1909 - The One Room Country Schools in Illinois

In 1909, The Department of Public Instruction published "The One Room Country Schools in Illinois". The book covered issues facing the rural schoolhouse:  heating, lighting, ventilation, equipment and the grounds.

Included was a photo previously published as a critique of the condition of many schools currently in operation.     This structure may have been similar to the Browne school.

Based upon the maple trees and location on either side of the sidewalk, this may have been close to the landscaping at the Browne school.

I will be posting a photo of the Browne school property in later years which shows the coal shed.

1901 - Rural school architecture

Sometime following the announcement that the Illinois state superintendent would be addressing school consolidation, Alfred Bayless published "Circular 28: Rural school architecture. School room decoration".   Included in the publication were a few photos, one depicts a furnace used to heat the school:

Here is a photo of what many rural schoolhouses looked like prior to 1901.

I have yet to track down a photo of the Browne school but this may be the closest to the style used.  The back building along the fenceline appears to be an outhouse.    

If anyone has photos of the Browne school, please contact me by leaving a message in the comments.

1865 - 1870 Browne School Construction

I have not been able to obtain the original construction documents for the Browne school which would have been constructed after May 24, 1865 and prior to 1870, but this book may have been a guide.

Written in 1856 by Charles P. Dwyer, "The Economy of Church, Parsonage and School Architecture, Adapted to Small Societies and Rural Districts", the book provides eight different plans for school architectural styles and includes illustrations.