The Cherry Valley School is quite typical of one-room schoolhouses that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries here in Iowa and the Midwest. These one room school houses were needed because in the late 1800's Iowa's Legislature passed a law which required that all children attend school until the 8th grade or 14 years of age-whichever came first. Moreover, no child could be forced to walk more than two miles to school. All eight grades were taught in one room. There was a table in front for each grade to come together to study their lessons. Sometimes there would be a bench in front where children would come to have their lessons and this bench became known as "The Recitation Bench" Reciting-or saying from memory-was the main form of instruction in the one room school house. The children were taught a solid basic education, which included reading, arithmetic, spelling, history, geography, writing, penmanship and science. Music was taught as a whole class and physical education consisted of games played at recess and noon lunch.

In the early days of one-room schoolhouses, students predominantly used slates and slate pencils-similar to chalk. Later the first lead pencils and tablets were introduced. The very best papers would have been done in pen and ink. Inkwells on the desk were used and the old-fashioned "nib" pens were dipped into the ink and a few letters formed before the pen would need to be dipped again. The introductions of "fountain pens" with refillable bladders were welcome additions. These pens could be seen in the 1902 edition of the Sears and Roebuck catalog.

Lunches were almost always brought from home in an old syrup pail. The lunch pail on the desk would have been very fancy because it contained two separate compartments. A lunch could be re-heated if water was put in the bottom compartment and the entire pail was placed on the pot-bellied stove. Another treat for students might be to have one of the families donate a hunk of beef, while other students brought potatoes, carrots, turnips, onions, etc. for a big pot of beef stew cooked on top of the pot bellied stove all morning. Add some homemade bread and you've got the first hot lunch program.

The maps on our wall also tell a wonderful story of our world at the turn of the century. Note that a number of the nations that had disappeared for a while are now back-Bosnia, the Czech Republic, just to name two. Also, look at the map of the United States and note how many "States" were still territories at the turn of the century. These are topographical maps, which means that they show elevations. It's fun to point out that some things don't change-like how flat Iowa and Nebraska are! The case in the back of the room is where all of these maps fit when they are not being used.

The nursery rhyme murals around the schoolroom walls were saved by a Janitor from Taylor School here in Cedar Rapids. These would have been very typical decorations in a one-room schoolhouse. Also, note the teaching chart for reading and the pictures of the three Presidents on the back wall. These three presidents were known as the "Martyred Presidents"-they were the Presidents who had been killed by the turn of the century.

The Cursive charts that are hung on the walls teach the Palmer Method of Handwriting. Mr. Palmer was a native of Cedar Rapids and his method of handwriting was learned by generations all over the country. He is buried at Cedar Memorial Cemetery.

The McGuffey readers in the desks are re-productions of ones that would have been used at the turn of the century. Note that even 1st graders were learning to write in cursive at the turn of the century.

Around in back is the outhouse. One side clearly marked for boys, the other side for girls.