I've lived my whole 58+ years within an 1/8 of a mile of the one room school house -MY FATHER, uncle, & aunt- attended elementary classes at during the 1920's (and early '30s).
Once secondary school was warranted they had to endeavor the proverbial -miles- walk to the middle/high school about 5 miles away (following roadways that is). This was rural Ohio in the outskirts of the county seat & it's largest 'burg for about 20 miles or so.