20 School Day Rules From the 1950s Every Student Had to Follow

The school day itself was organized around a simple backbone of discipline, order, and respect for authority. The classroom was governed by rules that extended into every aspect of the day. Students stood when the teacher entered the room, spoke when their names were called, and walked quietly and in straight lines through the hallways. They remained seated unless directed otherwise, kept their desks organized, and were taught specific ways to behave, such as how to sit, what to have on their desks, and how to be quiet during lessons. To be involved, they often had to stand up to answer questions. The day began with the Pledge of Allegiance and the careful checking of homework.

1. Standing When the Teacher Entered the Classroom

Within American classrooms during the 1950s, there was one tradition that was formal by today’s standards. When the teacher entered the room, every student would stand beside their desk. This tradition was observed at the start of class and sometimes during a school administrator’s visit. It was a sign of respect for authority and the start of a formal learning session. The students would stay at attention until the teacher said they could be seated. During that time, not a word was spoken, nor was whispering encouraged. This tradition was observed throughout the United States, from the small rural schools to the large city schools.

2. Addressing Teachers Only as “Sir,” “Ma’am,” or “Miss”

For the students in the 1950s, there were set ways of talking to the teachers. Casual talk was not common in the classroom. The kids would refer to the teachers as “Sir,” “Ma’am,” or “Miss,” depending on the teacher’s gender and marital status. Teachers encouraged students to address them by these titles every time they spoke to them, even when it was just to answer a question. A student could answer with “Yes, Sir” or “No, Ma’am” and then go on with the answer. This was because the period was all about being polite and showing respect to authority. The practice was not limited to the classroom alone. A student would start with the title when answering the teacher’s raised hand.

3. Walking Quietly in Single-File Lines Through the Hallways

For many schools in the 1950s, the hallways were organized and ran on a routine schedule. As the classes changed rooms, the students proceeded in a straight line, with the teacher at the front and the last student bringing up the end of the line. Talking was not allowed during the change, and the hall remained quiet as the students proceeded in groups. This rule helped prevent the clustering of students and ensured that the schools that could have hundreds of students remained manageable. The youngest elementary students participated in this daily ritual as they went to the cafeteria, library, and playgrounds. The teachers closely monitored the proceedings to ensure that the routine was not broken.

4. Raising a Hand and Waiting to Be Called Before Speaking

Speaking up in the classroom in the 1950s followed a set ritual. You would not speak up as freely as you do today. You would raise your hand and wait until your name was called before speaking up. This was a common rule in all classrooms across the country, from the earliest grades through high school. It was a way of keeping order and keeping the chaos at bay. Indeed, in many classrooms, many hands were raised as students waited in anticipation for the teacher to call on them. If a student spoke up without raising his or her hand, they were reminded immediately of the way in which they were supposed to conduct themselves in the classroom.

5. Asking Permission Before Leaving the Seat

Freedom to move around wasn’t really something in the 1950s classroom. There was a strict policy requiring all students to stay glued to their chairs unless the teacher granted permission. Even something as minor as sharpening your pencil, throwing something away, or going to the bathroom had to be cleared by the teacher. You had to raise your hand, get permission, and then it was okay to get up and go to your destination quietly. This was all part of keeping discipline in the room, which had anywhere from thirty or so kids seated neatly in rows in front of their teacher. If you got up without permission, you knew you were in for a lecture in no time.

6. Keeping Hands Folded on the Desk During Lessons

In the 1950s, there was a time when kids had to put their hands neatly folded on the desk while the class rolled on. This was outlined at the very beginning of the year and checked in on time and time again. Folding the hands ensured that fidgeting, the passing of notes, and talking to one another were kept to a minimum. It was also easy for the teacher to spot the students who were paying attention. This was especially evident in the elementary grades. This was one of the rules that was consistently used by the teacher. It was understood that folding the hands would help the students concentrate on the lesson at hand, would keep the hands visible and still, and would prevent the students from fiddling with things on the desk.

7. Keeping Desks Neat and Free of Unnecessary Items

In the 1950s, the classroom was a tightly organized environment with organizational rules that included keeping the desk clean and uncluttered from the ringing of the bell to the final bell. The teacher would check to ensure that the top of the desk contained the bare essentials, such as books, notebooks, pencils, and erasers. Trinkets were not common in the classroom, and any toy or comic book could earn the student a quick dose of discipline if it appeared in the classroom. The rule ensured that the classroom remained calm and the focus remained sharp and directed at the lesson at hand.

8. Writing Only with Proper Materials Approved by the Teacher

In the 1950s, it was obvious that students were instructed on the tools that were to be used for their schoolwork. There were some instructors who required their students to use certain tools for their school work, such as fountain pens, ink pens, or sharpened pencils. Ballpoint pens were just starting to come into their own, but were initially discouraged by some instructors, as these instructors associated ballpoint pen use with messy handwriting. It did not take long for students to figure out that if they were to use the wrong tool for their school work, it meant having to redo their work or face other forms of correction.

9. Remaining Silent During Independent Work Time

In many 1950s classrooms, quietness during independent work time wasn’t just appreciated; it was expected. Once the teacher finished a lesson or handed out the work, students would settle in at their desks and quiet down. Talking to those around you during this time of day was usually frowned upon. The quietness helped everyone focus on the task at hand and allowed the teacher to move around the room and observe how things were going. The classroom was usually quiet, an almost unnatural quietness, with only the scratch of pencils and the flip of pages breaking the silence. The quietness of the students was a gateway to discipline and study skills. The students knew that breaking the quiet could disrupt the whole class.

