input: from typing import List
  
  def linearSearch(array: List[str], search_item: str) -> int:
      """Searches for an item in a given array using a linear search algorithm.
      Returns the index of the item if found, otherwise returns -1.
      >>> linearSearch(['school', 'hospital', 'bookstore', 'mall', 'theatre'], 'bookstore')
      2
      >>> linearSearch(['school', 'hospital', 'bookstore', 'mall', 'theatre'], 'office')
      -1
      """
output:     for i in range(len(array)):
          if array[i] == search_item:
              return i
      return -1