Fair / 62° FLifestyle of teachers has changed a bit
Published 11:39am Tuesday, November 10, 2009Dear Editor:
Truly, the lifestyle of a schoolteacher has changed radically in the last 50 or 60 years. For example, a 1915 teachers’ magazine listed the following rules of conduct for teachers of that day:
• 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 stores.
• You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chairman of the board.
• You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any many 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 dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above your ankle.
• To keep the schoolroom near and clean, you must: scrub the floor at least once 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.
WyVonne Johnson
Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma
Sounds similar to the current rules of Islam in the middle east. Almost identical, actually! Except that, instead of petticoats they must wear full-body veils.
Male teachers must have been embarrased having to wear
at least 2 petticoats.