Physical Education Circa 1964


A locker room, a place of blood, sweat, tears
and a baby blue onesie.
Yes girls, line up for the distribution of hideous.
If it snaps, it’s a win.
Welcome to 1964’s physical education.

This is no place for modesty.
All of you have the same parts.
You have five minutes to shed
your fashion statements and
don your athletic uniform.

Please note that architectural flaws
have created a swinging door peep show
at all entrances. So please use caution
when entering and exiting the locker room.

You are here for physical activity.
All of you will walk, run, jump, hop
your way through this year without complaint.

Oh, and because we don’t have a girls’ competitive
sports program, you are urged to support the boys
with your cheers, claps and attendance at their sporting events.

*For those girls who wish to be involved in an extracurricular activity
 we have an active F.H.A (Future Homemakers of America) that meets once a week.

©Susie Clevenger 2015

My gym uniform was very similar to the photo only it was shorts and not elastic legs. I couldn't stand the thing. I was in F.H.A and served a year as historian. Ugh! 



Comments

Vandana Sharma said…
Oh! yes, girls are not meant just to cheer up boy sports, but I wonder will it be possible in near future that boys will cheer for girl sport?!!!
March 13, 2015 at 1:04 AM
Anonymous said…
This brings back memories.
March 13, 2015 at 4:20 AM
Outlawyer said…
Hey Susie--I actually kind of like those old gym clothes, but probably didn't then. And I find some of the young are a bit oddly modest now--not in their public dress but in a locker room setting! That said--yes! It was very unfair. I did get to be a cheerleader--but it was terribly unfair. Thanks. Much enjoyed. k .
March 13, 2015 at 7:31 AM
brudberg said…
Ha.. and boys that did not like the competitive sports where forced to be humiliated in front of all the girls... where was fairness.. (but no uniforms for either after first grade.)
March 13, 2015 at 8:14 AM
Maude Lynn said…
god, that's hideous. PE was hideous. Getting stuck in FHA was hideous. I totally love this.
March 13, 2015 at 11:31 AM
Isadora Gruye said…
Is it wrong that I find the jumper a little cute in a pastiche sort of way? Loved the poem Susie! Your wit here and depth of storytelling is stellar. Viva la and thanks for posting to the out of Standard.
March 13, 2015 at 8:21 PM
Kerry O'Connor said…
I opted for Additional Math to get out of P.E. preferring to wrestle with calculus.
March 14, 2015 at 2:02 AM
Jim said…
Loved it, Susie. Of course I didn't learn that lesson. I took Ag so was excused from P.E. Also FFA.
But I did take typing as a junior. There were two of us boys and girls finished filling the room.
Oh yes, I a late, Saturday now. I wrote another Pi Poem for the Pi Day, 3.14, today.
..
March 14, 2015 at 3:37 PM
Hannah said…
I love the way you describe the uniform in your poem, Susie...caused me to chuckle!
March 14, 2015 at 5:31 PM
Lolamouse said…
This brought back traumatic memories of junior high school gym! Our uniform was a onesie that was red on the bottom and red and white striped on the top. We had to wear it with white knee socks! Ugh!
March 15, 2015 at 7:18 PM
Rosaria Williams said…
Similar experiences in many parts of the world, I may add.
I came here from Travel Tales. Glad to meet you.
March 17, 2015 at 12:31 PM
Post a Comment