Country School: One Room - One Nation

How many of us living went to a one room schoolhouse? The answer: Increasingly far fewer. This is why these memories have to be preserved. Filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle do just that in this informative, enlightening and enjoyable documentary that focuses on the history of these schoolhouses in the Midwest. Some hot button topics in schools today are bullying, immigration and consolidation. Well, the Rundles let us know these same issues were prevalent 100 years ago as well, in different ways. They interview several former students and teachers who give insight into what life was like back then. Historians also provide perspective to these places which often housed 6-16 year old students taught by 18 year old students. While many of these schoolhouses have been restored, many others are meeting their destiny with a wrecking ball. So maybe we should all learn from the past before memories fade.

I read an interesting book that suggested as the mission was the founding institution of California, it was the one-room school (aka the country school or the rural school)that was the founding institution of the Midwest. While people often think of one-room schools as something the pioneers attended, it was still wide spread up until the 1950s and between growing religious communities and charter schools the number of one-room schools today is growing once again. There has been an increase in interest in general about the country school. "Country School: One Room - One Nation" does a great job of showing the effect of one-room schools on the country in the past and in the present. Many people interested in one-room schools have worked towards preserving one in their area and it shows many examples of that. It also preserves a lot of the stories of what it was really like to attend one. Nothing gets sugar coated. There were downsides to a one-room school and at least a couple of examples of violence and danger and they are included too. If you like one-room schools at all, you will love this documentary that shows the one-room school like really was.