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Through the museum's Old One Room Country Schools display the students took a trip back in time to when teachers wore full length dresses, taught all grades in one room, and had to adhere to strict social limitations, students wrote their lessons on individual slate black boards, and mistakes landed you in the corner with the Dunce cap on your head.

The museum display features a plethora of historical information and pictures about one-room country schools that were located in what is now the Chesaning Union School District, along with information on Chesaning's first teacher Eliza Smith, and a replica of a one room school house with sample classroom.

As the students filed through the museum, focusing intensely on each and every old black and white photograph, they began to recognize familiar faces among those pictured.

As she studied a class picture from 1941, fifth grader Emily Sadilek focused on a picture of a man she has never met.

"That's my grandpa. He died before I was born."

Her grandfather, Edward Sadilek, graduated from Chesaning High School and was a local veterinarian.

Emily also found a class picture from 1950 that included her grandmother Betty (Schultz) Sadilek.

After touring the display, the students sat in old wooden desks in the mock classroom and were guided through what would have been a typical day in a one-room schoolhouse of the past. They learned how the school operated with oil lamps and a fire for heat, and how it was the teachers responsibility to whittle and fill the quill pens, keep the scuttle full of wood, and most importantly, keep the fire going.

They participated in lessons that included tongue twisters and songs about Michigan. They even had the opportunity to experience the famous Dunce cap.

Students also had the opportunity to play old fashioned recess games such as jacks, clothespin in the jar, marbles, pick up sticks, spool weaving, and duck on a rock.

Schools highlighted in the display include Banner, Barnum, Booth, Brady Center, Brant Center, Chapin, Dutchtown, Dygert, Dyer Easton, Frink, Oakley (two room), Prairie Farm, Pine Grove, Fonger, Parshallburg-Havanna, Pioneer, Robinson, Red, Sloan, Swimm, Koyne, Ward, Welsh-Walsh, Westfall, Wilson, Ziegler, Forest Lawn, Ginter, Fergus, Hurd, Lamrouex, Limbocker, McFall, Morleytown, Mills, Oakdale-Cranetown, and Overpack.

The Chesaning Historical Museum is open Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturdays from 1-4 p.m., and also on all festival days.

Groups and clubs are welcome to tour the museum anytime by calling 989-845-3155 for an appointment.

The museum is located at 602 West Broad Street, across from the former Heritage House.

Rule of Conduct for Teachers

Saginaw County 1915

You are not to keep company with men

You must wear petticoats

Your dress must be two inches above your ankle

You may not dye your hair

You may not loiter downtown

Keep the fire going!!