(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved. Contact us for information about using this image.
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The children photographed in front of their South Deerfield, Massachusetts, school were educated very differently than their grandparents. In the early nineteenth century, towns like Deerfield had as many as twelve one- room schools. By 1920, the introduction of grade levels, blackboards, supplying the same textbooks to all students, and larger schools placed in central locations were all part of a new system. The willingness of the community to build this large, modern school building showed their increasing interest in providing the best possible elementary education for their children. The design of the new building also addressed growing concerns about lighting, cleanliness, and proper air circulation for young students.