Wiscasset American history students recently attended Puddle Dock School, built in 1874, to better understand the one-room schoolhouse and rich history in rural Maine.

Gabriel Cadwallader, a Wiscasset American history student, said, “My experience was somewhat eye-opening to the struggles of a country/urban life for the children of the 1900s and the lack of the luxuries we have today such as heating and basic plumbing things we take for granted now. The fact that such a small school was considered modern for its time is astounding.”

Doreen Conboy, a historian and archivist, taught a history lesson of the one-room schoolhouse to juniors attending Wiscasset Middle High School. Alna had a total of six one-room schoolhouses operating until the early 1960s.

Lincoln Brook shared, “I just want to thank Doreen Conboy for a great experience at the one-room schoolhouse and for teaching me and my class about the history of the building. I learned that the two doors in the front are to separate the boys from the girls when entering the school along with that there are six other one-room schoolhouses located in Alna.”

David Valliere learned, “The most interesting thing I learned about Doreen Conboy is that she taught at multiple different schools and worked at Alna General Store. The idea of a one-room schoolhouse is interesting as well. It's intriguing that the classes have both third graders and high schoolers together in a small group.”

Part of the discussion involved Lydia Keene, a K-12 schoolteacher for Puddle Dock School who circumnavigated the world in 1899 and survived a shipwreck at the Falkland Islands, near South America. The book was published by Joan Gregoire a few years ago. Photos in the 19th and 20th centuries were examined, reflecting various demographic and cultural changes in Alna.

Bryleigh Thiboutot concluded, “Thank you for having us at the one-room schoolhouse. I really appreciate Doreen Conboy telling us and explaining to us (including) how the school worked. It was very interesting.”