Purdy School: A Chance for Kids to Experience a One-Room School House

Have you ever wondered what it was like to go to school in a one-room school house? Everyone has heard stories of the one-room schoolhouses that dotted our country's landscape in years gone by and Purdy School is such a place. Originally built in Perry County Illinois, the building served as school house from about 1860 until 1951 - nearly 100 years. It was moved in 1983 to the campus of John A. Logan Community College where it is now available to groups wanting to experience a bit of the past.

Purdy School is part of the John A. Logan College Museum which is also housed on campus. The museum focuses on the cultural heritage, visual arts and natural history of the southern Illinois area. The admission is free and the museum can be visited Monday through Friday from 8 AM until 9 PM and on Saturdays from 9 AM until 5 PM.

Groups of students, including public school cases and home school groups, can reserve Purdy School for a one-day session each fall and spring. Attendance is free. Volunteer teachers lead the students through a typical 1800s school day complete with reading from the recitation bench, writing on slates and using quill pens.

Complete with hardwood floors and old fashioned wooden desks, the experience is as authentic as possible. The room boasts a pot bellied stove and vintage textbooks. Some children even come dressed in period costumes, making the experience more realistic.

Children will be instructed to exit their desks from a specific side and come to the recitation bench for reading. They will use McGuffey readers which were popular in the 1800s. They may participate in a spelling bee or special craft project. Teachers may share personal experiences of going to other ne-room school houses in their youth and regardless of their personal experiences, will strive to bring the period to life for the students.

One of the highlights of the day is the recess periods where kids get to play games played by children for more than 150 years. Walking on stilts or on inverted cans with strings looped through them as handles is more challenging than it looks. Good old-fashioned tug of war is always a favorite. Rolling a hoop with a stick and playing jump rope emphasize coordination and fun.

Purdy School is also open for privately arranged tours through the college's museum office at museum@jalc.edu or by calling 618-985-2828, Ext. 8287.

For more on John A Logan, the Civil War General and Illinois statesman, read "The John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro Illinois"

Sources: Personal Experience, John A Logan Community College website