RULES for TEACHERS - 1872 - MONTANA TERRITORY Poster

The photo is of the oldest one-room school house in Montana at Twin Bridges. A school with a teacher began educating children here in the early 1860's. The teacher slept in the back room. Although there is controversy about where these rules originated, make no mistake that rules like these or similar were promulgated by concerned parents and citizens of the time who desired that no one who came in contact with their children, especially the school teacher, was of immoral character according to the standards of the day. So, did these guidelines exist for the teacher at Twin Bridges. Most certainly they did. It is well known that smoking was forbidden by teachers of the time. Marriage followed by pregnancy was certainly forbidden. No school could afford the luxury of dealing with a pregnant teacher and all that it entailed. Truth be known, there were probably many school districts of the day who had even more draconian contracts in place than this one. RULES for TEACHERS 1872 1. Teachers will fill the lamps and clean the chimney each day. 2. Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and a bundle of wood each day. 3. Make your pens carefully. You may whittle the nibs to the individual tastes of pupils. 4. Male teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly. 5. After 10 hours of school, a teacher may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or another good book. 6. Women teachers who marry or engage in improper conduct will be dismissed. 7. Every teacher should lay aside a goodly sum of their earnings. The savings should be used during retirement so you do not become a burden on society. 8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, visits a pool hall, or gets shaved in a Barber Shop will give good reasons for people to suspect worth, intentions, and honesty. 9. The teacher who performs their work faithfully and without blemish for 5 years will be granted an increase of 25 cents.