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An Apple for the Teacher

Bringing an apple to a teacher is a common theme in “all things teachers.”  Just to clarify, an apple as in the fruit, not an Apple iPad, phone, or other product!  With a quick Google search, you can find apple-teacher memes, images, picture books, and thank you gifts. And while today it’s not commonplace for students to bring an apple to a teacher, was it ever  a regular practice? And if so, why?

Prior to government funding of public education in 1913, families in the community were responsible for providing housing and food to teachers. Apples were not only plentiful, but also harvest started around the beginning of the school year. So yes, students did bring apples to their teachers!

In the 1930s, Bing Crosby’s hit record, An Apple for a Teacher, helped to popularize the idea of gifting apples to teachers. Here’s a bit of the lyrics:

An apple for the teacher
Will always do the trick,
When you don’t know
Your lesson in arithmetic

An apple for the teacher
Will meet with great success
If you forgot to memorize
The Gettysburg Address

The song seems to suggest that bringing an apple is more of a bribe than a thank you gift. And it’s a perfect fit with the term apple-polisher!

Check out Extra Credit for more on school and children education from days gone by!

Happy Reading!

Suzanne Daniels