Voorlezer's House - Use As A Schoolhouse

Use As A Schoolhouse

Children attending the Voorlezer's house while it functioned as a school were most likely between the ages of 7 and 12, and were both male and female. Schooling would have been paid for by parents by subject, which were probably taught in Dutch language.

Subjects most likely included:
1. Reading. Students may have used hornbooks but there were many textbooks from Amsterdam available at the time, such as "Stairway of Youth" which was 12 lessons that built on each other, supplemented by "Great and Small ABC"
2. Writing. Many students may not have learned this.
3. Arthimetic. An important skill for both boys and girls to learn to be able to maintain household and business accounts as adults.
4. Religion. Students were expected to memorize 129 questions, and answers. The Heidelberg Catechism was also being used from 1563 until the 1800s.
5. Dutch history. This "new" subject would teach students about the Dutch Independence War from Spain.

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