt was a totally different way of instructing.
DeleteDifferent times, wasn't it? Thanks for the glimpse.
ReplyDeleteIt was a completely different time.
DeleteLovely photos of you and those students. Do you still keep in touch with any of them? (NewRobin13)
ReplyDeleteI don't keep in touch and I have a vague idea where some of them are.
DeleteYou made me smile this morning, Red. Great experience and a wonderful memory!
ReplyDeleteThose pictures show a completely different time.
DeleteWhat a fun memory, though probably not fun at the time -- at least not in winter!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun even in winter. I still remember walking over the big snow banks and the northern lights.
DeleteYou were at the end of an era.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. In a very few years all those one room schools were gone.
DeleteYou have a very interesting history. It's great that you still gave those photos.
ReplyDeleteThese were taken by one of the parents.
DeleteYou tell wonderful stories.
ReplyDeleteRed, Your narrative is a testament to the enduring value of dedicated educators and the difference they can make, even in the face of adversity. It serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting and valuing teachers who are on the front lines of shaping future generations. Thank you for sharing your experiences and for the dedication you showed during your teaching career. John
ReplyDeleteJohn, when you put it that way , it was a privilege.
DeleteWhat wholesome looking children. All eager to learn?
ReplyDeletethey were full of energy . You had to keep them busy.
DeleteTreasured memories Red
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful photos and such a great story. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteYou looked older than 19. Maybe you matured early.
ReplyDeleteOf course you grew up in a rural community yourself so it must have been easy to identify with those nine children - to understand where they were coming from.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo with the kids on the steps.
ReplyDeleteThose kids probably felt that you were so old but you weren't much older at all. I'm sure that made you vibrant and fun
Always enjoy your stories. My dad taught in a one-room school too, nearly 100 years ago now - I can't believe it!
ReplyDeleteHoly smokes! A one year course when you were 18? That's amazing! But you were obviously a natural. I know my mom told me that she became a 2nd grade teacher after just a 4 month teacher course after the war. Teachers were scarce. A lot of men teachers had died. She hadn't even finished high school. But she was smart and sounds like she was a good teacher. One of her students even came to visit her in Hawaii when I was growing up.
ReplyDeleteSmiling kids tells the story!
ReplyDelete