Monday, August 4, 2014

A (Teacher's) Blast from the Past

I've been cleaning out filing cabinets-- a once a decade task--and have found some interesting items that I saved over the years. I thought I'd share this gem, courtesy of The Sam Houston Historic Schoolhouse in Maryville, Tn.

1872 Rules for Teachers

1. Teachers each day will fill lamps, clean chimneys.

2. Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day's session.

3. Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to the individual taste of the pupils.

4. Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly.

5. After ten hours in school, the teachers may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books.

6. Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.

7. Every teacher should lay aside from each day's pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society.

8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pools or public halls, or gets shaves in a barbershop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.

9. The teacher who performs his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of twenty-five cents per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves. 
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What do you think about these rules? I'd love to hear!

12 comments:

Barbara Younger said...

Wow. Sure seems to be some inequity in Four and Six... And who knew that barbershops were evil!

Linda A. said...

Carol,
I'd say any teacher that can keep those rules deserves overtime pay. ;)

Joyce Moyer Hostetter said...

Wow! Those are kind of astonishing. Especially about getting shaved in a barber shop. I wonder if a barber shop was a front for some other questionable activity.

Also interesting that men could court but women couldn't be married.

Such a fascinating post, Carol.

Linda Phillips said...

Hmmm, I wonder if #7 worked better than Social Security? Interesting to compare these to our times.

Linda Phillips said...

Every teacher should lay aside from each day's pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society.

I wonder if this worked better than Social Security?

Rosi said...

LOL! This is great, Carol. Thanks for sharing this. Made my day.

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks friends. I thought it was interesting enough to save the sheet with the rules--we visited this schoolhouse probably 15 years ago. the only one I liked was about reading the Bible. Times sure have changed!

Carol Baldwin said...

Well, I liked the reading "good books" and putting aside one's earnings too.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Such a great find! Isn't it interesting how men can have 1 or 2 nights off for courting but women will be dismissed of married:) also it is nice to know someone else who only once a decade cleans out their filing cabinet!

Carol Baldwin said...

Actually, Kathy, it's more like once eery 25 years--but that didn't sound quite as poetic! Glad you enjoyed the post.

sheri levy said...

I'm sure glad I taught in the 80's and 90's.

Carol Baldwin said...

I'm sure you are, Sheri!

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