10. Standing to Recite Answers During Class

In many classrooms in the 1950s, participation took on a formal pattern. When a teacher called on a student, they would stand by their desk before answering. This behavior can be seen in many schools in America and even in some schools in Europe. The purpose of this rule was to add a level of importance to a student’s response by having them stand up, clearly enunciate their words, and remain standing until told by the teacher to sit down. The purpose of this teacher’s rule was to ensure she could clearly hear her students’ responses and keep everyone in the classroom focused on the student responding.

11. Following Strict Dress and Grooming Standards

In the 1950s, the rules extended beyond grades and schoolwork to how students looked. The way the students dressed and groomed themselves was included in the daily school rules. The boys generally wore collared shirts, pressed trousers, and polished shoes, while the girls generally opted for dresses and skirts with blouses and ensured that they were neatly groomed as well. The school administration closely monitored how students dressed and ensured they dressed neatly, as they felt that dressing in such a way indicated respect for the school and the education they received there. A student who came to school with wrinkled clothes and messy hair was reminded to change and improve the way they looked.

12. Keeping Books Covered and Protected

Textbooks were important items in many 1950s classrooms, and students learned early on that they must be treated with respect and care. One basic rule was that the books must be protected with covers. Brown grocery bag paper and book covers were common items that students used to protect their books, and teachers ensured that the covers remained clean and were wrapped tightly over the books throughout the entire year. The objective was to protect school property, as these books were used year after year by different classes of students. Teachers ensured that the books were regularly checked to ensure that the rule was being adhered to.

13. Lining Up Before Entering the Classroom

Many schools in the 1950s began the mornings and the period after recess without the chaotic rush and hurry that is common today. The children did not rush into the classroom; they waited outside, lined up by the door, quiet and neat. The teacher would expect the line to remain straight as they waited to be allowed to go into the classroom. As the teacher allowed the children into the classroom, they went in one by one and directly to their seats. This ensured that the hallway did not become chaotic and noisy and that the day began with some semblance of order from the beginning. This was part of the way teachers maintained discipline from the very beginning of the day.

14. Keeping Feet on the Floor and Sitting Properly

Posture was an important aspect in many classrooms in the 1950s. Students were required to keep their backs straight and feet flat on the floor. Slouching, kicking back, swinging feet, and placing feet on the chair rungs were not allowed and were corrected by the teacher. This requirement contributed to maintaining a disciplined and focused environment in the classroom. The rows of wooden desks ensured that the students were seated in straight rows, and the correct posture ensured that the teacher could clearly see the students’ faces during lessons. The students could be fully engaged in reading, writing, and listening activities from the bell to the bell with the correct posture.

15. No Chewing Gum During Class

In many schools in the 1950s, chewing gum was prohibited. The main reason for this was the interference it caused with concentration and the noise it produced. Chewing gum could also damage school furniture, as it could get stuck under desks or on chairs, causing unnecessary work for school custodians. In many schools, students were therefore prohibited from chewing gum in school. In cases where students were caught with chewing gum in school, they would have to spit it out as soon as they were caught by the teacher. Chewing gum during recitation and reading time seemed like an act of disrespect to the teacher and the school in general.

16. No Talking While the Teacher Was Writing on the Blackboard

In the 1950s, the focus in the classroom was on the large blackboard at the front. The teacher would draw out the day’s lessons, diagrams, spelling words, and math problems on this large board as the chalk squeaked and whirled. No sooner would the teacher start writing on the board than a rule would take hold in the classroom. It was a rule of absolute and complete silence. No whispering was allowed, even to the person sitting next to you in the classroom. The atmosphere was often heavy and silent, except for the sound of the chalk as it moved over the board. All students would be glued to the board as the teacher wrote out the day’s lessons on the page.

17. Waiting to Be Dismissed by the Teacher Before Leaving Class

In the 1950s, when the end of class was not a sprint to the door as soon as the bell rang, there was another rule that reigned supreme: until the teacher said it was all right to go, the students remained seated at their desks. Even when the bell rang to signal the end of the period, the students remained at their desks until the teacher had finished whatever needed to be said or done before the next class began. These last few minutes were spent reviewing all that had been learned or any work that needed to be done in the next class, and it wasn’t until these notes had been made that the teacher dismissed the class.

18. Showing Homework to the Teacher at the Beginning of Class

Homework was also part of the 1950s educational routine, with schools maintaining strict rules to monitor homework. At the beginning of every lesson, students either placed their homework on their desks or moved it forward for their teacher to review. The teacher then moved from row to row, either collecting their homework or quickly reviewing their answers. This ensured that students were completing their homework regularly and were ready for the day’s lesson. Since teachers reviewed their homework before proceeding to other work, it was impossible for any homework to be left behind. It also taught students to be responsible by completing their homework the night before and coming to school ready for review by their teachers.

19. Saluting the Flag and Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance

During the 1950s, there was a popular tradition in American schools of beginning the day with a patriotic ceremony. This was done by students standing by their desks and facing the flag in the classroom. Then they would recite the Pledge of Allegiance together. This was often done during the morning announcements or immediately after the teacher said hello to the class. Right hands would be placed on the heart as the students recited the pledge together. It was very clear that every student was expected to recite the pledge with respect and be quiet once the recitation was complete. This was a time when there was a great sense of pride in America because of the outcome of World War II.

20. Bringing a Written Excuse for Any Absence

In the 1950s, there was a formal note for every day that was missed. If a student skipped school, the return would be the presentation of a note from the parent or guardian. This would explain why the student was absent from school. It would be something like being sick or dealing with something at home. Teachers would collect these notes and put them in a notebook or something. If there was no explanation in writing, the absence would not be excused. This encouraged the family to make contact with the school. It would help the teacher understand the reason for the absence. It would also help the school stay organized. Teachers would rely on these excuses to know who was there and who was not.

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