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Education History

Floating Schools & Frozen Inkwells

The One-Room Schools of British Columbia

by (author) Joan Adams & Becky Thomas

Publisher
Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd.
Initial publish date
Jan 1985
Category
History, General
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781550170474
    Publish Date
    Jan 1985
    List Price
    $24.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

This humourous look back at a neglected part of B.C.'s history will be of interest to those who were there . . . and to those who missed it!

Frozen inkwells on winter mornings, black bears coming to class, and wolves on the trail home in the evening are only some of the trials and adventures that one-room schoolteachers faced in the wilds of B.C. Joan Adams and Becky Thomas have interviewed over 100 pioneer teachers (and some present day one-room schoolteachers) and students, to produce a fascinating history of B.C.'s early schools. Adams and Thomas show how the school was the "hub of the community," drawing disparate groups of settlers closer together to escape the difficulties and loneliness of pioneering life in the first half of this century.

There are chapters on Indian schools of the north coast and Doukhobor schools in the Kootenays, tales of city schoolma'ams' romances with Cariboo ranchers, and former pupils' memories of parties, pranks, and discipline. Unique to the province are the coastal schools; one teacher tells of a town complete with school, community dance hall, and badminton court - all on floats!

About the authors

Joan Adams is a retired teacher who lives in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Joan Adams' profile page

Becky Thomas is a retired teacher who lives in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Becky Thomas' profile page