Heating

=Heating: 1776-1860=

Most one-room schoolhouses had a potbelly stove. The stove would burn many types of fuel — wood, coal, corncobs, straw, and cow chips. Farmers usually provided fuel for the stove. It was the teacher’s responsibility to start the fire before the school day began and maintain the fire throughout the day. Students who sat close to the stove were inevitably too warm and had a hard time staying focused on the lesson as they fought off drowsiness. Students in the outer corners or by the drafty windows were often cold, and would have to wear many layers of clothing and maybe even a hat.