I recall in the 1930's that this was the story in the Alleghany County
Public Schools (Covington, VA), but I think that I heard it only when my
parents were discussing it.
As I recall, it was something that grew out of the Depression and somebody
(the mysterious "They") wanted to try to spread jobs around to families
rather than have two breadwinners in a single family.
On the eve of WWII, I was in the Virginia Beach public schools, and I think
that some of my teachers were married. Later in the Norfolk public schools
and likewise. Of course at that tender age, all teachers were "Miz" so that
was not a clue.
Randy Cabell
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tarter, Brent (LVA)" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2007 4:01 PM
Subject: [VA-HIST] Married Women Teachers
Va-Hist subscriber Bill Obrochta at the Virginia Historical Society
asks:
To All-
For years, I have heard that in Virginia, through the 1950s, female
public-school teachers who married were no longer allowed to teach. I
have never found anything to confirm this. The only thing I can find
that even touches on the subject is a report about teacher shortages in
Virginia in the 1940s, which implies that female teachers who married
often chose to leave the profession.
So my questions: Was there a time when married, female teachers were
legally prohibited from teaching in public schools? If so, by whom--the
state or the locality? If the locality, was it a school board
regulation, or just the custom of the board not to hire or not to renew
contracts for this reason? Or was it the custom for female teachers,
once married, to "choose" to leave teaching?
Thanks for your help.
Bill
William B. Obrochta
Director of Education
Virginia Historical Society
P. O. Box 7311
Richmond, VA 23221-0311
Phone: 804-342-9651
Fax: 804-355-2399
www.vahistorical.org
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