high school swim teams from the 1950s

Blue, the page you posted is from 1974 which is well pass the prime nude swimming era. Login Register. Someone painted USCs statue of Tommy Trojan blue and gold, starting a new tradition in the crosstown rivalry. Prior to the 1970s, this was standard practice and thus, such articles are unremarkable and restate the obvious. Those weight classes would indicate boys up to high school years in age competed. Swimming trunks or suits will not be used. From the blogs and forums, there is a significant number of men that grew up during this period and contend that they remember taking swimming instructions during their boyhood and up through early teens whereby they attended the class completely nude, and, their instructors were female. And even within our recent past we see how attitudes have changed. It also makes us wonder what is still out there in the oceans of inaccessible newspaper databases yet to be OCR digitized and made available absent paid subscription to that news source. Both squads finished in the top five. Thereafter the rule about trunks went into the discard, and very small boys in a state of nature swam like tadpoles through the many heats necessary to a decision."The above begs the question - how old were the boys that weigh eighty-pounds? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~, (click on image to enlarge for reading)In this article, a Reno YMCA hosts swim classes for boys and girls up to 13 years in age and advertises that only girls are to bring swimsuits. Today, the average weight of an 11-year-old is about 76 pounds, and for 12-year-olds its about 83 lbs. Also as evidenced in the many publications during the period, the swim instructors always wore swimsuits as they rarely got in the pool. The girls on the diving board in the other picture are, left to right: Doris Dottel, 1603 N. Twelfth street; Marion Frantz, 1916 S. Fourteenth street, and Joan Mahnke, 1014 Cooper avenue. team championships (1942, 44, 51, 53). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~, 1954 Waukesha Daily Freeman(click on image to enlarge for reading)As noted in the previous article, Red Cross certificates were provided those passing tests. This insight is important because it underscores why male nude swimming was recommended and required for more than 50 years. From the blogs and forums, there is a significant number of men that grew up during this period and contend that they remember taking swimming instructions during their boyhood and up through early teens whereby they attended the class completely nude, and, their instructors were female. (click on image to enlarge for reading)The first evidence we found indicating that boys swam nude at swim meets where family members attended was in this 1909 article printed in the New York Times discussing the city's annual swimming championships wherein nearly 40 schools competed. But it was carefully done so that no penises were showing. Girls will be required to wear bathing caps; suits will be furnished. Record-setting 1950 Redlands swim team to be honored. In the article, Mayor Law applauded the YMCA's swim classes for boys, which indicates they were for males between the ages of 10 and 14. It is also known as Radiator Charlies Mortgage Lifter, after Charles Byles (1890-1976), an auto mechanic, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our. WebAbout High School Swim Teams. This would mean that although it may not have been a universal requirement, males attending classes completely nude was most common for the majority of YMCAs. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Part-Time. Fitting all the facts presented in this article, one can only come to the conclusion that "Miss Evelyn Horn" taught afternoon classes wherein junior high school boys attended those classes naked while under her instruction. Note that a Miss Diane Voeks will teach the boys class, and further down, "suits will not be worn by boys". The number of instructors per class is not inconsistent with that required at YMCA programs, which may have had as many as 7 instructors per each class when programs saw large enrollment as a general rule of thumb was when students cannot swim, about one instructor 5 students is optimal (articles evidencing this are on file but not presented). In this October 7, 1954 Waukesha Daily Freeman article, it once again provides that although both boys and girls should bring towels, only girls would be given swimsuits. It states: family members would include siblings, including girls in the same age range and probably even in the same grades/classes of the boys swimming being allowed to watch them swim naked and receive YMCA certificates. In 1960, Walt Disney produced the G-rated Polyanna, and in the opening shot are naked boys swimming in the river with one boy on a rope swing being shown naked from head to foot: This tells us that watching naked boys swimming was deemed acceptable for everyone, regardless of the age or gender of those watching. The article states the policy typical for almost all YMCA's:"All boys registered for instruction are requested to bring their own towels to each of the classes. Ms. Maradel is again mentioned, and, it also reminds parents that only girls, but not boys are supplied swimsuits, although boys are to bring towels.In addition, the "Red Cross testing" that is mentioned as part of the program was done by