12 School Traditions That Sound Made Up Today
School customs have changed a lot over the decades, and some past traditions now seem completely unbelievable. What once felt normal in classrooms and hallways would raise eyebrows — or legal concerns — if done today.
- Tricia Quitales
- 5 min read
Many school traditions from the past reflect a very different era in education, discipline, and social culture. From strange rituals to outdated rules, these customs were once common but now feel bizarre when viewed through a modern lens. Some were meant to build school spirit, while others enforced control or celebrated outdated norms. Revisiting these traditions offers a glimpse into how much schools have evolved — and how strange some customs really were.
1. Singing the Anthem Every Morning
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Many schools required students to sing the national anthem daily before class began. Entire student bodies would gather and sing in unison, sometimes followed by patriotic pledges. The routine was treated with great seriousness, and skipping it could get you in trouble. While patriotism still has a place, this ritual has mostly faded in many regions. Today, it feels more like a military drill than a school activity.
2. Weekly Head Lice Inspections
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Teachers or nurses would go from classroom to classroom inspecting every student’s head for lice. Kids lined up and leaned forward while adults combed through their hair with gloved hands or wooden sticks. It was awkward, invasive, and sometimes publicly embarrassing. No privacy was considered, and students who “failed” were sent home. The thought of this happening today is hard to imagine in any public setting.
3. Paddle-Based Discipline
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Corporal punishment was once a standard method of enforcing discipline in schools. Teachers often kept wooden paddles in their desks and used them when students misbehaved. Parents were usually informed after the fact, if at all. Fear of “being paddled” was enough to keep many kids in line. The practice is now banned in most places and widely viewed as abusive.
4. Maypole Dancing
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Every spring, students in some schools participated in Maypole dances as part of a seasonal festival. Children would hold ribbons attached to a tall pole and move in coordinated patterns to create colorful braids. The tradition had roots in old European customs, but many kids just found it confusing. Costumes were sometimes required, adding to the awkwardness. It now sounds more like a medieval fair than a school event.
5. Cursive Writing Competitions
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Before keyboards and tablets, students were judged by their handwriting skills. Some schools held formal competitions to see who could write in cursive with the most elegance and speed. Trophies and ribbons were awarded for flawless loops and swirls. Today, cursive is rarely taught at all, much less celebrated. The idea of a handwriting showdown feels oddly out of place.
6. Square Dancing in Gym Class
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For a time, square dancing was part of the physical education curriculum in many schools. Students were forced to pair up and learn the steps to traditional dances, often to country music. It was as much a social exercise as a physical one, though most kids dreaded it. Some viewed it as outdated even then. Now it seems like an odd cultural throwback with no real educational purpose.
7. Milk Breaks
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During designated times, students were given cartons of milk to drink—often lukewarm and unflavored. The break was treated like a minor ceremony, and everyone was expected to participate. There were no options for non-dairy or lactose-intolerant students. It was meant to promote health but felt more like a chore. Most schools have long since replaced this with standard snack or recess time.
8. Gender-Specific Dress Codes
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Girls were often required to wear dresses or skirts, while boys had to wear slacks or button-down shirts. Some schools even measured skirt lengths to ensure “modesty.” Gym classes had separate uniforms and different rules depending on gender. These policies reinforced strict gender roles and expectations. Such codes would not hold up under current inclusion standards.
9. Polishing the Principal’s Shoes
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In some private or religious schools, polishing a teacher’s or principal’s shoes was given as a disciplinary task. The act was meant to teach respect and humility but bordered on humiliation. Students were made to do it publicly, often in front of others. What was once seen as character-building now reads as deeply inappropriate. The concept has been rightfully abandoned.
10. Holiday Pageants with No Opt-Out
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Students were required to participate in school-wide Christmas or Easter pageants, complete with costumes and religious songs. There were rarely accommodations for students of other faiths or beliefs. Opting out was seen as disruptive or unpatriotic. These productions were often elaborate, involving weeks of rehearsal. Today, inclusivity has shifted how schools handle seasonal events.
11. Smoking Areas for Seniors
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Some high schools actually designated smoking areas for students who were 18 or seniors. The logic was that if you were legally allowed to smoke, you could do it at school — just not in the hallways. Teachers and staff sometimes shared the same outdoor space. It seems surreal now, especially with modern anti-smoking campaigns. Health policies have drastically shifted since then.
12. Public Grade Postings
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Teachers would post students’ grades on bulletin boards using either names or ID numbers. Everyone could see who scored the highest and who failed. The system was meant to promote academic competition and shame underperformance. It often caused embarrassment and anxiety among students. Today, privacy laws would make such a practice completely unacceptable.