History of Education in Freehold Township (cont.)

All subjects were used in the final grade for each student. Attendance and deportment were a very important part of the student’s final grade. However, in the attendance records there was a column labeled "weather" for consideration of student’s attendance. Some students had to travel miles to school and had no transportation. Therefore, if weather conditions were too bad they would have been given special consideration for their attendance or lack thereof. Also listed on attendance records was the occupation of the father of each child. Some of these were, shoemaker, farmer, laborer, wheelwright, blacksmith, shipbuilder, ship’s carpenter, carpenter, seaman, butcher, innkeeper, druggist, and harnessmaker.

Students went to school for the whole year. They were only allowed time off to help with the harvest. The school year started in September and ended in August of the following year. The children had to bring their own books from home for studying until the public schools supplied some materials. They used slates to write on, as paper was not supplied and was not readily available until the twentieth century. Lessons were written on the blackboards positioned around the classroom.

The classrooms were set up with the very young children sitting in front of the classroom and the older students in the back. The older children helped the teacher educate the younger ones. Spelling matches were popular as were the repeating of mathematical and geographical tables. The school day opened with a daily reading from the Bible and a prayer. Every pupil was expected to have a Bible, and it was used for the first reading exercise of the morning. One of the older boys were responsible for starting a fire in the stove during cold weather. The boys carried the wood in for the stove each day. They also fetched the water from a neighbor’s house. The school day was eight hours long. The boys went outside at recess while the girls remained inside doing embroidery or cleaning.
At the end of their schooling, students were given a certificate, similar to the diplomas issued today. If they wanted to continue their education, they would go to a "Normal School," which was the equivalent of high school and than on to college if they could afford it.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"Recollections" by Rev. George W. Clark, D.D.-from Pamphlet File "Schools" in Monmouth County Historical Association Library & Archives

"Schools in Early Days" article from Red Bank Register-Aug. 5, 1903
"The Early Schools of Freehold, N.J. and Vicinity 1667-1928" written by Lillian Lauler Wilbur-c.1969 Schuyler Press

"A Century’s Progress in Educational Values in Freehold" lecture given before the Woman’s Club (under the auspices of the Education Department. of Freehold High School) by Lillian F. Lauler-March 15, 1944