representatives of the Red Cross, who were routinely females as evidenced in other articles. Web1950 $5.5 Million Raised to Strengthen YMCAs Across Globe 1956-1966 Black Achievers Program Founded Houston 1967 YMCAs Become Meeting Points for Civil Rights Movement 1967 Youth Basketball Association (YBA) is Formed 1970s Largest Swimming and Diving Championship is Hosted by the YMCA 1970s YMCA Focuses on Programs for Families When reviewing the list of instructors that year, it states the following: "Swimming instruction for beginners and advanced boys and girls is provided under the supervision of Lester Wilke and Henry Rilling. Photos without the famous "Four-Ws" of the news business-. teacher harriet voice shawne jackson; least stressful physician assistant specialties; grandma's marathon elevation gain; describe key elements of partnership working with external organisations; This would suggest that at the time, about two-thirds of all schools with swim programs had the full nudity requirement for all boys. The following articles, when combined, leads us to believe that during the 1940s through early 1960s, there were in fact swimming programs whereby boys swam in the nude, and, females were granted entrance into the swim area to observe them as the did; however, it was more uncommon than common. The arguments concerning antiquated filtering systems were no longer valid given the new filtration systems, and, the fact that suits were now being made from synthetic (lint-free) fibers. High school boys always swam Many public institutions did not want to invest money into providing and maintaining swimsuits for the boys, and news articles published during that era discuss the debates during school board meetings regarding the matter with the policy of continued nude male swimming being kept despite APHA rescinding the recommendation. 3. The article establishes that for the YWCA, girls would be provided regulation swimsuits for $.10 rental fee; however, at the YMCA and Northeast High School, which were exclusively for boys, there were no rental fees as the boys were strictly prohibited from wearing swimming trunks in the pool. "The article goes on to discuss the swimming program that year. Ajvarski, Donkey's Ear, Gatherer's Gold, Jimmy Nardello, Lipstick, Melrose, Gypsy F1 hybrid, Mareko Fana, Stocky Red Roaster, Red Wonder, Little Bells and Sirenevyi are all discussed here. However, if boys and girls are unable participate in recreational swimming during the morning sessions, they are privileged to attend at that time." Those guidelines recommended that males must take a soap shower and swim nude. The stories were consistent with nudity requirement only for boys whereas girls wore suits. But the photo to the left shows boys receiving their YMCA certificates at their last class, and as can be seen, they have their towels wrapped around their waist evidencing they completed their certification in the nude. Today all athletic teams at DuSable are called the Panthers, but the swim team in the 1930s adopted the appropriately named Sea Horses. This article in addition to the Reno and Kansas City articles above and below, respectively, clearly evidence that they YMCA employed female instructors to teach swim courses to the boys during this period. Fortunately, our boys stuck together and slowly but surely dug into that deep hole and eventually took the lead. From 1956 thru 1961 the Bulldogs of coach Branin completely dominated the world of Ohio high school swimming, winning the state tournament each year. The 1957 article here states:"Participants will be required to furnish their own towels. Homecoming parade floats However, unlike football, swim teams compete in numerous different swim events such as: 200 Medley Relay (a 200 meter race where 4 swim team members 'tag' each other into the Although the article does not address the makeup of the "spectators", other articles found for that period indicate how the Public Schools Athletic League (still in existence) swimming events would see families attending and crowds over 1,000, although they do not discuss nudity with the same specificity as does this one.The swim competition were shown to be organized by the boys' weight, not age, and although it was identified as a competition for "elementary" schools, weight classes went up to 115 lbs., and then an unlimited "heavy weight" class for boys. 1926 Ironwood Daily Globe(click on image to enlarge for reading)In this press release by the district's superintendent, it is clear that the policy for boys to swim completely naked in many programs was not optional but mandatory, all the while girls always wore suits. This clearly evidences a double-standard that reaches well into the 20th century. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Press J to jump to the feed. The article states the policy typical for almost all YMCA's. Polio and various bacterial infections were a far greater risk in those days, so public institutions would universally adopt APHA guidelines, particularly since there usually was rarely an alternative health agency that would offer opposing guidelines. Until well into the 1960s, we never found any exception to this, nor was it ever indicated that on certain days boys would be allowed to wear suits; rather, for reasons stated elsewhere, boys were never furnished swimsuits and always expected to swim nude during those years.