The Historic Sacramento One-Room Schoolhouse by Denise M. Colby

 

The one-room schoolhouse in Sacramento, California is a wonderful museum that sheds light on how schoolrooms operated in the 1800s.

At one time, fourth grade classes could sit in a reenactment. I was fortunate to attend it twice with m first two son's field trip. One was inside the actual schoolhouse, another was underneath the city (I wrote about how Sacramento built on top of itself in last months post).

In both instances, they had all the kids sit through a lesson as it would’ve been taught in the 1860s. Boys on one side, girls sat on the other. If you answered a question, a student must stand. Reciting was a main part of the lesson. There was even a dunce cap in the corner.

 

My son's class sitting in the one-room schoolhouse

 

In these two photos the teacher is showing the boys how to stand and bow appropriately

 

It really was an immersive experience.

And is quite a special memory. My writing journey began here, on that first field trip. Even though I had visited multiple times, this visit to Old Town Sacramento and the one-room schoolhouse birthed an idea. But it wasn’t until the second trip with my second son, did I actually act on it.

What would it be like to be a teacher during that era? How did she keep order? Implement the discipline?

 

 What a schoolteacher would've worn during this time.

The setup on our visit included tables with era related things to purchase. One sheet highlighted all the rules a teacher must follow including how to cut the pencil tips. Other instructions included:

 

These rules were posted on the wall inside the schoolhouse

Another parchment listed out how many lashings a student would receive for any of the following infractions. When you read this list, you realize that many of these rules wouldn’t fly today.

 

The schoolroom is a permanent fixture in Old Town Sacramento. Recently I learned that they have not been doing the reenactment classes since COVID. That’s a shame, as I believe the hands on experience gives students an example of how different people lived over a century ago. 

At least they can still visit the classroom and learn about it from the docents who still work it. 

 

 

Best-laid Plans Series

Three young women. One new beginning. A journey of faith, friendship, and unexpected love. It’s 1869 and three young women travel to Sacramento, California, ready to begin new lives as teachers in the rural one-room schoolhouses of the West. But the plans they carefully laid soon give way to something far greater. As God gently redirects their paths, each woman discovers lessons in friendship, faith, and trust—and encounters the most surprising gift of all: love. (No Plan at all is a prequel story with side characters.)

 

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She finds history fascinating and contemplates often how it was to live in the 1800's. Her debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist. Sign up for her newsletter at

www.denisemcolby.com or follow Denise on Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Pinterest, or GoodReads.