Gr7BNews

= Grade 7 Homeroom 7B = = Colonial Day News  = Alex and Katie The wigmaker was essential to many colonial people. Wigs and perukes were one of the many things that they provided for their customers. They also did the hair of the gentry. They made the white out of goat, horse, yak, and human hair. First, the wigmaker would gather nails and attach a caul of ribbon and also cotton or silk net to the blockhead. Next the rows of hair were constructed by weaving a few of the strands of hair at a time on a tressing frame. The tressing frame was attached to the caul. When all the rows of hair were in place the hair was then curled with clay rods. Finishing and dressing the wig completed the process. The wigmakers used many tools. These tools included brass and ceramic shaving bowls, and these were to protect the men’s clothes from the soap and water. Another was a blockhead, which was used to shape the wig to the right size and form. There were clay rods to curl the wigs and a tressing frame to weave the hair. The skills that a wigmaker would need to be good with there hands and be a very patient person. **Colonial Trades: Basket Making** By Olivia, Taylor, Kaylee, and Gabbi The craft is basket weaving. They crafted their own baskets and often the family made their basket instead of purchasing them. Kids learned early; as soon as they could. Basket makers started with six-foot sections of 10-inches around logs. Then, they split them into parts. They saved the red wood for the basket handles. Next, they sliced along the growth rings on the log, and with their knife got them into flexible ribbon-like strips. For the weaving and plaiting they needed very nibble fingers, not strength. Men and women made baskets and then taught their children as soon as they were old enough to be able to learn. Many families did basket making for their personal use. It was very common for men and women to do this and even children so it did not require much strength. More so, nimble fingers were needed for the time consuming task of basket making used in the colonies. Training was usually given by parents who had already mastered this task. Though many people knew this skill it was thought of as domestic activity and not business because it was so frequently used. Basket making requires few tools, but the few include axes, wedges, a large knife, and a supply of saplings. They used the ax to peel away the bark from the sapling, which is the branch. They use the knife the cut the sapling of ash, hickory, cedar, and reeds into thin strips. Wedges were used to shape the basket into a square or circular shape. These tools were important too make a basket, even though there aren’t many. The job of basket making was used to place materials in a basket. The benefits of basket making are to carry personal items, and they lasted a very long time. Someone might want this job because many people needed, and used baskets in their everyday lives. They were also essential for families who lived in rural areas. People who took on this job could make lots of money because of the demand for baskets. In my opinion the most satisfying part about this job would be passing down the art of basket making to people who are willing to learn.
 * Colonial Trades: Wigmaker **

Abby, Jenna, Carly, Rachael The shoemaker was a very important person in colonial times; they needed to be able to make any shoe at any time. The shoemaker had to work quickly and carefully under candlelight to make his customer’s shoes. The shoemaker had to make the shoe fit exactly how the customer wanted it. The shoemaker needed tools such as awl which punched holes in leather, burnisher which polished the heels of the shoes, and the size stick which measured the person’s foot. To make the shoe they had to cut out a piece of leather according to the size of the person’s foot, then they took small nails or pegs to fasten the leather together and they added a sole. The tools that a shoemaker used were various leathers that were shipped in from England. Once it was shipped in from England it was made ready for sales merchants so that it was easy for merchants to get the material they needed to make their shoes. It wasn’t hard to get material in the town needed for shoes, and later they made a shoemaking tool-kit that used funny names such as “helling sticks”, “pretty boys”, and “St. Hugh’s Bones”. These kits included many items that shoemakers needed for about the same price as a regular pair of shoes. All the training an inspiring shoemaker needed was to know how to tan and shape the leather to fit to the person’s foot. They needed to be friendly and know how to deal with difficult people, which is sometimes very difficult. Cobblers as they were also known as, needed to know how to measure a person’s foot. To be an apprentice, you must be of age, which is 13 years of age. Also, the apprentice had to be good with people and show up whenever they were needed. By Micaela, Ellie, Katherine, Aniqua First the children who were youngest learned their ABC’s then started reading lessons. After that, they would receive their geography lesson followed by penmanship at nine and math followed it. There were all types of ages learning in school. There were 20-50 students in each class and the teachers were 17-25 years old. The favorite part of the day would be going home. Why? Because there were many rules and restrictions as well as severe punishments if these rules were not followed. The three major ways to get an education in the colonial times were Hornbooks, Dame School (grammar school) and the New England Primer. Hornbooks were special school books that kids would learn from in school which taught them to read, write, and helped them learn different languages. Dame School is where Puritan boys, six to eight, would be taught to read, write and prayers. At grammar school they learned to read, write, to do math and other subjects that they would need to know for college. These schools are similar to schools today because we learn to read, write, how to do math, and other subjects that prepare us for college. In colonial times going to school was a lot different then going to school today. In the colonial days children learned to read, so they could read the Bible. There schools were a lot smaller and kids all different ages were in the same classroom. Girls would not be able to attend school in less they were Quakers; even then it was hard for them to get into school. In the middle colonies the schools were mostly private not public. In the southern colonies students had private tutors or their mother taught them how to sow, knit and other lady things (if they were girls). Boys learned trade from their father or they went to school. Today all children go to school, both boys and girls. The schools are a lot bigger and have a lot of classrooms. All different ages are in different classrooms for their skill. Also boys don’t really learn trade today; they just go to school and then go to college. Girls don’t learn from their mothers because they can go to school. Today we don’t learn how to read just to read the Bible, but so we can read all the time in our lives. Based on the information that I have read, I have determined that we like to go to school in this time better, than we would like to go to school then. We get to learn a wider scope of subjects now and we go to school and learn from teachers who are not our mothers. Back then girls learned just enough reading, writing, and arithmetic to get them through life. They also learned cooking, cleaning and sewing more in depth and from their mothers. I would not mind learning from my mom, but I can’t speak for other girls. Most of the girls I know would rather not learn anything than learn from their mothers.
 * Colonial Trades: Shoemaker **
 * Colonial Schooling **

