Rules for 1915 schoolteachers
Several of my characters are schoolteachers. Mallory Harrington in my contemporary inspirational romance, MARRYING MALLORY, teaches English at a private school. Shannon in WHITNEY IN CHARGE is a substitute high school teacher plus teaches college courses before starting a business with her sisters. Stephanie, a secondary character in another inspirational, NO GREATER LOSS, teaches second grade, and in my new wip, Lexi is a college instructor who teaches freshmen English. I was a teacher myself and that’s how I met my husband. We both were teaching at the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home in Xenia, Ohio.
I thought it’d be fun to share past rules for teachers! I especially like the rule about wearing two petticoats. 
These rules are posted in the one-room schoolhouse at the Little House on The Prairie, near Independence, Kansas for the school year 1915.”
• You will not marry during the term of your contract
• You are not to keep company with men.
• You must be home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless attending a school function.
• You may not loiter downtown in any of the ice cream shops.
• You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have permission of the Chairman of the Board.
• You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.
• You may not smoke cigarettes.
• You may not dress in bright colors.
• You may under no circumstances dye your hair.
• You must wear at least two petticoats.
• Your dress must not be any shorter than two-inches above your ankle.
• To keep the classroom clean, you must sweep the floor at least once a day; scrub the floor at least one a week with hot, soapy water; clean the blackboards at least once a day; and start the fire at 7 a.m. so the room will be warm by 8 a.m.
April 1st, 2010 at 7:40 am
I don’t think I could have been a school teacher in 1915; too many rules that I would have to break.
April 1st, 2010 at 9:52 am
Hi Diane,
A fun post. I think the ones that tickles me the most are not being able to loiter at the ice cream shop. And not being able to leave the city limits without permission. Can’t imagine being bound by such rules just to be able to teach.
April 1st, 2010 at 10:43 am
I can’t help but wonder just who was charged with the duty of enforcing these rules.
Barri
April 1st, 2010 at 3:05 pm
We all know that ice cream lowers inhibitions and can lead to imappropriate conduct.
These are interesting. Thanks Diane!
April 1st, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I am a teacher by day and writer by night and days off.
And I thought I had it rough. Well, it’s a trade-off. I’m an old-fashioned girl anyone so abstaining from cigarettes and the non-dyeing of hair wouldn’t be a problem. But not eating ice cream! Oh my.
I loved this post. Tickled me pink.
April 1st, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Thanks, everyone for visiting and leaving comments! I think the school board enforced the rules or maybe the mayor of the town.
Things have definitely changed!
April 1st, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Do you realize what this means? A woman would be forced to quit school before she could even “start” looking for a husband? Or she and her guy would have to meet on the sly. (Which could make for an interesting story. (Rita, Celia, are you girls listening?)
And this brings up a very good question. How would the teacher support herself during the courtship since she has to quit teaching first?
About the only jobs around for women would have been working in a saloon.
And we think we have it rough sometimes. LOL
April 1st, 2010 at 9:11 pm
I’m so glad times have changed. lol
April 1st, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Laurean,
You brought up some good points. I like the idea of the teacher and guy meeting on the sly.
Melanie,
I’m glad things are different now, too!
April 2nd, 2010 at 9:57 am
Diane,
I agree - a fun post. I can’t believe how the rules were so restrictive, then again,if we kept some of them, maybe we wouldn’t have some of the troubles we have now.
You make me curious. I wonder what they got paid.
Thanks for sharing.
*smiles*
Steph
April 2nd, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Glad you liked the post, Stephanie! I wonder, too, what the teachers got paid in 1915.