Tuesday, November 15, 2016

The Children's Blizzard of 1888

On January 12, 1888, a blizzard hit the Northern states which left over 245 people dead in the next 24 hours.  It has been known in history as the Schoolchildren's blizzard, because many people were caught without warning, including hundreds of children in one room school houses.

There had been a brief spell of warm weather, so many children and adults were caught without proper clothing.  The storm blew in suddenly, which caused the temperature to drop in some place by forty degrees lower.

The powdery nature of the snow made it difficult for lost children and their teachers to find landmarks.  If people ventured outside, it usually met with disaster.

Modern methods of weather reporting were unknown, but awareness of more communication about weather conditions was raised.   Only with the advent of satellite weather are weather predictions very accurate.  

If a blizzard ever hits Sprague High School, Mrs. Olsen plans to stay put with her children until the blizzard ends.   She always minds the lessons of history.   She'll even share her lunch with the students and divide of the granola bars in her desk.