School Days Of Long Ago In the early years the little one room school was an important part of the districts, and each one have stories that live on. Some tell of the water pail and large dipper the children used to drink from. At recess they would go to the nearest home and have the pail refilled. The children had slates and some copybooks. The older boys and girls would use pens mostly made of goose feathered quills. There were no blackboards, so teachers had to do the reading and explaining. Some not been well learned and not of too good a character, one old timer told me, we would have been better off staying at home. To take charge of the bigger boys, the teacher used a heavy rod or strap that was not spared. The wooden tables and benches were made in the districts and were difficult to sit on during the long days at school. Children had to walk long miles to school. Some were fortunate enough to be driven in the winter time by horse and sleigh. Some of the children would bring along hand sleighs to 152