HornBooks

HornBooks

 Paper was scarce and expensive during colonial days. A student’s first lesson, the ABCs, was written on a piece of parchment. The parchment was laid on a flat wooden board with a handle.  To protect the parchment on the board, a flattened cow’s horn was placed over it. To flatten the material, the cow horn was first stored in cold water for several weeks, separating the horn from the bone. Then the horn was heated, first in boiling water, then by fire, and pressed by plates and machines to make it smooth and transparent. The thin, translucent horn was then fastened onto the parchment, protecting the lesson from its daily use.  Each hornbook handle had a hole so a rope could be fastened to it and the hornbooks  worn around the neck or fastened to a belt.  Thus, hornbooks would not be lost on the way to school and were easily accessible.Hornbooks were the first elementary lessons.

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks

HornBooks