Top 13+ Useless School Rules That Only Made Sense In The 70s

12. Corporal Punishment with Paddles

Teachers wielded wooden paddles as disciplinary tools, believing physical punishment created respectful, well-behaved students. This Victorian-era practice persisted well into the 1970s, with many schools maintaining “punishment rooms” specifically for beatings. Educational research and child psychology studies gradually proved these methods caused more harm than good, leading to widespread bans by the decade’s end.

10. Left-Handed Writing Conversion

Teachers actively forced left-handed students to switch hands, believing right-handed writing was “proper” and necessary for success. This misguided practice often caused learning difficulties, emotional distress, and awkward handwriting that lasted into adulthood. Educational understanding evolved during the ’70s, recognizing that hand dominance was natural and unchangeable.

9. No Water Bottles During Class

Hydration was considered unnecessary during school hours, with drinking fountains providing the only acceptable water source between classes. Teachers worried that water bottles would create distractions, spills, and frequent bathroom breaks that disrupted learning. Modern health science has thoroughly debunked this approach, proving that proper hydration actually improves concentration and academic performance.

8. Girls Must Wear Skirts or Dresses

Female students faced strict dress codes that banned pants, requiring them to wear skirts regardless of weather or activities. This rule reflected conservative social attitudes about femininity and “appropriate” appearance for young women. The women’s rights movement of the ’70s successfully challenged these restrictions, arguing that clothing choices shouldn’t limit girls’ participation in sports or other activities.

7. Skirt Length Inspections

Teachers conducted humiliating “knee checks” where girls had to kneel to prove their skirts reached the floor appropriately. Students who failed these inspections faced suspension, detention, or forced to wear gym clothes for the remainder of the day. These practices were eventually recognized as discriminatory and demeaning, focusing more on policing girls’ bodies than supporting their education.

6. Hair Length Restrictions for Boys

Male students couldn’t grow their hair past their collar, with regular “hair checks” ensuring compliance with military-style grooming standards. This rule emerged from post-war discipline expectations and fear of the counterculture movement’s influence on youth. As society became more accepting of diverse appearance choices, these restrictions gradually disappeared from most school handbooks.

5. Designated Student Smoking Areas

Schools actually provided official smoking sections for students, treating cigarette use as an inevitable part of teenage life. The goal was harm reduction—keeping smoking away from buildings and preventing fires rather than prohibiting the habit entirely. Growing awareness of tobacco’s health risks led to complete smoking bans by the early 1980s.

3.Gender-Separated Physical Education

Boys and girls attended completely different PE classes, with activities specifically designed for each gender’s supposed strengths and interests. This system reinforced stereotypes about athletic ability and appropriate physical activities for each sex. Title IX legislation and changing attitudes about gender equality gradually opened sports and fitness programs to all students.

2. Mandatory Daily Pledge and Prayer

Students began each day reciting the Pledge of Allegiance followed by Christian prayer, regardless of their family’s religious beliefs. This practice reflected Cold War patriotism and assumptions about America’s religious character. Court cases throughout the 1960s and ’70s established that mandatory prayer violated the separation of church and state, making participation voluntary.

1. No Personal Phone Use

Students couldn’t make personal calls during school hours, with emergency contact going through the main office exclusively. This rule made perfect sense when phones were permanently attached to walls and long-distance calls cost significant money. The mobile phone revolution has completely transformed this landscape, forcing schools to develop entirely new policies around personal communication devices.