19th+Century+VS.+21+Century--MEL08

Topic 1: School


 * __Example 1:__ //Boys went to school in the winter, and girls went in the summer.//** "Having five sons beside the youngest, who died in infancy, the farm was carried on under his oversight by a hired man with the aid of the boys, during the summer, the boys taking care of the stock and doing the chores, and going to school during the winter." http://www.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=987

Example 2: There was a male teacher in the winter and a female teacher in the summer. "Our district school was taught by a man in the winter and a young lady in the summer, this we attended while it kept, some six or eight months in the year, in the intervals it was not unusual for some young lady to set up a private school, at a charge of a New York or Yankee shilling per week for tuition; these too we attended until we reached an age when our services were needed in housework or on the farm." http://www.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=987

Example 3: The school was only one room. "Most of them attended one-room district schools within walking distance of their homes." http://www.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=146

Example 4: They only learned the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. "Here they learned the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, and sometimes went on to geography, history, and English composition." http://www.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=146


 * __//Conclusion://__** I think school is alot easier nowadays. Back then, you had to share a schoolhouse with kids of all different grade levels. Plus, the schools were only one room. It must have been pretty boring. Teachers were allowed to whip the students, and I would have had to go to school on the hot summer months. School must have been really tough back then.


 * __ Topic 2: Work and Chores

__** **//Example 1: They had to do chores everyday and every night.//** "On Saturday afternoons, no school, afterwards changed to the whole or every alternate Saturday, and beside our usual chores night and morning, on these Saturdays we must accomplish a portion of work before we could play, shelling so many bushels of corn or cutting, splitting or carrying in to the house an allotted quantity of wood in the winter, hoeing an allotted portion of the garden or other similar work in the summer."http://www.osv.org/explore_learn/document_viewer.php?DocID=987

Example 2: Chores were separated by gender. "The girls would do more of the women's chores and the boys would do more of the men's chores." http://www.pennridge.org/p/p-chorespast.html

Example 3: Girls would do the household chores. "Girls tasks were basically centered around household chores: They would wash dishes, clear the table, make beds, and clean up around the house, prepare foods, and sew." []

Example 4: Boys would do more of the outside chores. "Some chores for boys were: fetching water and chopping wood." http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110073/MLSettlement.html

Chores are a lot easier nowadays. Back then, they had to make butter, chop wood, and take care of the family farm. All I usually have to do is make my bed, keep my room clean, and sometimes dust or set the table. In the 19 th century, children had a big responsibility.
 * __//Conclusion://__**