Lake County Schoolhouses

Book excerpt: The quaint, one-room schoolhouse of the untamed frontier looms large in the collective image of the American West. The stories that surround these schoolhouses have become embedded in the nation's cultural memory: the hardships of having to walk miles to and from school, the often cramped quarters within, and the harsh lessons learned at the hand--or ruler--of the teacher. More often than not, these stories are told with a sense of nostalgia for the bygone era of rural education. This book explores the myths and realities of these iconic buildings in one rural county in California. Although this volume focuses on just a single region, the important role these schools played in the lives of those they served (or did not serve) speaks to the wider influence of schools and education throughout early California.