Like many Americans during the first half of the 20th century, especially those who lived in rural communities, Gretchen Countryman attended a one room schoolhouse. Siblings years apart in age would learn alongside other children of varying ages in a simple school with just one room. “A one room school house is like a family,” explained Ms. Countryman. She had the privilege of being educated in this manner for 6 years, between 1946 and 1952. Countryman explained that in 1952, schools began to centralize across the country. Her one room schoolhouse days were over by the seventh grade. Or so it seemed.
Ms. Countryman attended a four year teacher’s college following high school. She got married and moved to Chicago, where they lived for 40 years. She taught third grade throughout that time. Since the 1970’s her parents had a home in Highpoint and she would come down to visit. In the mid-90’s she began volunteering at the May-Stringer House as a tour guide. She fell in love with the home, but particularly the second story. In the upstairs room, there were desks and old schoolhouse relics. She said to herself, “You know what, maybe I could teach a one room schoolhouse, that would be part of my tour.”
She began visiting one room schoolhouses as well as researching. Then she volunteered at a one room schoolhouse in the community where she lived in Illinois. “Everything I’m doing, I hope, is based on fact,” she said.
Around the year 2000, she approached “Mother of the Museum” Virginia Jackson with an idea. (Among many other community contributions, Jackson led efforts in the late ‘70s and early 80’s to acquire the May Stringer House to create a museum.)
Ms. Countryman wanted to save a one room schoolhouse. Ms. Jackson supported her in this idea, but after some research, saving a schoolhouse proved to be an extremely costly venture. So Jackson encouraged Ms. Countryman to build one.
Ms. Countryman ran with it. She based her designs on the Lykes schoolhouse of Spring Hill. For about 15 years she organized community fundraisers such as garage sales and fish fries. A friend made rag dolls to sell, her husband made tiny blackboards and Gretchen put together bags of marbles with instructions on how to play. The funds trickled in over time and eventually she had enough to build. Architect John Warren White generously drew up the plans. She chose Paul Beasley of Treelawn Builders who broke ground on an empty lot next to the train depot museum in January of 2014.
On that lot stood a large chinaberry tree, an invasive species. In the days of the one room schoolhouse, timber from clearing the property was used to build the schoolhouse. In keeping with that, the Chinaberry tree was used in constructing the chair rail and even shelving. The building was completed in 6 months.
The schoolhouse is equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning, electricity and lighting, but nonetheless serves to evoke an awareness of Florida’s early days. Tools used in daily life are displayed throughout the room such as rug beaters, egg baskets, and candlestick holders. The Ten Commandments are prominently placed on the wall.
Ms. Countryman explained that the essence of what was taught in the one room schoolhouse was “God, Country, Family and Morals.” She explained further, “In that time in the 1800’s everything was seeped in religion and in country and that’s what this schoolhouse is about.”
The children who enter the Countryman One Room Schoolhouse are given a rare lesson in what was taught at the time. She delves into the history of how the Pledge of Allegiance has evolved and teaches about the three R’s: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Her lessons breathe new life into some basic subjects that have been set aside in recent years such as the story of Christopher Columbus.
She emphasizes morals, manners and responsibility. Ms. Countryman explained that children were expected to provide the firewood each day to warm the schoolhouse. If a child forgot to bring in the wood on his or her day, then all would be cold and nobody would be very happy with the negligent party.
Another program taught in the schoolhouse covers the cow hunter in Florida. Early Spanish explorers such as Ponce De Leon introduced Andalusian cattle to Florida. Cattle inevitably escaped and were left behind to forage. The cattle population flourished. When settlers arrived, they discovered the cattle populations. The cow hunter would sludge through the wetlands to capture the cattle, equipped with a bullwhip and his favorite dog would. Ponce De Leon wished to establish a colony on what is now Pine Island, however this never materialized. Cattle left behind thrived in this area, spreading into the interior and as far as North Florida.
Each year a new historical industry will be explored through curriculum at the Countryman One Room Schoolhouse. I am eager for the fascinating lessons to come.
If you’d like to help support The Countryman One Room Schoolhouse, engraved bricks are available to commemorate a loved one or special occasion. These bricks will be incorporated into a permanent “Walkway Memorial” in front of the schoolhouse. You can contact the Hernando Historical Museum Association at: (352) 799-0129. The schoolhouse is located at 66 Russell St in Brooksville.
