By Rhonda Bartle

Just a few little rules

We all know there are rules for pupils, but have you ever wondered what the Board of Education rules were like for teachers in the good old days?

Try some of these on for size.

From the Pembroke School Centennial Booklet:

Rules for Teachers - 1872

1. Each teacher will fill lamps, clean windows.
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 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 teacher may spend the remaining time reading the bible or other good book.
6. Women who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.
7. Every teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not be a burden on society.
8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents poll or public halls, or gets shaved in a Barber's Shop will give reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.
9. The teacher who performs his labour faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of 25 pence per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves.

Rules for Teachers - 1915

1. You will not marry during the terms of your contract.
2. You are not to keep company with men.
3. You must be home between the hours of 8pm and 6am unless attending a school function.
4. You may not leave the city limits without the permission of the Chairman of the Board.
5. You may not loiter downtown in icecream stores.
6. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or brother.
7. You may not smoke cigarettes.
8. You may not dress in bright colours.
9. You may not under any circumstances dye your hair.
10. You must wear at least two petticoats and your dresses must not be any shorter than inches above the ankle.
11. To keep the schoolroom clean you must:
         Sweep the floor at least once daily.
         Scrub the floor with hot soapy

               water at least once a day.
               And start a fire at 7am so the   

               room will be warm by 8am.

How hard do you think it was for teachers to keep these rules?