Bunert School Museum Warren Michigan

Bunert One Room School Museum
Education was thought of as a privilege and both students and parents wanted it very much to succeed. Most teachers had the full support of parents in the old days. If a boy was bad in school he might get a little extra set of chores to do at school. If he was guilty of serious misbehaving he might experience the sting of a switch on his butt. But if his father found out he would get much worse switchings plus extra chores and work to do. If the boy failed the final exam at the end of the year his father could use that as reason enough to consider that he was unfit for school which meant that he became free labor for the family until he was eighteen. This meant that he had to do a mans work around the farm without pay. The first town meeting was held at the house of Louis Groesbeck, April 3, 1837, Avery Dennison, Sam Gibbs, Lyman E. Rhodes, were voted Commissioners of Schools. The first known school was s split log school house the farmers built at the corner of Creek Road/Ryan roads. Was used as church for both Methodist and Baptist groups. This log building also had split log benches. Rather uncomfortable By 1875 two churches and a school on Ryan Road were in operation. The one called the West School is still standing. It is that red brick building just south of Chicago Road on the East side of Ryan. St Clement school in the middle of Warren was up and running and the Plunket school at Ten Mile and State Road (Sherwood) were operating. The Bunert One Room School pictured below was built in 1875. The school is a wood frame board-and-batten structure. Originally the school housed students in grades 1-8.
The school had one teacher who taught all grades. Classes were held in it until 1944. A larger two room school was built in 1927 and sat next to the Bunert School. Classes K-4 were taught in the one room school, 5-6 and 7-8 were taught in the two room school. The two schools had 3 teachers and 65 students. In 1944 a new 6 room school was built and named Charwood after Betty Chargo and Irene Woodward. The two older schools were then sold to John OConnor who made them into residences. In 1970 it was sold to the Santa Maria Lodge. In 1987 the lodge people offered it to The local historical society who had it moved next to Tower High School. Murthumn High School was built in 1926 as was Busch School. Students if not needed for farm work could attend either high school.
There was only one teacher. During the winter months she was required to walk or use buggy and to get to the school early REGARDLESS OF ANY WEATHER to get a fire started in the potbelly stove so the room was warm for the students. Sometimes the teacher would prepare a hot, noon meal on top of the stove, usually consisting of soup or stew. The School year was September-May. Time 9 a.m. To 3 or 4 p.m., with morning & afternoon 15 minute recesses & an hour for lunch. Student chores were as follows: The older students were given the responsibility of bringing in water, carrying in coal or wood for the stove. The younger students would be given responsibilities according to their size and gender such as cleaning the black board, taking the erasers outside for dusting, sweeping, Dust. Empty trash. Empty water bucket, attend to stove. Sometimes town meetings and picnics were also held at schools.. The youngest children sat in the front. Classes were divided into rows according to grade level. The school was required to provide education in scientific knowledge in harmony with the principles of patriotism, humanity and democracy. it provided for moral, aesthetic, working, health, physical an ecological education of pupils. Subjects were: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Spelling, History, US Government, Civics, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Geography. The older students usually helped the younger students with their lessons. The number of students ranged from about 6 to sixty. Sometimes the classroom was overcrowded.
Methods: The teacher would call each grade level to the front of the room where they would sit on a long bench and receive and recite their lessons. Everyone walked or rode horse to school. Students didn't miss for bad weather. Attendance was better for the girls than for the boys because the boys had to work on the farm most of the time. Teacher usually began with first grade & gave all other students assignments. The teacher would teach one subject at a time to each grade level, then move on to the next grade level with the same subject. Students usually had plenty of time to do their work while the teacher was going over the lesson with the other grades. After the teacher got through with one subject, she went on to the next and repeated the process again. Students got a lot of reinforcement by listening to the teacher teach the other grade levels. The teachers usually had very little equipment with which to work. Any extra materials had to be purchased by the teacher. The students usually did assignments with pencil and newsprint paper or on black tablets. What did the students bring for lunch? Usually molasses or lard and sugar sandwiches, spread bacon fat, syrup, or jam on bread. Hard boiled eggs, Cold pancakes, Peanut butter, cheese, Fried chicken, Apple, Carrots, Tomatoes, and Homemade cookies. On cold days a half baked potato to keep hands warm and baking them at school on potbelly stove. Water was from a comon dipper in in water can in the entry hall. Discipline: Teachers and parents were strict. Brothers and sisters often were in the same classroom with you and would probably tell on you if you were bad. Pupils spoke when called upon by the teacher or requested permission before speaking by raising arm. Required to stand when speaking. Titles of respect (Miss, Mister, Ma'am, Sir) were always used in addressing the teacher. Lesser punishments, rap on the hands or knuckles with a steel edged ruler, standing in a corner with face to the wall, sitting upon a high stool beside the teacher's desk, standing for long periods with arms held straight out in front. It was taken for granted that the Golden Rule, courtesy, fairness, were the Standard of Conduct. In 1878, men teachers earned about $30 per month and women teachers earned $20 per month. There were more women teachers because they could pay them less. Most of them were untrained as teachers. Sometimes teachers would start teaching when they were only 14 years old. This meant that some of them were younger than their students, who ranged in age from 4 to 17 years old. Books were most often "hand-me-downs".
Here are a few of the things taught:

What is the Law of our land? What is the Bill of Rights? What protects your Freedoms? Very important! The Bill of Rights which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution were approved in 1791 to give us specific freedoms. First Amendment guarantees the freedom of religion, of speech, of the press, of assembly, and of petition to the government for redress of grievances. Second Amendment gives the right to bear arms openly, Third Amendment freedom from quartering soldiers in a house without owner's consent Fourth Amendment protects people against unreasonable search and seizure. No searches without warrant or probable cause. This is also about privacy that people supposed to be entitled to have their homes and personal effects private and free from searches. Fifth Amendment no person shall be held for "a capital or otherwise infamous crime" without
indictment, be twice put in "jeopardy of life or limb" for the same offense, be compelled to testify against himself, or "be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law." It also prohibits government from taking private property without "just compensation," Sixth Amendment guarantees the right of speedy and public trial by an impartial jury in all criminal proceedings and the right to have legal counsel for the accused and guarantees that the accused may require witnesses to attend the trial and testify in the presence of the accused. It also guarantees the accused a right to know the charges against him. Seventh Amendment guarantees right of trial by jury in almost all civil cases. Eighth Amendment. Excessive bail, fines "cruel and unusual" punishment prohibited. These rights were fought for in the Revolutionary War from the Bloody British and they were defended in W.W.I and W.W.II and other wars. Thousands of our soldiers died preserving these rights for you. Name the states and capitols for each state. Name the countries of the world and their capitals. Be able to do addition subtraction multiplication and division in your head. Be able to figure a square root with pencil and paper. Know use of fractions and how to add subtract multiply and divide them. Be able to figure percents. Understand and use the rules for punctuation Know the cases for common verbs. Know spelling for common words. Acquire reading skills for your grade level. Be able to write with good penmanship. Be able to write a business letter. Name the presidents of the United States in order. Know why the Revolutionary War was caught and know about the most important battles. Know about the most important events in history. Know about the most import things in Science such as the causes of weather, climate health, etc. Know about the most common inventions. Be able to pass the year end exam. (6th grade final exam) You may visit the Bunert School Museum on the first Sunday of the month except for January, August and holidays.

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Bunert One Room School Museum

Here are a few of the things taught:

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