PGBSHS student dress code in the 1960s -- The Ashland Tomcats Alumni Forum

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Date Posted: 22:08:36 08/25/03 Mon
Author: Jonathan E. Wright (Class of 1971)
Author Host/IP: ip139104.dialup.wvnet.edu / 129.71.139.104
Subject: PGBSHS student dress code in the 1960s

I've been looking at my brother's 1968 Hi Life yearbook recently, and I've suddenly been struck by the dress code of the students back then. (I attended Blazer the following school year [1968-1969] before moving to Florida.) Here's what I've observed:

1. MALE STUDENTS never wore shorts or blue jeans. It was always dress pants and buttoned shirts, and often either pull-over or buttoned sweaters in the cold months.

2. FEMALES STUDENTS never wore shorts or pants. It was always dresses or skirts.

How times have changed! Such dress standards are relatively rare these days in public schools, but it took at look at this yearbook for it to finally dawn on me how much things have changed in this regard.

Remember how in both junior high and senior high we would occasionally have a special "jeans day"---when we would be allowed just for that day to wear--gasp!--jeans? Not that I participated (another gasp!), but it's intriguing to think that it was only once a year or so that denim was allowed. And, incredibly, I don't remember a lot of grumbling about the fact that jeans were not allowed at any other time. In fact, I don't really remember the girls complaining much about having to wear dresses or skirts all the time. It was pretty-much just an accepted part of life those days in the school setting.

Without passing any judgment on the dress code of that day or today, I can't help wondering: What on earth has changed over the years to change the dress code that is now so common in public schools? It's a far cry from 1968, for better or for worse, but for the life of me I can't imagine what in society brought about this change that, between 1968 and 2003, is so incredibly striking.

I would like to hear some response from some of you about this question. It's really captivated me recently, and it would be great to hear some opinions on it. Thanks!

--Jonathan Wright
Class of 1971

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Replies:

Re: PGBSHS student dress code in the 1960s -- Eric Sherwood (Class of 1983), 23:44:17 08/30/03 Sat
- TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES -- No name, 22:36:45 03/13/04 Sat
  - Re: TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES -- Bill Van Bibber, 20:18:46 03/14/04 Sun
  - Re: TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES -- Bill Van Bibber, 20:22:04 03/14/04 Sun
    - Re: TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES -- No name, 20:23:50 03/14/04 Sun
      - Re: TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN OUR LIVES -- Doug King, 16:29:07 04/25/05 Mon
dress code of 60's -- paula mcmahan '71, 00:49:45 08/31/03 Sun