School House Dunce Cap « Historic Cold Spring Village Cape May County Living History Museum

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School House Dunce Cap

The classic dunce hat to signify a poor scholar

If a student gave the wrong answer to a question or he was not studying to the schoolmaster or schoolmistress’s satisfaction, the student might find himself at the front of the room with this silly pointed hat on his head. The dunce cap was punishment by humiliation. Its purpose was to embarrass students into behaving correctly. To add to the embarrassment, a schoolmaster or schoolmistress might even tell the other scholars to laugh at the child wearing the dunce cap!

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501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Historic Cold Spring Village has received operating and project grants from the New Jersey Historical Commission in the Department of State, The 1772 Foundation and the County of Cape May including NJSCA/Cape May County Culture and Heritage Commission Regrants. Endowment funds have been awarded from the NJ Cultural Trust in Department of State. Advertising and printing has also been funded through the Cooperative Marketing Grant Program of the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism in the Department of State, www.visitnj.org.

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