Anonymous

What Is The Difference Between School In The Olden Days And Now?

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lakeesha Hennessy Williams Profile
Schools and education have changed dramatically throughout the ages.

If you've ever watched a movie or TV program that portrays a school from the past, you'll immediately notice a number of things that seem completely alien to the school experience that you're familiar with.

The specific differences vary depending on what time period you're thinking of - but here are some interesting facts about schools of the past:

Schools throughout history
The classrooms of the past would have looked very different from what we're used to nowadays.
For example, in Victorian times, children would do their math sums with the help of an abacus. They also wrote on slates with pieces of chalk.

Teachers of the past were a lot stricter with their students, and the use of corporal punishment was completely acceptable in schools until very recently.

The first country to ban teachers from 'caning' or beating kids was Poland, which outlawed it in 1783.

In the US, the use of corporal punishment in schools was actually legal in the state of New Mexico until 2011!

How were schools different in the past?
  • The city states of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome were home to some of the earliest types of school.
  • In Greece, only the children of 'citizens' were sent to school, and they would have learned things like algebra, geometry and philosophy.
  • Going to school at this time would have seemed a privilege that few people could afford.
  • In the Middle Ages, schools were usually based in monasteries. Because of this, education was quite exclusive, and was centered around the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
  • The Islamic Empire of the 6th and 7th centuries was home to huge 'centers of learning'.
If you're interested in learning more about the history of schools here in the US, here's a handy timeline you may want to check out.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
In the olden days, teachers were allowed to hit students with a cane - but now teachers get sued if they try to hit a student in anyway.

Students had to sit up straight or they would be hit with a cane, but nowadays most students slouch.

Any student could only study up to the eighth grade.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered

They're not allowed to flog now.

jonathan ho Profile
jonathan ho answered
In the olden days, they studied in Catholic schools, not like the public schools which we have now.

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