This late 19th Century print depicts a headmaster, rod in hand, standing at the front of a crowded classroom. The boys are seated at desks, while the girls are on benches surrounding the edge of the classroom. The different treatment of the sexes in this manner was typical in the United States and other countries during this era.
The print is entitled “The Village School.” It is based on a painting by the Swiss genre painter Albert Samuel Anker (1831-1910), who was noted for school images. His signature appears in the lower right-hand corner. The printer's and artist's names are in very small print above the image.
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