RULES! RULES! RULES!

Children's lives in the Victorian period were hemmed in by rules. Rules at home, rules at school, rules even when they were playing outside in the street. All adults thought it was their right and duty to enforce rules of behaviour on children. In some ways, Victorian children had much less freedom than children have today.

These were the school rules at Manchester High School in 1900:   

1        Girls are expected to show consideration for others and each girl is personally responsible for the good order of the school and for upholding its traditions.

2        Prefects and sub - prefects are elected yearly. Monitors are elected each term. To be eligible for election a girl must show a satisfactory record of work and conduct in the previous term.

3        Girls must not enter the school buildings before 8.30am.

4        Late girls must sign their names in the books provided.

5        Girls must leave school promptly when they are free to do so and must not loiter in corridors or dressing rooms. Train girls must remain in school until it is time to go for their trains and must not wait or loiter about in stations.

6        Girls must leave their classrooms quietly and must keep to the left on staircases and corridors. They must not move about in such a way as to cause injury to themselves or hindrance to others.  

7        Silence is required on the staircases, in the library, in the hall, in the  classrooms, during preparation periods and throughout the school between 9.10am and 9.25am.

8        Girls bringing their own lunch must have their names clearly marked on the box or paper containing it and must put it before prayers in the boxes provided. Food may not be eaten in places other that the dining room or the lunch room.

9        Pupils are required to wear the school hat with the school ribbon or badge. Their hair must be tied back or otherwise neatly arranged and no unnecessary ornaments must be worn. The wearing of socks is not permitted.

Every girl must have a simple white dress and a white blouse and navy blue skirt to wear on ceremonial occasions as required.

10      The regulation navy blue tunic and blouse [preferably white] are worn for drill and gymnastic lessons and an extra garment for wearing after games or gymnastics is recommended. Every girl must have a pair of gymnasium shoes for use in the gymnasium or playground.

Girls must change their outdoor shoes when they arrive in the school and must wear a pair of indoor shoes or slippers with low heals.

11      No receptacle for carrying books should weigh more that one and a half lbs when empty in the case of pupils under 16. Books should not be carried to and fro unless required. Light attache cases, prices 2s 6d to 4s, may be obtained at the school.

12      Girls are responsible for their own property and are required to respect the property of others. Each article of school property and of wearing apparel including purses, umbrellas and fountain pens must be marked clearly with the owner's name.

13      Conduct marks are given for serious offences and detentions or order marks for minor offences. These will be recorded on a slip by a teacher and given to the offending girl. Conduct mark, detention and order mark slips must be taken at once to the form mistress. Conduct marks will be entered into the form record book and signed by the form mistress before being taken to the Headmistress. The number of conduct marks received is recorded on school reports.