ACDS Students Have Fun Learning

On June 1 the Aylett Country Day School first through third grade students participated in an interactive demonstration of how certain tasks were performed prior to the availability of modern conveniences. Students hand washed and hung clothes, finding that there were no buttons to push on the “washing machine” or “dryer.” The nineteenth century schoolmistress introduced them to the one room log schoolhouse. She covered the McGuffey Primer, a method of teaching reading used during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Students found that the method was very similar to today’s method, but the illustrations were very different. The letter “I” was represented by an ink bottle, the letter “Y” by an ox yoke. There were expressions of great disgust with the “water fountain”, a well bucket and a coconut shell dipper, and no air conditioning! The best question of the day: “Where is the bathroom?” They also learned how clothes, blankets, sheets and other textiles were made from wool and cotton. Twisting a bit of wool in their hands to “spin” yarn, students saw how the spinning wheel produces yarn much faster! Students also learned that a sheep shearer shears wool off the sheep in the spring and washes it before carding, spinning and weaving the fiber on a loom followed by cutting the fabric to sew a garment. One concern expressed was whether sheep “hurt” during shearing. Even though most of the children had gardens at home and some were familiar with canning, they were introduced to what was done to prepare for the winter months when fresh fruits and vegetables were not available. They enjoyed stringing apple slices to dry and tasting samples of dried apples. In addition, the “Fossil Man” demonstrated why and how marine fossils can be found locally. The students were excited about what they learned and the school was very complimentary of these unique experiences.

Images courtesy of Alice Sheley, Aylett Country Day School, Biddie Shelor