a “porch” (l.13) is another word for garage.

the verb “hung” (l.13) is the past tense of to hang.

the suffix “-less”, as in “backless” (l.6), means few.

Rote memorization was the schoolhouse teacher’s preferred technique to deal with active students.

Schoolhouse teachers played different roles.

Usually, students who attended schoolhouses rarely missed classes.

The teacher must have been a devoted one.

Regardless of the students’ age, everybody studied together in the same room.

The pupils had to look for special wood to light the fire.

The center of the schoolhouse was bare.