•What+the+Colonial+Learner+Would+Experience

 **__The Hornbook__** The hornbook was used by school children for several centuries, starting in the Mid-15th century, in Europe and America. The hornbook consisted of a wooden paddle with lessons tacked on and covered by a piece of transparent horn. The wooden paddle was approximately 2 3/4" x 5" with an easy to hold handle. A hole was put in the handle so a leather thong could be tied to it and the child could carry it on his/her belt or around his/her neck. The lessons consisted of different combinations of the following things: the alphabet, vowel and consonant combinations, the Lord's Prayer, a form of a cross, and a praise of the Trinity. These were hand written on a piece of parchment, then tacked to the wooden paddle. The horn tacked on over the lessons was used to keep the lessons from being soiled by the child. The horn of oxen and sheep were used to make the laminating structure. The horn was left in cold water for several weeks, which separated the usable part from the bone. It was then heated, first in boiling water then by fire, and pressed by plates and machines to make it smooth and transparent. As time went on, hornbooks were also made of a variety of other materials. They were made from ivory, various metals, leather and cardboard. They ranged from plain, whittled type, to carved type, to tooled, embossed, and engraved type.
 * What the Colonial Learner Would Experience**

The first schools children in colonial America usually attended were Dame Schools. Dame schools were generally taught by women (or "dames" as they were called in colonial times) in their own homes. The teacher would often continue with her household chores while the children attended school. The young students learned to recognize and recite their letters and numbers. They were taught to read and write simple words. They also memorized prayers. Dame schools rarely had desks, and there were few books for the children. Their lessons were very simple. This was the only schooling most girls received during the early colonial years. Boys often went on to grammar schools where they continued their education.
 * __T he Dame School[[image:dame_school.jpg width="291" height="197" align="right"]] __**

 **__The New England Primer__**

The New England Primer was a textbook used by students in New England and in other English settlements in North America. It was first printed in Boston in 1690 by Benjamin Harris who had published a similar volume in London. It was used by students into the 19th century. Over five million copies of the book were sold. In the 1700's schools in the colonies were strongly influenced by religion. It was the intent of the colonists that all children should learn to read and in 1642 Puritan Massachusetts passed a law stating this. They believed that an inability to read was Satan's attempt to keep people from the Scriptures.The New England Primer followed a tradition of combining the study of the alphabet with Bible reading. It introduced each alphabet letter in a religious phrase and then illustrated the phrase with a woodcut. The primer also contained a catechism of religious questions and answers. Emphasis was placed on fear of sin, God's punishment and the fact that all people would have to face death.

**__Latin Grammar School__** In the early 1600's Puritan families were concerned with the thoughts that someday their trained and learned leaders would be no more.This caused them to put their first major stress on secondary and higher learning. Potential students had to pass an entrance exam which demanded that they knew how to read and speak Latin and Greek. The first Latin Grammar School was established in Boston in 1635. These schools were originally designed for only sons of certain social classes who were destined for leadership positions in church, state or courts. The study of Latin and Greek and their literatures was blended with the religious denominationalism coming from the heritage of the Protestant Reformation. The only pupils who were even considered for these schools were the male students who belonged to a certain class bracket. Girls were not considered for these schools because all of the world leaders and important "persons" were males from the upper class brackets. Boys did not enter the schools until after they had learned the rudiments of their own language which gave them the foundations that were required to learn the basics of Latin and eventually Greek. The schools taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. The purpose of these Grammar Schools was to prepare the boys for the entrance test for Harvard College. Thus, there was great concern placed upon the ability to read and speak Greek and Latin. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">The Grammar school's distinct purpose was as a specialist in preparing boys for higher learning. This purpose can be compared to modern High Schools which are to prepare today's pupils for the beginning of their higher learning in College.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">**__George Washington's Rules of Civility__**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">1st Every Action done in Company, ought to be with Some Sign of Respect, to those that are Present. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">2d When in Company, put not your Hands to any Part of the Body, not usualy Discovered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">3d Shew Nothing to your Freind that may affright him.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">4th In the Presence of Others Sing not to yourself with a humming Noise, nor Drum with your Fingers or Feet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">5th If You Cough, Sneeze, Sigh, or Yawn, do it not Loud but Privately; and Speak not in your Yawning, but put Your handkercheif or Hand before your face and turn aside.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">6th Sleep not when others Speak, Sit not when others stand, Speak not when you Should hold your Peace, walk not on when others Stop.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">7th Put not off your Cloths in the presence of Others, nor go out your Chamber half Drest.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">8th At Play and at Fire its Good manners to Give Place to the last Commer, and affect not to Speak Louder than Ordinary.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">9th Spit not in the Fire, nor Stoop low before it neither Put your Hands into the Flames to warm them, nor Set your Feet upon the Fire especially if there be meat before it.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">10th When you Sit down, Keep your Feet firm and Even, without putting one on the other or Crossing them.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Complete list found here.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Click [|here] for an NPR podcast about Washington's Rules of Civility.