NEW HAMPTON - For decades, children learned to read, write and subtract in a humble schoolhouse west of New Hampton. Today, lanterns, corn dryers, farm tools and chests have replaced desks, slates and primers.

Lora Schwickerath and her husband, Larry Christensen, launched their business five years. The Lil Brick Schoolhouse, a modest 12 by 24 space, houses just a percentage of their inventory of antiques and collectibles, though. Old chairs, dishes and toys overflow into two other buildings on the property.

The former school is at 1999 Gilmore Ave. five miles west of New Hampton. Recently, Keith Quade of Charles City combed the shop for painted china. A repeat visitor, Quade says he appreciates the selection and the hours - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

"They've got everything here. A little bit of everything," he said.

Schwickerath delved into the antique business after losing her job at a factory. As she considered possible careers, Schwickerath - who thinks her affection for old things is a sign she was born in the wrong era - decided to pursue her interests for a change.

"OK, what do I still like?" Schwickerath asked herself. "I like food and I like stuff.

"So we went with old stuff."

Schwickerath and Christensen visit about 50 auctions a year and also buy and sell online. People looking to get rid of their stuff also seek her out.

"Once you hang your shingle out everybody's got something for sale," Schwickerath said.

She takes time to clean, glue or refinish inventory as needed and on request, as many buyers aren't interested in "fixer uppers."

"They want take it home and use it," she said.

The business also provides a purpose for an old schoolhouse in the family for three generations. She said her grandfather, John, purchased the structure, known as Dayton School No. 2, in the late 1940s and classes continued through 1965. A farmer with 360 acres, John used the schoolhouse to store beans. Schwickerath said her father, Vernon, a collector, dreamed of converting the building into a flea and farmer's market.

Former students who visit the school house also share their recollections.

"It's all good stuff," Schwickerath said.

"Happy memories," she added.

A 1895 plat book in her possession documents the property and ownership and she claims the school building predates that by a few years. Recent modifications include a new roof, windows and floor, she said.

Such improvements aren't authentic to the school's original state, said Schwickerath, but are practical and will hopefully ensure the building's longevity.

"It'll last another 100 years," Schwickerath said.

In Iowa, about 3,000 one- and two-room schoolhouses are still standing, though most have been repurposed, according to Bill Sherman, a board member with the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance.

One-third are used as a residence, Sherman said. About 200 serve as a museum of some kind and some are still used in Amish and Mennonite communities for educational purposes, he added. The rest fulfill a variety of purposes from business to pottery barn to farm building.

"There are lots of positives anytime we can save a school building in Iowa," Sherman said.

Schwickerath likes the idea of being a part of a business that finds a new purpose for used items, rather than disposing of them.

"It's already withstood the test of time and you are only limited by your imagination," she said.