Colonial Days Brought To Middle Gate Students

By Tanjua Damon

Middle Gate fifth graders learned about Colonial life last week as they visited the one room schoolhouse that sits in front of the elementary school on Cold Spring Road.

Life sure has changed for children since the Colonial days, according to John Wood from the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford. Going to school was a luxury for many during that time period because every person was needed to help work the land at home.

“You would have had to do heavy farm chores, “ Mr Wood said. “And make everything from scratch.”

During the 1700s in New England there were not any factories where people made things, according to Mr Wood. There were not many stores either.

“There was not very much money,” he said. “Almost everybody in Connecticut lived on small farms where they grew lots of things.”

Many people had businesses in their own homes, like a shoemaker, whose kitchen would also be set up to repair and make shoes for people.

Homes were much different in Colonial times, according to Mr Wood. They did not have living rooms or dining rooms. Most families slept in a loft or might have one bedroom downstairs off the main room, which acted as a kitchen, dining room and living room.

Clothing was also very different during the Colonial period. There were not a variety of sizes to choose from and women never wore pants, Mr Wood said. Wool was used most often because families had sheep on their farms.

“You’d have to grow the plants or raise the animals to make the clothes,” he said.

When children did go to school they used tablets instead of books. An alphabet tablet was made out of wood and a glass covered the paper so that it would not get damaged.

Candles and windows were used for light, Mr Wood said. Matches did not exist to make a fire so people had to make a spark using metal objects. Fires were kept going year round during Colonial days. They were a heat and light source as well as how people cooked their meals.

There were no video games or computers. Children played with handmade wooden toys or helped their families work the farm, according to Mr Wood.