NHS 1928 Girls' gym class

History - Newark

NHS 1928 Girls' gym class
By Helen Walker
Courier-Gazette, November 27, 1998

The voluminous long black bloomers were gathered by elastic just below the knees. Long black stockings were held by elastic garters. "Cover-up" was the mode persisting from the Puritan days.

The liberating sign of short hair and the non-conformity in wearing a black strip scarf with the white middy over-blouse with its sailor collar shown in the accompanying 1928 photo portends change. The Newark High School girls'gym class picture was taken in the school gym, which was proclaimed a state of the art facility when it was dedicated in 1916. The building is now the Alex Eligh Community Center.

The high-laced sneakers (often Keds, but we were not into brand names) were mandatory for gym class but verboten elsewhere, lest the health of one's arches be jeopardized. Also, the laboriously polished precious gym floor, stewards of which were janitors "Pops" and Roy Follette and Johnny Frantz, must remain unscathed.

Miss Charlotte E. Wilson was the first female director of girls' physical education in Newark. Until her arrival in 1925, the boys' physical education director, Harry Babcock taught all gym classes (including grades 4 through 8) and coached the high school intramural and "intermural" games. (My contemporaries, men particularly, remember coaches Charles Parkhurst and Harold (Joe) Hatsell who followed Babcock back in those Washington School days before it closed in June 1940.)

Having a woman teacher for girls' gym was a giant step forward. Miss Wilson left Newark in 1929, continued a career in teaching physical education and retired from Watertown H.S. in 1965. In retirement, Miss Wilson was noted for giving tennis lessons free of charge in Watertown and during winters in Sun City, Florida.

Following in the footsteps of Miss Wilson was Miss Marie Schramm, who married and, thus, was terminated according to school board rules. Then, Miss Betty Baldwin taught but two years. We were shocked by her untimely death, due to an embolism following an appendectomy. We had no special counseling to deal with our grief over the loss of this young, vibrant and favorite teacher. Mrs. Marie Schramm Soper was recalled temporarily until Miss Harriet Borg, who proved to be a strict taskmaster, was hired.

In the 193O's, the girls' gym wear pictured gave way to the risque, one-piece, medium blue suits, which were much less bulky and allowed greater freedom and agility. A girl purchased her suit at Miss Lena Hoffmeyer's store or Chaffee's department store - or got a hand-me-down. Ankle socks replaced the dreadfull long black stockings. We felt liberated.

In high school, twice a week, we dressed for gym in the locker room. Then, in orderly and quiet fashion, we lined up along the basketball court sideline in front of the bleachers to answer roll call before participating in the prescribed physical activity. Claiming one's monthly period was a legitimate excuse to sit and watch.

Gym threatened the image of being a lady. We built human pyramids and played basketball using the special rules for girls. For the annual 'Know Your Schools' event, we demonstrated to our families and townspeople our prowess right along with our male counterparts. In spite of the controversy over the morality of ballroom dancing, Joe Hatsell and Harriet Borg held a few coed gym classes to teach the basic waltz and fox trot steps to the many not fortunate enough to take dance lessons from Anne MacCloud. A Victrola supplied the music. The goal was for us to dance at the money raiser, nickel per set, held after the boys' basketball home games. Band teacher "Chet" Robb and his student orchestra furnished the now nostalgic popular music. Jitterbugging was about to come.

Shyness reduced the taking of showers - our exertion was minimal. The dash between the gym and Washington School in winter was, to say the least, invigorating.

Nowadays, more convenient T-shirts and shorts or wind pants of one's choosing, are in sharp contrast to the required girls' gym uniforms of the past. The skill of athletes today, in their Nikes and Adidas, surpass the wildest dreams of any coach seven decades ago. Girls and women are no longer merely spectators.

We, of all ages, realize more and more the truth in Miss Wilson's admonition. "If you don't keep active, you're in trouble."

In this 1928 photo, loaned by Lillian Barnmaker Strong of NHS Class 1928, Lillian is standing far right; gym teacher Miss Wilson holds the basketball.

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