Hannah, Mickenzie, Jasmine, Janel A typical day in colonial schools was very different from our schools. The New England colonies were forced to tax themselves in order to provide tuition-free schools. In the 1800s, many towns were divided into districts, and there was a school for each. This tax was only able to provide one room schools. Although most schools had a fire place, many had no blackboards, no globes, and almost no light. Later reformers looked upon the issues with the schools and decided to provide better lighting, teachers, seats, instructional equipment, and a higher curriculum. For able children, the school year was much shorter. They had school from December to March. During the other months, the children would help harvest crops and run the farm. Younger children would have school from May to August along with the other school months. Many kids would start at four so they were of no use on the farm. Over the years, the children would learn many different things. Younger children learned to read and spell. When they reached the age of seven, they studied geography. By the age of nine, they were ready to learn penmanship. The difficult subjects of hard reading and arithmetic were taught from the ages of 10-12. After a few years, the students could start teaching. Teachers ranged from the ages of 17-25 which is now very young for a teacher. The teachers did not go to extensive training to become a teacher. Instead, they went to a regular school much like the one they taught in. Later women started to become teachers because they were just as smart and cheaper then men. Schools in colonial education are very different from education today. Back in colonial times the schools were generally smaller than schools we have today. Also only boys could get a good education, and wealthier families sent their sons to England. The boys were getting ready for their eventual role in plantation life. Girls learned how to read and right, but only enough to be able to study the bible and record household expenses. Girls were preparing to assume the duties of a mistress of a plantation. Today girls and boys all go to school, some together (co-ed) some are one gender schools. Boys and girls are equal, and get an equivalent amount of education. Another thing is that there were not many textbooks, so students had to recite books until memorized. Today, most schools are fortunate enough to be able to afford textbooks. This concludes how colonial education and present education differ. The kids used a special reading book called the hornbook. It was a sheet of paper that had letters and was sometimes pasted on a piece of mica or horn. Dame School was an early private grade school in English speaking countries. They were usually taught in women’s houses. The New England Primer was the most educated textbook in the colonial days. It included many grammar teachings and some passages came from the King James Bible. The Hornbook is kind of like our textbooks today, however ours are are better and hold more information. Dame School is like an Academy. And the New England Primer is like our Dictionary and Language Arts textbooks with out Bible passages. I would rather attend school in present day. The reasons why I would rather attend school in present day is because I believe that I would have more opportunities in life than I would’ve in the past. For example, because I am a girl, I would only learn enough (reading and writing) to read and understand the Bible. Another example is that girls could only clean the house, drink tea, and stay quite. In my opinion, if I were living in colonial times, I would be the girl who wanted to be independent, learn, and have more opportunities to do and become whatever I wanted to be. Another reason is that I think it would’ve been harder to get an education and learn everything than getting an education today. I’m saying this not only because I’m a girl, but because the colonies were unfortunate to have all the supplies they needed to teach the children in colonial times while most schools today have most of their supplies. For me, I think life would be hard for me trying to learn all I could and become something; to be important in my city, my country, and the world. I’m okay with the fact that you would learn to read and understand the Bible and the way they disciplined the children, but I still would rather attend school in present day than in colonial times.
 * Colonial Schooling **

Kelsey, Meredith, Alicia, Danielle In the olden days, children, like the parents, wore many layers and significant pieces of clothing. Most clothes for children were much fitted because that was proper in that time period. Boys were always told to ware breeches, and young women were required to ware gowns and dresses. Today though many girls ware pants because they were invented for their liking and we are not as proper. The men in colonial times had apparel like no other. This is because most formal men wore a fluffed shirt underneath a waistcoat which is like today’s vest. Beneath that men wore a pair of breeches which is a pair of long shorts that go from the waist to the knee. Under the breeches, they wore stocking from the waist to the toes. Stockings acted as high socks. To keep warm, men wore a long jacket falling to the knees. For the final touch, they added a hat and cane for a stylish look. There are many different pieces of clothing that the women wore that they wore back then, but don’t wear today. They wore a cap that was made out of cloth or linen which protected their hair from dirt and dust. Because of this cap, women would be able to wear their hair down. The jewelry included necklaces, ribbons, and ruffs. Women in modern times don’t wear caps, but they do wear jewelry, (but not ruffs.) Women would wear a bodice that attaches to the skirt part of the dress and is the top part of the dress. Women today do not wear bodices because they don’t normally wear dresses. Women in colonial times would also wear a stomacher which is an attachable triangular piece that would be worn over the bodice. They would wear a petticoat which is a piece worn under the gown. Women do not wear any of this today because they don’t wear dresses. The women would make the clothing by stitching it together, and they made clothes whenever they wanted to. They got the colors for their clothes by mixing natural dyes.
 * Colonial Clothing **