The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-04-29
TEACHERS ARE TOLD
NOT TO MARRY
School Board i'm South Dakota
Rules That Teachers Must
Promise Not to Marry

The powers that be in a western
state have decided that when school
teacher takes a position there she
must solemnly VOW not to marry. Not
content with this drastic measure, it
is further ruled that she must not ac-
cept the attentions of any man. Well,
well, is this Russia, or a free country?
She ought to promise not to wear high
heels or curl her hair; the authorities
have the same right to ask it and there
would be just as much sense in that
as III endeaVoring to control her des-
tiny. Some times few men get to be
too smart and know too much, and it
is time then to retire them. The os-
tenSible reason for this absurd ruling
is that the teachers have been marry
ing off so fast that the schools have
been left teacherless. Well, suppose
they have; what of it? Women are
not slaves if they are teachers, and TO
attempt to control their private lives
and say whether or no they shall mar
ry is a tyranny not 10 be tolerated.
Why not make young men clerks
promise not to marry because they
might want more salary in becoming
benedicts. There would be just as
much reason in this as in the other.
We are always reading of rules and
laws laid down for the guidance of
women. They are almost ruled out of
existence. They must do this, and
mustn't do that, because some brainy
man has discovered that they are un-
certain.
These South Dakota school teachers
are asked to sign a bond the sub
stance of which is that they will ac-
cept no matrimonial attentions while
teaching, and also binding themselves
to remain as teachers for two years.
The women who sign this are idiots
and should know that there is no law
on earth which can compel them to
live up to such a bond. All this has
come about because the ranchmen in
the vicinity have been marrying off
the teachers and putting the school
board to lots of trouble Any woman
who spends a minute worrying about
a school board will waste her time,
and if woman who teaches school
wishes to marry, that is her business,
and all the board has to do is to get
some one in her place and take
chances of her marrying off. Fancy
the howl there would be if men in any
position should be asked to sign a
bond of similar character! 1t is sup
possible that men know enough to real
lie that these things cannot be legally
done, and women are supposed to be
so, gullible that they believe anything
a man tells them. And some of them
are.
This is the last chance to Whack at
anything on this page, and having
hunted desperately for something to
make fuss about, 1 was compelled to
tell the truth about these teachers.
My last word, sisters, is to stand up
for your rights. Don't be put upon;
don't believe half of what you hear, or
tWo-thirds of what you see. Be firm
with your husbands and treat your
children With proper respect One
crying evil of the day is the laxity
about mothers obeying their daugh-
tiers, while sons are sometimes obliged
to- be very severe with their fathers.
1t is an awful thing for bright young
man with faith in himself to be dis
graced by white haired old father
who thinks of no one but himself
Bringing young mans red head down
in sorrow to the dust is happening all
about us every day. The old should
remember that it does not matter
about them at all, just so the young
are getting what they want. The ia
Their who objects to his son spending
all his money for a good time can
hardly be called a father at all, and
the mother who wants to know where
her daughter is and with whom she
associates is laying up trouble for her
self. Mothers, obey your daughters:
wives, sit up for your husbands and
smile sweetly at them, is my last word.
BUT whatever you do, girls, don't for
get