Back in Time

1800’s Schoolhouse

“Hurry up, quickly two straight lines please. One line for girls and one line for boys and make it snappy. No noise and I mean no noise!”

After a long bus trip from Bannockburn to Arrowtown we finally arrived at Arrowtown Museum. When we got there we got changed into the clothing they used to wear to school in the 1800’s.

After we were changed we waited for Miss Grey to come and take us to the schoolhouse. We stood outside the schoolhouse anxiously waiting for Miss Grey to check our fingernails and make sure there was no dirt under them.

Quickly and quietly in single file we went into the schoolhouse and very, very, very quietly we put down our seats and then we sat down. We sat up straight and waited for her instructions.

Oh no! Copperplate handwriting. One of the rules is that you have to write with your left hand and you have to use a copperplate pencil.

Then we did arithmetic and a spelling bee and we practiced our times tables to get ready for our upcoming exams.

Finally our lesson was finished and we did lots of cool activities that afternoon.    
 By Ella

Schooling in the 1800’s!!

When Room 9 went on their camp (and might I add it was the best camp ever) they went to Arrowtown. In Arrowtown we did lots of cool things like doing the Amazing Race. Well it was like the Amazing Race. But my favourite bit in Arrowtown was seeing what school was like in the 1800’s.  

First we had to get changed into some old fashioned clothes. After we did that Miss Grey came out and said “Hurry up an get in to lines. One of girls and one of boys.” Then Miss Grey said “Follow me and come down in single file. Girls first then boys.” So we went down the stairs and then Miss Grey and looked at our finger nails to see if they were clean. I was scared because I had nail polish on. When she came to me she said that we had a problem and asked what the problem was.  I said “I have nail polish on.” Miss Grey said “What are you going to do about that?” Then I said “Pick it off.” and Miss Grey said “Take it off tonight and I do not want to see it tomorrow.”

Next we went into the classroom and sat down and did some poetry. Miss Grey said to all of us “Repeat after me.” So we did. After that we had to say the words in order and we did.

We moved on to handwriting next. It was really hard for me because I am a left handed and we had to use or right hand in copper plate. After that Miss Grey asked two people to stand up and see if she could read it. I wished it wasn’t me because my one was not readable and thankfully Miss Grey did not pick mine.

After that we had a Spelling Bee it was hard but the girls won. Next it was the most boring P.E. lesson in the world. All we did for that was put your arms up and down boring. For Maths we said the time tables that were on the board out aloud. Then we had to add up shillings and pennies.

Then Miss Grey told us to take off our hats and she asked us how things like how are things different in the 1800s to now days. Room 9 had some cool ideas!!!

Emma

My Highlight

My highlight from camp was going to the 1800s School. I wish every day at school was like in the 1800s.

My favourite part was Miss Grey even though Miss Grey was strict. I would still like school now to be like in the 1800s. Rachel was Miss Grey just dressed up. It was so much fun. We all had to sit up straight and not laugh. Our nails and collars were clean according to Miss Grey.

After we did some activities. The activities were all about the olden days. It was fun because there were some fake people. There was one exhibit and it had a person who looked like he was drunk in it. Elsie was about to look in it and Callum pushed me so that pushed Elsie. Elsie JUMPED with fright. With a huge fright, I say huge.

“Wow!” I said to Elsie. She said to me “Look in there.” So I did but it was so scary I just about screamed. But luckily I saved it so I didn’t scream. There was a fake person picking up stones with a shovel.

And there was one fake person but he was doing something different, he was putting colour on a horseshoe. Then Room 9 had a challenge we had to go outside to a river.

Then Mrs Lieshout put us in our Arrowtown groups and Rachel gave us our instructions. Then “GO, oh yeah I forgot to tell you it’s a race.” My group went to the rug making first. After that we went and made the butter. Then we had to dig a long drop and then we went gold panning. We had to find gold or you would not get any money and then you would not be able to buy any vegetables.

 Last of all we all thanked Rachel.

 by Thamsyn