Customer Reviews

The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards))

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In 1832, Prudence Crandall ran a private girls' boarding academy in Canterbury, a small Connecticut town located between Hartford and Providence, R.I. When a young African-American girl asked if she could attend Prudence's school, the teacher gladly took her in - much to the chagrin of local residents. In spite of their protests, Prudence went one step farther. Seeing that the educational need was a much larger one, she started a school just for "young Ladies and little Misses of color" in 1833, beginning with an enrollment of six girls from around New England. Even in a Northern state filled with abolitionists and anti-slavery supporters, this action was met with abhorence and eventual hostility. In retaliation, the legislature passed the Connecticut Black Law, which made it illegal to run a school for "colored persons who are not inhabitants of this State." Prudence was arrested and taken to court. She had powerful men on her side -- William Lloyd Garrison, Samuel May, and Arthur Tappan - and eventually, she was found innocent and the law was judged to be unconstitutional. But after the school was repeatedly vandalized, Prudence decided to close it in 1834. She married and moved out of the area, ending up in Kansas.

Her story could easily have ended there. Fifty years after she closed her school, the town of Canterbury and the state of Connecticut decided to apologize to Prudence. The Black Law had already been struck down in 1838. Now in 1886, the legislature granted her a pension of $400 a year to make up for the losses she suffered in the 1830s. Of course, the payment to her still didn't put an end to segregated schooling, but it was a step in the right direction. Prudence Crandall died in Elk Falls, Kansas, in 1890.

Suzanne Jurmain has done us a service by bringing Prudence Crandall's story to light and to life. Her re-telling makes for an interesting and easy read; and yet, it's the kind of real-life tale that makes one cringe at the behavior of one's fellow Americans, even those who are long, long gone. Jurmain concludes the book with a brief and necessary history of American civil rights since that time. The name of Prudence Crandall shouldn't slip through the cracks of our American history volumes. She should be as honored and as well-known as Rosa Parks.

In this book, The Forbidden School House, by Suzanne Jurmain, the author uses great detail to describe the lives of the young students, and the teacher Ms. Prudence Crandall, who was a major women's and equal rights advocate. "Although many nineteenth-century people thought educating women was a waste Prudence didn't agree. She expected her girls to learn." p. 2. This quote from the book really expresses the way that

Prudence felt about educating women, and the classes that she taught are also a strong example that she loved teaching and wanted her students to get the most out of it. Prudence was already way ahead of her time opening this incredible private girls academy, but when she began letting young black girls in the school I knew I had hit the climax of the book and found how really implausible Ms. Crandall really was. Though she went through many hardships in her teaching and lost many students when a black girl was enrolled, she kept pursuing her goal, which was to help the young black girls of America get a good education. Ms. Prudence Crandall really strived to reach her goal, and although she may not have changed the governments mind about the feelings towards black people she helped begin it. And to finish something or to reach a goal one must begin.
This was an amazing book, I was incredibly moved by the story of Ms. Prudence Crandall and will never forget it. I really agreed and was inspired by her remarkable actions, giving myself the self-esteem to pursue a risky goal. To me Prudence was a remarkable women and this book really gave me a great insight into what she and her students had to go through to make a difference that would change black and white women's education forever. Although Prudence was forced to shut her school down she never gave up her dream to fight against slavery. She knew that what she had done by opening the school to African-American girls in the country was a huge step up to where we are today, where the color of skin does not matter and women are encouraged to peruse an education.

Protestors broke school windows, put manure in the school well, pounded the doors with clubs, and villagers refused to sell schoolmistress Miss Crandall groceries or let her students attend the town church. Ultimately she was dragged to jail and put on trial. Her crime? Trying to teach Afro-American girls, and training to maintain one of the first black schools in America. Almost 150 pages includes vintage photos as it traces the little-revealed struggles of Prudence Crandall and her students for readers in grades 5-8.

This was beyond a doubt the best non-fiction book I have ever read. The author describes things so vividly it is almost as if you are with Prudence Crandall from the time she opened her school until after it was closed in 1835. Suzanne Jurmain photocopied actual newspaper articles about the schoolhouse and the events surrounding the schoolhouse in the book, so we readers could see them, and not just have the quotes. I recommend this book because I loved every minute of reading it. Every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. For instance, at the end of chapter three: "Things were even better than Prudence might have expected. The pieces were falling into place. The building was ready. The students were waiting. All Prudence had to do now was open her new school."
I like historical non-fiction (from the 1800's) because I like knowing how life was during the time period. How did people dress? How did they act? I like to be able to answer my own questions like that, and this book explains it well. It was really like being there with Prudence Crandall.

I had never heard of Prudence Crandall, but when I saw the cover flap's short blurb about her unusual story, I had to read the book. I was rewarded with a gripping, informative account of a little-known strike against racism that sheds new light on American society in the 1830's (a period most students don't spend much time studying). Jurmain's writing style is clear and fluid, and puts the reader inside Prudence's thoughts (the book's careful endnotes explain how the author learned these details). Fascinating side characters include abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, and even a cameo appearance by Mark Twain.

The book's visual design is pleasing, and the many photos/illustrations and thick paper will make it appealing to young people. Jurmain explains the warring characters' different points of view, and the beliefs of the times, in direct prose that is easy to understand but doesn't sound dumbed-down. The moving epilogue details how black students still struggle to gain equal education, while the two appendices give brief accounts of what happened to the figures in the story, and underscores that these were real people, with complex lives.

"The Forbidden Schoolhouse" is unusually inspiring, especially for a history book, and packed some extra punch because the story didn't turn out at all as I had expected. Kudos to Connecticut for finally recognizing one of their state's heroes.

I bought this book for a 6th grader, not knowing much about it. We were pleasantly surprised by the reader-friendly writing style -- So unlike many other "required reading" non-fiction books. It is lively and interesting to read, and offers facinating detail about a little-known piece of New England history.

"The Forbidden Schoolhouse" by Suzanne Jurmain is an amazing book! I learned a lot as I read it! I even read it all in one sitting! The book was very informative and interesting. Throughout the book are pictures of the main characters that are real and can be found in museums today. Also, there are pictures of the schoolhouse and other landmarks found in the book. "The Forbidden Schoolhouse" provides for many opportunities for extended activities. Many historical figures are mentioned in the book such as, Booker T. Washington, William Lloyd Garrison, and Ben Franklin. Students could then do further research on these important historical figures if they would like to learn more about them. The story allows the reader to experience many different emotions arranging from frustration to joy. I believe that students who read this book would gain a greater appreciation for education due to reading about the difficulties that Black people and women faced many years ago.

This is a book I will use for a beginning writing class at the university level. It's a quick read for that purpose and relates a piece of black and white history previously unknown. Because of the size and large print, it has the feel of a children's book, but it reads like adult nonfiction.

This book is about a woman named Prudence Crandal who risked her life to teach african american students. This book is filled with pictures that make the book more fun to read. I definitally reccomed this book!

This story is about a white woman who taught African American girls. They were tormented, the house was set on fire. Pictures are artifacts.