U.S. School Activities and Events: Gym


Figure 1.--Here we see a girl's gym class at a Yonker's (New York City) school in 1943. As was common at the time, the girls here wear one-piece suits. At some schools these one-piece suits had short pants like the ones here. Others were done as romper suits with bloomer legs. A reader here writes, "I think some of the girls are wearing bloomer legs, though the image clarity makes it difficult to tell."

Gym classes were held mostly in secondary schools. Primary schools had recess for the younger children, but gym was less common. Few primary schools had gymnasiums, locker rooms, and gym uniforms. They often did have multi-purpose rooms where a variety of activities were possible, but formal gym programs were not common. These programs were common in secondary schools. Most secondary schools had gym programs with required uniforms. Gym was given a greater emphasis in American than was common in most European countries, perhaps with the exception of Britain. These uniforms varied significantly over time. They were also varied by gender, although in recent years, perhaps since the 1980s, boys and girls uniforms have become more alike.

School Level

Gym classes were held mostly in secondary schools. Primary schools had recess for the younger children, but gym was less common. Few primary schools had gymnasiums, locker rooms, and gym uniforms. They often did have multi-purpose rooms where a variety of activities were possible, but formal gym programs were not common. These programs were common in secondary schools. Most secondary schools had gym programs with required uniforms.

Countries

Gym was given a greater emphasis in American than was common in most European countries, perhaps with the exception of Britain. European schools tend to have a more stricter focus on academics than American schools.

Chronology

These uniforms varied significantly over time.

Gender

They were also varied by gender, although in recent years, perhaps since the 1980s, boys and girls uniforms have become more alike. Boy's from an early time wore "T"shirts and short pants. Girls have had more diverse gtm outfits. In the early 20th century we notice girls wearing middy blouses with long bloomers and long stockings. In the mid-20th century we see girls wearing one-piece suits in either the romper or short pants style. The New York girls in 1943 wear these one-piece suits with short pants legs (figure 1). A reader writes, "I would have guessed the 1930s for figure 1, but note it was dated 1943. Since that is in the midst of WWII and clothes were rationed it is very possible that older styles were being worn by teens." HBC is not sure that we would describe these one-piece suits as an "older style". We note them being worn into the 1960s. The romper style suits were worn, for example, at Wakefield High School in the early 1960s. By this time schools were beginning to shift over to short pants and "T" shirts like the boys wear.







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Created: 11:13 PM 11/14/2004
Last updated: 2:23 AM 11/16/2004