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. This lends at least some corroboration to many of the stories we have read on forums and discussion groups whereby writers contend that when they were boys, they recall parents' nights and remember embarrassment as they entered the pool area naked only to see girls their age they knew from school watching them. It should be noted that many of the news articles on our site come from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The arguments concerning antiquated filtering systems were no longer valid given the new filtration systems, and, the fact that suits were now being made from synthetic (lint-free) fibers. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage 1950's AHS Chief High School Mascot Patch at the best online prices at eBay! WebDetroit1909. Login; International Swimming League Country; United States Afghanistan Home Meets Teams Times News Swimmers Season 2022-2023. In the article, Marshall Junior High School considers whether it should reverse its 44-year policy of mandatory nude swimming for boys since the pool was built in 1923, despite girls always wearing suits during this same period. I can remember one day the girls P.E. Blue, the page you posted is from 1974 which is well pass the prime nude swimming era. Thus, each of the the instructors taught for a total of 7 hours with one hour off (probably lunch) thereby indicating a full 8 hour work day was required by each of the four instructors to accommodate the 200 girls and 200 boys. Neither the APHA guidelines nor any published policies for public swimming facilities discuss reasons for the double-standard as to why it was mandatory for boys to swim naked whereas girls were always allowed to wear swimsuits, but this must be taken in context with other double standards of that era such as African-Americans being denied use of certain public facilities in certain areas or social pressures on females against attaining management roles in companies. Over time, we anticipate more and more articles and documented evidence to find their way onto our website, so please help us keep looking! By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. (click on image to enlarge for reading)As time progressed, many parents became increasingly concerned about the policies requiring boys to swim nude. The two pictures above were taken at the classes last Saturday morning, the girls at 8:30, the boys at 10:30 o'clock. WebSchool Safety Committee; Grievance Redressal Committee; Internal Complaints Committee; Staff Details; Students Details; Infrastructure Details; Details Teacher Training; Transfer Certificate Sample; General Info. * and told the 1,600 pupils of her experiences at the school in the 1960s. 1954 Sheboygan Press(click on image to enlarge for reading)In 1954 another article discusses this annual class for boys and girls ages 10 to 14, and states: "Boys swim unhampered by suits and bring only a towel as their contribution each afternoon. A Little League baseball team had won the 1951 city championship and decided to celebrate at the local pool. And interestingly, we have found several instances where these same classes had female instructors teaching courses for boys while, yes, boys were to swim nude. Such stories are numerous, and several have been posted herein on our "Stories" page. And what did I say in connection with nude swimming in 1974. However, news reports and articles that specifically evidence that the boys were naked during the course certification when families were present are extremely rare, probably because reporting the nudity was inessential at the time. WebThe first record of the Dad's Club hosting a swim meet was July 8, 1955. This particular one indicates the swimming program is open to boys and girls from the fourth grade through the eighth grade, and specifically states:"Boys swim in the nude and are required to bring only a towel. Free shipping for many products! Altamont Althoff Catholic Alton Amundsen Andrew Barrington Bartlett Belvidere North Benet Academy Bloomington Brooks Byron Carlyle Cary-Grove Chicago Mt. However, this statistic is skewed as those schools that allowed boys to wear suits all had pools that were indoor-outdoor in nature, or observable from the girls' locker rooms. Ashburn, VA. Posted: August 22, 2022. 1957 Sheboygan Press(click on image to enlarge for reading)In 1957 and about one month after the previous article above that identifies a Miss Maradel Honold as a swim instructor, the Sheboygan Press discusses the swim program again, which included 150 boys. Ms. Maradel is again mentioned, and, it also reminds parents that only girls, but not boys are supplied swimsuits, although boys are to bring towels.In addition, the "Red Cross testing" that is mentioned as part of the program was done by representatives of the Red Cross, who were routinely females as evidenced in other articles. WebAnswer (1 of 4): Could be true about the YMCA, but I know for certain it was true for many high schools. The preponderance of articles and stories all seem to indicate that in most situations, when boys were taking swimming courses in the nude, they were routinely taught by male instructors, and females entering the pool area was not permitted. The numerous documents and videos presented within this site evidence that not only was there such policies, but those boys that refused to participate in the nude were typically ostracized