Imagine walking three or four miles to school, only to face a teacher who believed beating children helped them learn. In The Grim Old Days, Chelsea Follett describes classrooms where physical punishment was routine. In some colonial New England schools, children whose families failed to supply firewood were seated farthest from the fire. Even getting an education could mean enduring cold, fear, and pain.
Yet many children never had that opportunity at all. Schooling was limited, and much of the population could neither read nor write. Girls faced additional barriers because educating them was often considered unnecessary or even undesirable. Being unable to read meant depending on someone else to explain a document, deliver a written message, or provide access to knowledge.
Books were scarce and expensive, too. Printing gradually made books more accessible, helping knowledge spread. Today, libraries, schools, and inexpensive digital resources put learning within reach on a scale our ancestors could scarcely imagine.
We have plenty to improve in education. But we also have an extraordinary opportunity to educate ourselves throughout our lives. We can study a skill, explore an idea, or learn from someone we will never meet. Take advantage of that today. Open a book. Follow your curiosity. Having the chance to learn is a privilege; using it can change your life.