I was the youngest of six daughters and like many middle-class girls, I had tobecome a teacher. I had no choice.
I couldn't earn a living any other way. My day started at seven o'clock in the morning, when I was allowed to sweep and dust the schoolroom, and we weren't allowed to leave at the end of the day until this task was repeated.
I had two grey dresses and I wore one of them every day.
It was allowed to be grey.
Black was also allowed but we were forbidden to wear anything fashionable or colourful. We weren't allowed to ride in automobiles with any men except our father or brothers.
This was no hardship because our family had no car. The most ridiculous rule of all was the one about visiting ice-cream parlours. I can't imagine why we were forbidden to go there.
Eventually, when I was 29, I did meet and marry a young man, Jack. Then, of course, I have to give up teaching.
You have to continue as a married woman.