Description

This is the story of how Common Schools were developed and how they evolved and changed throughout the hundred years of their duration. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania has an especially rich history of such schools and perhaps the largest number of one-room schoolhouses still standing. More than 300 remain and 36 still operate as parochial schools owned by the Amish and other Plain sects. The examples used in this historical perspective draw from this rich and diverse collection of schoolhouses and historic documents. But essentially the same story was taking place throughout the United States. Lancaster County’s story is reflected in the nation’s story.

Written by Mary Virginia Shelley, this 190-page, hardback book (with dust jacket) details that history with beautiful photographs and extensive research.  The appendix provides a map of each township with the location and photograph of any known one-room schoolhouses.