The Pringle Plan: Nathan Hale Homestead

We planned a trip to the Nathan Hale Homestead this fall to coincide with Free Admission Day courtesy of the Smithsonian!

Located in Coventry, CT

We didn't know a lot about Nathan Hale, but we did know he was a teacher. We had learned that the week before, on a tour of Connecticut's State Capital.

There are a few things in this old school house that would not fly today!

These schoolhouse benches don't look very comfortable.

The New-England Primer

Most people think what Hale is famous for are his last words, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." He may or may not have said something like that at the time of his hanging by the British, for being a spy during the Revolutionary War. However, most historians think he is important for other reasons. For one thing, although not a very skilled spy himself, Hale inspired other Americans to gather intelligence that would help them win the war and lead to independence.

The Nathan Hale Homestead

For another, Nathan Hale is famous for being a teacher. He graduated with first-class honors in 1773 at age 18 and became a teacher, first in East Haddam and later in New London. Being a teacher probably doesn't sound like reason enough to be famous, or historically important, but Hale, in 1773, taught 33 boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 18 in a little red one-room schoolhouse in East Haddam, Connecticut, called the First Society School. What's so unusual about that? Well, in those times girls often didn't attend school. Their education took place at home. Hale argued in favor of girls being educated the same as boys. After leaving Haddam, he taught in New London where girls were taught in the summer months at 5:30 a.m. A first step toward equal rights yes, but where would we be without that first step? Thank you Nathan Hale!