Rochester Images -> Pathfinders -> Town and Village Pathfinders -> Hamlin -> Education

Education

Although many families who lived in the area in the 1800s may have been considered poverty-stricken by today's standards, they made do with what they had. Before schools were made public state-wide, a rate bill system was used whereby parents had to pay for their children's educations. In some cases when the parents couldn't afford the charges, they could instead provide wood to the school to be used for heating the building. Before the days of highly technological science labs, students were taken into the woods to learn about science and nature first hand.

Rate Bill from 1842.
A rate bill showing amounts of wood parents provided to heat the school

Hamlin children in the woods.

Hamlin children with flowers.

Children get a lesson from Mother Nature during an outdoor science class

 | Previous | Next |