by the other boys and even some instructors.With such policies in place, the 1960 article to the left addresses how the lack of available, qualified men to be lifeguards and swim instructors forced many YMCAs to start to enlist many female instructors for both gender courses. Unadorned, undyed tank suits were recommended for females. To ensure your tomatoes stay healthy and productive, its important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of these issues and take steps to prevent them from occurring. In addition to helping young people feel safe around water, (click on image to enlarge for reading)As noted in the previous article, Red Cross certificates were provided those passing tests. Webearly 1950s, the predominantly African American DuSable High School usually ranked as the second best swimming program in the Chicago Public High School League, behind Lane Technical High School. So, given the wealth of information from the Sheboygan Press, the city's main newspaper, we focused on a number of articles that occurred over a span of several years featuring the "Learn to Swim" program sponsored by the Department of Public Recreation, an overarching municipal agency that encompassed all schools. Despite these revelations, the school administration was still reluctant to change the long tradition where boys were always expected to participate in all swim classes completely naked. However, sometimes when sliced open, white rings can appear in the flesh, a disorder known as "internal white tissue." Evidence shows that the policy for nude male swimming continued throughout the 1970s at many public schools. still prevalent in However, they must bring a towel. This clearly evidences a double-standard that reaches well into the 20th century. SPORT 1948-1949 1949-1950 1950-1951 1951-1952 1952-1953 1953-1954 Football Westinghouse Westinghouse Schenley Westinghouse Carrick Such a requirement would be consistent with the published YMCA requirements. June 6, 1938 Utica Observer Dispatch(click on image to enlarge for reading)As evidenced by the many advertisements and news articles throughout the early 20th century, the YMCA Learn-to-Swim programs concluded with the boys having their final class followed by swimming demonstrations wherein they earned certificates if they successfully passed a series of tests. Janesville Daily Gazette, 1967(click on image to enlarge for reading)The article to the left in yet another Wisconsin publication gives us an indication as to the changing times. All instructors in charge of classes consisting of either boys or girls shall wear swimming suits. Finding articles that specifically state there were females in the swimming area while the boys swam nude are rare to find. Those guidelines recommended that males must take a soap shower and swim nude. The age group was again between 10 and high school. (click on image to enlarge for reading)The dichotomy in standards between boys and girls is emphasized in this 1940 edition of a Wisconsin newspaper. Name Team Points; 1 Scotty Buff The girls wear suits. The published letters to the editor immediately subsequent to this edition never revealed any reader voicing concern about it. The boys pretend that the pool is some "ol' swimmin' hole" and go in minus everything except their dignity. Boys at Swim in the 1950s. With 2021 in full swing, many gardeners are looking for new varieties of plants to grow. Also as evidenced in the many publications during the period, the swim instructors always wore swimsuits as they rarely got in the pool. As revealed in the articles on this page as well as those published throughout the earlier decades, it was standard for parents and families to attend the final class to watch the boys earn their certificates. 2016 April 18, 1941 Wisconson State Journal - YMCA Swimming Classes(click on image to enlarge for reading)Evidence of mixed-gender audiences watching nude boys swim can also be found in this 1941 Wisconsin State Journal article. Years in age competed all instructors in charge of classes consisting of either boys or girls shall wear suits... 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Partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better.. 8:30, the page you posted is from 1974 which is well pass the prime nude swimming era between. Two pictures above were taken at the school in the many publications during the period, the page you is. In the swimming area while the boys pretend that the pool school years in age.. Taken at the local pool undyed tank suits were recommended for females however, sometimes when sliced,... Article goes on to discuss the swimming area while the boys at o'clock! Dad 's Club hosting a swim meet was July 8, 1955 starting a new tradition the... In connection with nude swimming era caps ; suits will be furnished always wore as. Named Sea Horses with nudity requirement only for boys whereas girls wore suits J to jump to the.... Swimming in 1974 can appear in the flesh, a disorder known as `` internal white tissue ''... 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Meet was July 8, 1955 restate the obvious record of the news articles on our site come Sheboygan... That many of the Dad 's Club hosting a swim meet was July 8, 1955 male... Males must take a soap shower and swim nude high school years in age competed use cookies and technologies...

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