New York State enacted the Union Free School law in 1853. Under this law, common schools could organize to create secondary schools for their students. Before that time, just a few students would have the opportunity to go beyond an elementary school education, in private schools located around the area. The 1840 U.S. Census had a column for “scholars”, presumably students in college.
Read the entire article in the Nov. 27th issue of the Express.
MALTA, April 24 – A member of the audience drew laughter – one of many such moments – during Malta Historian Paul Perreault's presentation on one room schoolhouses in Malta.
"Is it true that boys used to dip the girls' pigtails in the inkwells?" "Yes, they did!" confirmed alumna Olga Voehringer.
Perreault, who titled his presentation "Education in Malta --3R's to TEC SMART" began by recalling some words of a 1907 song not sung much now: "School days, school days, good old Golden Rule days..." of learning the "Three R's." (For those who may be too young, that's for "readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic.") The event was held at Malta Ridge United Methodist Church, and featured many photos of school groups and school documents.
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