Bulloch-Statewide-Unknown County GaArchives News.....Country Culture / School Days September 5, 1963 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Francesca Henle-Taylor henle@fmfproductions.com October 20, 2012, 10:37 am Chatham New York Courier September 5, 1963 Country Culture School Days By Eugenia B. Christensen Miss Priscilla Belle Hogan, my grandmother, was one of the first career women in her part of the south. In the late 1880's, at the age of nineteen, she accepted the position of teacher of a one room school in Bulloch County, Ga. Several of the pupils were older than she but discipline was no problem, since grandmother stood five feet eleven inches in her hand-knitted stockings and even the boldest boy was in awe of the flashing blue eyes and abundant black hair which reminded him constantly that her Irish temper was not subdued by her self imposed disciplines. But Grandmother had her difficulties. She was required to teach English, arithmetic, history, geography, science, music, art, spelling, penmanship and good manners to twenty children from six to twenty years of age. Somewhere in this melange she stated that the scientific division of earth matter consisted of three kingdoms: animal, vegetable, mineral. She carefully explained that human beings had warm blood and therefore were members of the animal kingdom. Some of the older students were insulted by the idea of occupying the same kingdom as their horses and cows and went home to complain to their parents. The parents, not having had the same advantages as their offspring to go to school were righteously indignant and demanded an investigation by the school board. The members, most of whom were old enough to be her father, reprimanded the teacher for discussing so controversial a subject with the children and demanded that she retract her statement. Grandmother defended herself by producing evidence printed in the science book, but the board suggested she just skip that part of the book so as not to confuse the students and cause hard feelings among the parents. Grandmother refused and resigned in protest against the suppression of knowledge. Today, the one room school has been replaced by palaces with hundreds of rooms and teachers and the child living in the most remote area shares the same educational advantages as his city cousin. The subjects taught are still very much the same even though a few are called by other names. But the orchestras, art exhibits, field trips, science shows and sports participation exceed anything ever dreamed of in 1889. Surely, our students today must receive an education far superior to any other the animal kingdom has ever known. However, I have wondered recently how grandmother would feel about banning prayers and books on sex in the schools. Education is always a .slow process and it seems that no matter what the date or generation, people resist enlightenment on controversial subjects. Additional Comments: Abstracted from Chatham NY Courier, September 5, 1963 www.fultonhistory.com File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/bulloch/newspapers/countryc3195nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 3.4 Kb