Rules for Teachers from 1872, U.S.A.

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Posted by Michael Hartzell on Fri, Oct 19, 2012

Random thoughts from minds of leaders:  Business is confusing, no one truly knows what is important and know matter how many rules I make, no one seems to follow them.  Can't everyone see how smart I am?  Why is it that it takes for long for them to "get it"?  The options seem limited between "Your fired!" or do it myself.
Stop for a moment and look back to 1872.  The rules that teachers had to follow in 1872 will make you re-think your own circumstances.  Who would make such rules and surely no one was following them.

Rules for Teachers from 1872

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 nibes 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 a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden of society.
8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give a 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 and increase of 25 cents per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves.

Things have changed.
Leading with rules makes you a cop.  Stop making rules, lead with principles.