The Rural Teacher As A Housekeeper

Evidences of Good Housekeeping

  1. Teacher's desk in good order.
  2. All surfaces free from dust.
  3. Curtains in good condition.
  4. Stove and stove-pipe not unsightly.
  5. Water container and cups clean.
  6. School materials sorted and piled or laid out in some orderly fashion.

Children will be taught---

  1. To keep their own belongings in order.
  2. To assist the teacher in keeping the entire room in as good a condition as possible.

Cleanliness

School-house should be kept clean for both sanitary and aesthetic reasons.

  1. Thoroughly scrubbed before school opens in the fall.
  2. Once a month---a complete general cleaning of floor, walls, and furniture.
    3. (a) Secure the co-operation of the School Board and of as many mothers as possible. (b) Teacher should lend a hand---thus showing interest and setting a good example.
  3. Once a week---clean thoroughly the water container and cups---scrub and scald (scald means the use of boiling---not warm---water, and plenty of it to kill germs).

Effective Cleaning.

  1. Teacher should have correct ideals of cleanliness and should make a thorough job of the cleaning.
    (a) Everything should be cleaned.
    (b) All old dilapidated articles destroyed.
    (c) Clean out the library case, closets, cupboards, and other out-of –the –way places.
  2. Use plenty of soft, hot water, soap and cleaning compound or powder.
  3. Sweeping---have a good ordinary broom and a floor brush, if possible---sweeping should be done at night and the dusting as early in the morning as possible.
  4. Use every precaution to keep dust out of the air---disease germs.
  5. Have a dusting committee---well-oiled dust-cloths of good size (a yard square of soft cheesecloth is quite suitable), should be washed frequently.

Tables and Chairs.

As the opportunity occurs, the traditional school desk should be replaced by tables and chairs.

Suggestions for Beautifying the School-Room
Source: British Columbia. Department of Education. Programme of Study for Elementary Schools, 1941, p. 22. Transcribed by Tracy Ollenberger and Brigitte Bjornson, History 349, Malaspina University-College, March 2001