PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

September 07, 2000

Ihr liewe Leit:

   Mer lese weider vun de eeschtubbiche Schule wu mir elder Leit mol gange sin.

   Em Schantz sei Schul waar bschtimmt vierseitich. Er schreibt:

Yuscht ee Schtock hoch, un Seite vier,
Fenschdre vier un yuscht ee Dier,
Innewennich en Disch un Schtuhl.
En langer Desk an yeder Wand,
Vor dem en langi Bank aa schtand;
Dann in der Mitt der Schulschtubb noch
En schwerer Offe, lang un hoch.

   Der Flick schreibt:

Der Wasserkiwwel datt im Eck,
Sell Blech kehrt datt dezu;
Die beede hen en guder Zweck,
Der ganse Daag kee Ruh.

Der Offe schteht datt in der Mitt
Ass wie en eisner Mann;
Der Tietscher hot aa yuscht drei Schritt
Bis er ihn lange kann.

Die Kappe henge in der Heeh,
Graad newe an der Wand;
En gleener Buh muss uff was schteh
Sie zu lange mit der Hand.

Em Rhoads sei Schul waar aa yuscht eeschteckich, awwer les mol was er schreibt:

Es Schulhaus waar yuscht ee Schtock hoch
Mit acht Ecke gebut,
En “common” Schulhaus waar es nur,
Mer kann’s net annerscht nenne.

Die Desks, die waare im Schulhaus rum
Bis newe and der Schank,
Sie waare an der Mauer fescht,
Un dann debei en Bank.

Es waare aa noch annere Desks
Darrich die Schtubb uff beede Seit,
Die waare zimmlich breed gemacht
Mit Benk uff yeder Seit.

Die gleene Kalls un gleene Meed,
Die hocke do drum rum;
Die groosse Buwe un groosse Meed,
Die hocke ausserum.

Der Offe waar graad in der Mitt,
Des Rohr zum Schannschtee nuff;
Es waar gewehnlich als en Bool
Mit Wasser owe druff.

Mer mache neegscht Woch wieder.

Macht’s gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:

We will continue to read about the one-room school houses that we older folks once went to.

Schantz’s school was certainly four-sided. He writes:

Just one story high, and four sides,
Four windows and just one door,
Inside a table and a chair.
A long desk at every wall,
In front of which stood a long bench;
Then in the middle of the room yet
A heavy stove, long and high.

Flick writes:

The water bucket there in the corner,
That tin cup belongs with it;
The two have a good purpose,
The whole day no rest.

The stove stands there in the middle
As if it were an iron man;
The teacher has to make just three steps
To reach it.

The caps hand up on high,
To one side on the wall;
A little boy has to stand on something
To reach them with his hands.

Rhoads’ school was also just one-storied, but read once what he says:

The house was just one story high
Built with eight corners,
A “common” school house it was only,
One can’t call it otherwise.

The desks, they were around the school house
To next to the cabinet,
They were all attached to the wall,
And then also a bench.

There were also other desks
Through the room on both sides,
They were made rather wide
With benches on either side.

The little boys and little girls,
They sit around them;
The big boys and big girls,
They sit round about the outer ones.

The stove was right in the middle,
The stovepipe up to the chimney;
There was usually a bowl
Of water on top.

We will continue next week.

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf