Lyrics
In the little red school house,
With my book and slate,
In the little red school house,
I was always late.
I long to be back there where I was a scholar, in the days of yore.
How I'd stand right up there and hollar, "two and two are four".
When we should have been learning about the Golden Rule,
our little hearts were yearning for the swimming pool.
Oh how we'd sit and wait for the 4 o'clock bell,
the moment that we heard it we would run like. .mad,
O golly gee, I want to be, in the little red school house.
Ten o'clock the spelling lessons just begun,
Johnny throws an ink ball just for fun.
Hits the teachers ear with an awful splat,
She turns around and says, "Who did that?"
Pretty little Percy in the very first row, raises up his hand and says, "Teacher, I know".
Little Johnny whispers to the teachers pride,
"You just wait till I get you outside".
Johnny's told to stand up with his face to the wall,
He says, "I don't wanna" and he tried to stall,
"If I stand up there I'll take an awful chance,
I've got a great big tear in the seat of my pants".
Teacher sends you home to wash your face and then,
you say, "Oh what's the use, it just gets dirty again".
Oh gee, I wanna be, in the little red school house.
Alternative Lyrics & Related Songs
This song is shorter and has a different 1st verse
In the little red school house,
With my book and slate,
In the little red school house,
I was always late.
Oh how we'd sit and wait for the 4 o'clock bell,
the moment we heard it we'd run like mad,
O golly gee, I want to be, in the little red school house.
Ten o'clock spelling lessons just begun,
Johnny throws an ink ball just for fun,
Hits the teachers ear with an awful splat,
She turns around and says, "Who did that?"
Pretty little Percy in the very first row, raises up his hand and says, "Teacher, I know".
Little Johnny whispers to his teachers pride,
"You just wait till I get you outside".
Johnny's told to stand up with his face to the wall,
He says, "I don't wanna" and he tried to stall,
"If I stand up there I'll take an awful chance,
I've got a great big tear in the seat of my pants".
Another version where Johnny gets in trouble
Sitting in our seats we're such good boys and girls
When Johnny ties an ink well to Mary Jo's curls.
Mary turns her head and the bottle goes splat,
Teacher turns around and says "Who did that?'.
Then little Frankie in the very first row,
Raises up his hand and says "Teacher, I know"
Little Johnny whispers to the teacher's pride
"You just wait'll I get you outside".