Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified rural school in June 1941. The only information we have besides the date is that one of the boys is Anton Lindsoe. Notice that about half of the boys aere dressed like city boys. These boys are coming to school on bikes. That is siomething that was not common earlier, in part because many rural roads were not improved. Notice it was mostly the boys coming to school on their bikes.

The school experience at the turn of the 20th century continued to be different in rural and urban schools. The majority although declining majority of the population still lived in rural areas. This was largely because rural and urban life was so separate and different. It was not all that easy for farm and other rural people to get into town. Even if farm families only lived a few miles out of town getting there required the laborious process of hitching up the buckboard or wagon and a slow trip into town. Most farmers lived longer distance from the town. Rural and urban school kids want to separate schools meaning their friends were also rural or urban. And their life experiences were very different. The isolation meant that it was very difficult for farm kids to advance academically beyond the 8-year primary program offered at most rural schools. The first major step reducing the isolation of rural America was made by industrialist Henry Ford who introduced the Model-T Ford. It was a car that farmers could afford and made trips into the city much more viable. Rural schools continued to be important in the 1910s-20s. It was in 1920 that America finally made the transition to a majority urban population. Most American children attended these small rural schools until the 1920s when the the country first reported a a majority urban population. Commonly rural teachers had only a few children to teach. As a result, states began consolidating schools and bussing rural children to more economic larger schools. Rural schools continued to be important (1920s-30s), but by the end of the 1930s this was changing. This began to change in the 1930s as school districts for budgetary reasons began closing small rural schools. School authorities throughout the country were closing small rural schools as they were expensive to operate, especially schools with less than 20 children. States as a result began bussing the children into consolidated schools in towns. This only began reaching important levels in the 30s and was carried out in a major way during the 1940s. Almost all rural schools had been closed by 1950. It needs to be stressed that this was not done to improve educational standard. It was a cost cutting measure. A major impact of this was for the first time to give rural kids access to secondary schools for the first time. It was once possible to identify rural children by how they dressed, but by 1950 this was no longer possible. Going to school together was not the only factor. Hollywood and the movies were also a factor. And we can see all of this in the photographic record. Rural kids began dressing like city kids. They did not want to be called hicks.

The 1900s

The school experience at the turn of the 20th century continued to be different in rural and urban schools. The majority although declining majority of the population still lived in rural areas. This was largely because rural and urban life was so separate and different. Strangely, it was not until the 1910s that farm children dressed all that much differently than city children. They commonly did not dress as well as city children, but the basic garment were similar. We do not see lot of overalls until the late-1900s decade when major changes occurred. It was not only overalls that changed about 1908. We also see knicker and flat caps. Only unlike overall we do not see them in rural ares. We have no idea what brought about these changes at this time. It was not all that easy for farm and other rural people to get into town. Even if farm families only lived a few miles out of town getting there required the laborious process of hitching up the buckboard or wagon and a slow trip into town. Most farmers lived longer distance from the town. Rural and urban school kids want to separate schools meaning their friends were also rural or urban. And their life experiences were very different. The isolation meant that it was very difficult for farm kids to advance academically beyond the 8-year primary program offered at most rural schools.

The 1910s

Americans took to the automobile like no other country. This was in part because American workers unlike all other countries could actual l afford a model-T. And this included farmers. We do not see pick-ups yet. but cars were being used like pick-ups. The automobile was the first major step reducing the isolation of rural America. And it was made by industrialist Henry Ford who introduced the mass produced, low-priced Model-T Ford. It was a car that working people induing farmers could afford and it made trips into the city much more viable. And in the 1910s American farmers like other Americans embraced the automobile. In addition to cars, the tractor was born. Ford himself played a major role in developing the tractor. It was a passion because of his rural background. It was a game changer, significantly increasing farm productivity. The tractor and car was remaking rural life. The consolation of small rural schools was not yet beginning to any extent, but school administrators were noting the high cost of maintaining large numbers of small rural schools. We can for the most part see a difference by the way the children dressed, especially the boys dressed. Especially how common overalls. This varied somewhat regionally. but what was at lay was the movies. Hollywood was making waves all over the country And rural ids were beginning to how the rest of America dressed. There was no TV yet, that would not be a major development until the 1950s. But few rural kids did not at least occasionally see a movie. And because of the automobile rural kids while for the most part were still going to rural schools in he 1910s were making more trips into town than ever before. But we do not yet see many yellow school busses.

The 1920s

Rural schools continued to be important in the 1910s. It was in 1920 that America finally made the transition to a majority urban population. This of course was the Roaring Twenties. But this was misleading. Rural America did not share the prosperity of urban America. American farmers had significantly expanded production to feed Europe during World War I. After World War, Europe rapidly recovered and revived their own farm production. This mean that there was no longer a market for all of the product American farmers were producing. Most American children attended these small rural schools until the 1920s when the country first reported a majority urban population. Commonly rural teachers had only a few children to teach. As a result, states began consolidating schools and bussing rural children to more economic larger schools. It needs to be stressed that this was not done to improve educational standard. It was a cost cutting measure. A major impact of this was for the first time to give rural kids access to secondary schools for the first time.

The 1930s

Rural schools continued to be important (1920s-30s), but by the end of the 1930s this was changing. The 1930s of course were the Depression years. The Depression impacted not only individuals, but local government as well because revenue needed to operate schools declined. This began to change in the 1930s as school districts for budgetary reasons began closing small rural schools. School authorities throughout the country were closing small rural schools as they were expensive to operate, especially schools with less than 20 children. States as a result began bussing the children into consolidated schools in towns. This only began reaching important levels in the 30s. We are not sure when the first yellow school bus appeared on American streets. But American schools began to standardize the school bus (1939). Dr. Frank Cyr organized a conference. The idea was to standardize not only the color of American school buses, but to some extent the design of the busses and safety standards. Yellow was selected as the standard color because it was such as visible color. This not only made it easy for the children to recognize as well as motorists.

The 1940s

Closing small rural schools was carried out in a major way during the 1940s. Yellow school busses became common vehicles on American streets and highways. Almost all rural schools had been closed by 1950. It was once possible to identify rural children by how they dressed, but by 1950 this was no longer possible. Going to school together was not the only factor. Hollywood and the movies were also a factor. And we can see all of this in the photographic record. Rural kids began dressing like city kids. They did not want to be called hicks. Here we see an unidentified rural school in June 1941 (figure 1). Notice that about half of the boys were dressed like city boys. These boys are coming to school on bikes. That is something that was not common earlier, in part because many rural roads were not improved.

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Created: 2:24 AM 12/16/2023
Last updated: 10:15 AM 10/9/2025