CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Julie Jontz Lang, a retired fourth grade teacher in the Marshalltown School District, presented a program on the Taylor Number 4 Country School reenactments for the 20th Century Club.

Julie Jontz Lang, a retired fourth grade teacher in the Marshalltown School District, presented a program on the Taylor Number 4 Country School reenactments for the 20th Century Club meeting held on March 27 at the MACC.

Taylor Number 4 was originally located three miles north of Marshalltown and later moved to 19 N. Second Ave. in Marshalltown. It served as a one room country school from 1912 through 1955. Taylor Number 4 is typical of the one room country school that formed the basis of our nation’s educational system for rural children in the 19th and first half of the 20th century. The $60,000 renovation was completed in August, 2007. Authentic reenactments began in the fall of that year.

The reenactments, open to all fourth grade children in Marshall County, are conducted by retired elementary teachers who have a passion for history and children’s education. The children dress in period costumes, spend the day following a typical schedule of the daily lessons for the various grades and play games appropriate to the time at recess.

Students are asked to compare and contrast the similarities and differences of those days to the present day and to enhance the understanding of daily life of Iowa children in the early 20th century.

At the conclusion of the program refreshments were served by the social committee of Nona Eaton, Arlene Lange, Deb Mead and Carolyn Salasek.