Discipline, decency, and teetotalism at early-1900's teacher training colleges in northern Finland

The educational trend of Herbart-Zillerism had taken root in Finland and influenced also Finnish teacher training colleges at the beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of this research was to analyze how the atmosphere at the college controlled the teacher students’ proper behavior. The research approach was microhistorical-narrative. These following themes were analyzed from archival sources, research literature, contemporary text books, and former students’ interviews: (1) How was a teacher student supposed to behave? (2) What kinds of behavioral, dating, and free-time rules featured the spirit of the college? (3) How was students’ behavior controlled? According to the results, Herbart-Zillerism affected the education and control over students at Finnish teacher training colleges. Teacherhood was built on the requirements of the teacher’s image and the ideal of a model citizen. In the conclusion, the moral position of a teacher is contemplated.