Office Rules

I had another post I had been planning to write here, but I came across something while digging through a storage shed that I think is too good not to post. Perhaps you've seen this, perhaps not, either way you may get a kick out of this. What follows will be 9 Rules For Office Workers written sometime around 1870. You may find some wisdom in a few, and in others, well...let's just say I'm glad I wasn't working in an office in 1870.

1) Office employees each day will fill lamps, clean the chimneys and trim wicks. Wash windows once a week.

2) Each clerk will bring in a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day's business.

3) Make pen nibs carefully. You may whittle nibs to your individual taste.

4) Men employees will be given one evening off each week for courting purposes, or two evenings off a week if the go regularly to church.

5) After thirteen hours of labor in the office, the employee should spend the remaining time in reading the Bible and other good books.

6) All employees are encouraged to take complete baths with soap at least every week, and change clothing frequently to avoid offending others.

7) Every employee should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society.

8) Any employee who smokes Spanish cigars, uses liquor in any form, or frequents pool and public halls or gets shaved in a barber shop, will give good reason to suspect his worth, intentions, integrity and honesty.

9) The employee who has performed his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of five cents per day in his pay, providing profits from business permit it.