Scandia School is pictured.

Scandia School is celebrating an open house Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. for the public to tour the completely restored 1870s one-room school at Scandia Corners. Admission is free.

Completing eight grades in a one-room school was the most common formal education for children in the 1800s and early 1900s in this region of the country. Early on, there were no state certification requirements for teachers so usually the teacher was simply an exemplary recent graduate of an Elk Township one-room school. The new teacher often boarded with a family close to the school so he/she could be there early in the morning to light the wood stove to heat the classroom and pump a pail of water from the hand-dug well for drinking and handwashing. Sweeping the classroom at the end of the day was an additional responsibility.

In 1898, the Scandia School teacher taught 42 students each day and earned $28 a month. In 1900, with enrollment continuing at 42 students, the teacher’s salary increased to $30 per month. At this time, the teacher was responsible for teaching the students all of the content included in the eight (8) years of elementary education in one room. It was believed that an eight-year elementary education was fully adequate preparation for life. However, the enrollment records reveal that many dropped out because they were needed at home to help with farm chores or household and child care.

In 1908, the enrollment was split into two classrooms with each teacher being paid a monthly salary of $40. Salaries gradually increased over the years so that by 1940, Scandia teachers were earning monthly wages of $100.00.

Elk Township Historical Society is inaugurating a new exhibit honoring Alice Sampson Wall, who taught in Warren County Schools for 46 years, 34 of which were in Elk Township Schools. During her tenure, she taught the scholastic content required in the eight elementary grades to as many as 35 students each day in one classroom. The students enjoyed going to the outdoor playground twice a day and this was done without supervisionthroughout the schoolyear, including the winter months. Before eating their bag lunch or when returning from the visiting the outhouse, the students washed their hands with bar soap in a basin in the classroom.

The day began for Mrs. Wall by starting the wood fire in the classroom and ended late that afternoon as she swept out the classroom. There were no free periods during the day when she had an opportunity to work on lesson planning…that had to be done in the evening at home.

Over the years, Mrs. Wall taught the eight elementary grades in one-room schools to hundreds of students who have become distinguished citizens of our democracy, some of whom continue to reside in Scandia, the rest, all over the world. She died on Christmas Eve in 1984.

On Saturday, leave time to visit Scandia’s other historical museum and gift shop at The Shed, which is nearby. Here is a fine collection of antique cars, a wooden Pennsylvania post office including the postmistress’s window and the customer’s mailboxes, as well as an actual hunting camp from the Scandia woods.