Rules for Teachers — 1914

“My, oh my, how times have changed.”

That’s the reaction of everyone I’ve spoken within the past few days after asking them to read ... and react to ... a little ditty called “Rules For Teachers — 1914.”

The fun started when I picked up the September issue of the McCook Heritage Senior Center newsletter and turned my attention to the old-timey teacher rules, which — I later found out — were discovered on Facebook by our town’s mischievous senior center director, Beth Siegfried, and were shared by Beth — “just for the fun of it” — in a full page spread in last month’s newsletter.

In case you missed seeing the “Rules for Teachers — 1914” — in the Heritage news flash, I’m presenting them, fully and completely, in today’s column. Of course, there’s a catch. I want feedback. I want to know what you think after reading the century old guidelines for what they used to call “school marms.”

I’ve already primed the pump, showing the 1914 rules for teachers to Tom Bredvick, president of the McCook Board of Education; and Sharon Bowling and Mary Dueland, recently retired McCook educators.

Their comments will be featured in an upcoming column. I’m going to wait a few days before printing them, however, because I’d like to allow time to hear from you. If you have something to say about the “rules” that’s worth printing, please take the time to write down your thoughts and send them to: Feedback, McCook Daily Gazette, P.O. Box 1268, McCook, NE 69001.

With that said, here are the “Rules for Teachers — 1914.”

1. You will not marry during the term of your contract.

2. You will not keep company with men.

3. You must be home between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

4. You must not loiter downtown in any ice cream stores.

5. You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have permission of the chairman of the school board.

6. You may not ride in carriages or automobiles with any man except your father or brother.

7. You may not smoke cigarettes.

8. You may not dress in bright colors.

9. You may not under no circumstances dye your hair.

10. You must wear at least two petticoats.

11. Your dress may not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.

12. To keep the classroom neat and clean you must sweep the floor once a day, scrub the floor with soapy water once a week, clean the blackboards once a day, and start the fire at 7 a.m. to have the school warm by 8 a.m. when the scholars arrive.

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I end as I began: “My, oh my, how times have changed.” Now it’s time for you to sound off. We’re doing it the old-fashioned way ... mail your observations to: Feedback, McCook Gazette, Box 1268, McCook, NE 69001. Hurry, please. I can’t wait to see what you have to say.