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 ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html