Have you ever wondered what rural schools were like in the early 1900s? For starters, you’d have to imagine eight grades of students, sharing one teacher, and in only one classroom. On Saturday, August 13, with shows, at 2:00 and 6:00pm, the Wabeno Area Players will take audiences back in time for a glimpse at the one-room schoolhouse, with an original readers’ theater production of, “A Day at the Old School House.”  

The Players’ production will be performed on a stage in front of the one-room schoolhouse in the park in downtown Wabeno. The play is a collection of historical and comedic skits that explore the system of education that served rural Wisconsin for 150 years.  

The story will be told through the eyes of Grandma Clara who was once a student and later a teacher in a one-room school. Costumed actors will bring to life what it was like to be a teacher, student, parent and even the schoolhouse itself during that time in our history. Topics will also include the beginnings and demise of one-room schoolhouses, discipline in the classroom, the daily schedule and even outhouse protocol. The Wabeno Area Players promise it will be a fun, educational, and eye-opening event for all ages.

Tickets will be sold at the schoolhouse in the Wabeno Park, beginning one hour before each show. The cost is $5.00 per person.  There will be folding chairs, but you may wish to bring your own chair. If it is a sunny day, wearing a hat is a good idea.  There will be lemonade, iced tea, water, and popcorn available. Contact 715-473-5466 with questions.   A share of the profits for this event will be donated to the Wabeno Park Department for upkeep of the schoolhouse. In the event of inclement weather, the shows will be performed at the Nancy Volk Auditorium in Wabeno High School. Watch our Facebook page for updates if there is bad weather. Mark your calendar now!