Description
#2 Occupation: Teacher
By 1900, more and more kids in Iowa were going to school. In rural places, a one room school had many grades learning together with one teacher. In urban places, such as in this photo, a teacher had a class of students who were all in the same grade level. Teachers covered reading, writing and arithmetic and sometimes geography, needlepoint or Bible lessons. In rural areas, kids were not required by law to attend school until 1902, and many kids stayed home to help with work on the farm. This photograph shows African-American children learning about Thanksgiving in their classroom at Whittier Primary School in Hampton, Virginia.
Source-Dependent Questions
- What is the working environment for a teacher?
- What skills does this teacher need in order to be successful at her job?
- Compare and contrast this school photo with your school. Use evidence from the photo to tell how it is the same and how it is different.
Citation Information
Johnston, Frances B. "Thanksgiving Day Lesson at Whittier," ca. 1899. Courtesy of Library of Congress