Schools in the ’50s and ’60s were like well-oiled machines – strict, orderly & no room for rebellion. Teachers made rules for everything & children were expected to follow them without asking questions. Some of those traditional rules – as we look back on them now – seem downright strange. From how you could dress to how you acted at lunchtime, school was a whole another world. Let’s take a look at some of those outmoded rules that would make children (and parents) now say — “Wait, they did what?”
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Corporal Punishment
If you acted up at school, you’d better brace yourself. School teachers or headmasters might have hit your hand with a ruler, paddled you or pulled your ears. Parents didn’t only allow it, they encouraged it! If we physically disciplined a schoolchild today, it would raise hell. Instead, we now focus on actions like counselling and behavior plans.
Strict Dress Codes
Girls were required to wear skirts or dresses – no pants were allowed, even in chilly winters. Boys, however, needed to wear collared shirts – their hair couldn’t reach their ears. One wrong move and you’d be sent home. Now schools are a lot more flexible. Students can wear pretty much anything — so long as it isn’t distracting or inappropriate. No one is pulling out a ruler to calculate skirt lengths anymore.
Segregated Schools
Schools across much of the US were segregated by race before desegregation laws. Black and white children couldn’t be in the same schools and resources weren’t distributed evenly. Thankfully, this kind of discrimination is no longer allowed. Today – diversity is celebrated & schools aim for inclusivity in policies and in teaching.
No Talking Without Permission
Talking out of turn? That was a big no-no. Even if you had a brief question or comment — if you didn’t wait to be asked, you were going to get in trouble. Whispering something to your friend might get you a detention. Classrooms today are more active. They promote discussion in small groups and student engagement — it’s no longer just about the teacher talking.
No Left-Handed Writing
Believe it or not, left-handed kids were forced to write with their right hand. Teachers considered left-handedness ‘wrong’ or even deviant. Kids who didn’t comply might have been disciplined or their hands may have been smacked. Today, we know better.
Obligation to Salute the Flag or Say Prayers
Each morning, pupils had to stand up, take the Pledge of Allegiance, and perhaps even say a prayer. It didn’t matter what you believed, you just had to join in. Public schools these days are sensitive to individual liberty. It’s possible for students to decline things such as the pledge or religious rituals, and schools are all about inclusivity.
Zero Tolerance for Hair and Makeup
Girls were not permitted to use any kind of make-up at all – no lipstick, eyeliner, even nail varnish. Long hair or pompadours were forbidden for boys, too. If you didn’t match the criteria, you were sent home or told to “fix” yourself. School today is much relaxed on these matters. What a student does with hair, make-up, and their personality is mainly their choice.
Mandatory Home Economics for Girls and Shop Class for Boys
Gender roles were strongly promoted in schools then. Girls had to learn to cook, sew and look after the home. Boys were offered shop class, learning to work on wood or mechanics. No one got to choose. Students can choose what interests them now, and gender does not dictate what you will do next.
Separate Gym Classes for Boys and Girls
Gym class was not only gendered – it included completely different activities. Boys practiced athletic activities such as football or wrestling; girls studied more “graceful” ones such as dance or calisthenics. Boys were supposed to be strong and girls ladylike. Today – everybody does the same things to ensure collaboration and inclusion.
Strict Punishments for Minor Infractions
Chewing gum? That’s a detention. Passing a note? Another detention. Whispering? Yup, you’re in trouble. Schools back then had a zero-tolerance attitude toward the smallest things. The majority of schools now have bigger things to focus on. Sure, they’ll still ask you to follow the rules — but they focus more on teaching good behavior than punishing every little thing.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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