Abraham Lincoln’s parents would have been punished.
SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Boyhood_National_Memorial
In November 1819, the area’s first school was opened by Andrew Crawford, and at age 10, Abraham attended a school for the first time, at a cost of two dollars per year. He was a student there for two school years, which were three-month intervals held during the winter months when the children were not needed for farming.
In 1822 the Lincolns enrolled the boy in a new school taught by James Swaney. As it was more than 4 miles (6.4 km) away and Abraham had to walk there, his attendance was poor.
In 1824 he was transferred to another school closer to home, which he attended until age 16, when he ended formal schooling.
Walking a mile in and of itself no big deal, but I wouldn’t want my kid to walk along most of the highways, no sidewalks, idiot drives and distracted drivers. Just had one girl recently killed by a car along a highway, she was just walking along. Not to mention being picked up etc.