Fall Asleep in a Schoolhouse By Larry Bleiberg, Special for USA TODAY Even with school back in session, there are still places where it's OK to nod off in class. Several former schoolhouses have been transformed into bed-and-breakfasts and rental properties. "Schoolhouses from a century ago are about the same size as a single-family home, so they work nicely for a vacation home," says Jon Gray of HomeAway.com, an online vacation-home rental firm. You have a very different experience than you'd have in a cookie-cutter hotel. He shares some favorites with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY. Morewood Pittsfield, Mass. This small property in the Berkshires served a western Massachusetts community from 1843 to 1985 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Renovated in 2010, the one-bedroom home now has a glass and tile bathroom. "It's very cool," Gray says. It's the oldest one-room schoolhouse in New England. A blackboard still adorns the kitchen. vrbo.com/310035 1916 Schoolhouse Gardiner, Mont. The children of immigrant coal miners once learned their ABCs in this former one-room schoolhouse on a ranch near Yellowstone National Park. "Kids from all ages used to come here," Gray says. Renovated in 2009, it's now a one-bed, one-bath lodging decorated with old school desks, tin ceilings, books and historic photos. 406-848-7862; wildcon.com Old Schoolhouse B&B Waukau, Wis. The former Waukau Grade School honors its past by naming each of its four guestrooms after former teachers, Gray says. The largest is the Mrs. Hemp Suite. Further evidence of its past includes original hardwood floors that still show where desks and chairs were once fastened down. The inn's listed "golden rules" include quiet time after 10 p.m. and no guests under 12 years old. 920-685-7320; theoldschoolhouse.biz Old Albion Schoolhouse Mendocino, Calif. The school name is still etched into the fa?ade of this three-bedroom building, which served the town of Albion from 1924 to 1968. It was eventually purchased and renovated by legendary music producer Bill Bottrell, best known for Michael Jackson's album Bad. He added a recording studio and outfitted a small stage with theater lights. It also holds other surprises. The doorbell still rings the original school bell. It's extremely loud," Gray says. 707-357-1255; schoolhouseproperties.com/index.html School House Bed + Breakfast Rocheport, Mo. This school served the quaint Missouri River town of Rocheport for nearly 60 years, housing grades 1 to 12 in four rooms. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1914 building has expanded and has several rooms with two-person jetted tubs. Area attractions include wineries and the Katy Trail State Park bike path. 573-698-2022; schoolhousebb.com Tiverton Four Corners School No. Tiverton, R.I. You can ring in your family for dinner on the original 24-inch class bell that hangs above this clapboard building near Narragansett Bay. The 19th-century village school closed in 1925 with the introduction of school buses. It was converted into a house a few years later and recently began hosting vacation rentals on a working farm. 401-624-4004; sakonnetfarm.com/farmstays Noftsger Hill Inn Globe, Ariz. Rooms at this southern Arizona inn still have chalkboards, but instead of lesson plans, they're marked with comments from former guests. Equipped with Wi-Fi, the inn advertises that its former classrooms make great workspaces for business travelers. Generations attended elementary school here, including former Arizona governor Rose Mofford. 928-425-2260; noftsgerhillinn.com Old Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast Fort Davis, Texas Nestled at the foot of Sleepy Lion Mountain, this spacious adobe building began serving as a schoolhouse in 1904. It's now surrounded by a pecan orchard and welcomes birdwatchers and vacationers eager to explore west Texas. "It's a really beautiful place to stay," Gray says. Guests chose from the Reading, 'Riting or 'Rithmetic rooms. 432-426-2050; schoolhousebnb.com Guilford Schoolhouse No. Guilford, Vt. You can bet students at this 18th-century southern Vermont school didn't have a hot tub on the back deck to ease their aches after a long day in class. Guests also enjoy antiques-filled rooms and delivery of organic breakfast fixings. If the educational setting awakens a creative streak, the owner offers art and bookbinding classes. 802-257-0003; otterpondbindery.com Old Red Schoolhouse County Mayo, Ireland Individual doors separated the sexes at this school on Ireland's west coast. And a wall running through the school and the schoolyard kept them apart inside and out. "Windows were built very high to discourage student distraction," says Gray. But the wall is long gone. The five-bedroom rental served as a backpacker hostel for years but has been recently renovated. oldredschoolhouse.com