School Uniforms In the Fifties
School Uniforms in the Fifties
By Elton Camp
Some people have an idea they think is new
To tell students what to wear is what they do
“Wear a uniforms that is up to our dress code,
Or else you will be required to hit the road.”
As far back in time as several decades ago
School uniforms existed but were de facto
Fail to comply meant you had to be a geek
Socially that put you very far up the creek
Blue jeans all boys were expected to wear
And a flattop was the only way to cut hair
Thick athletic socks always had to be white
Oh, we were, back then, just quite a sight
Not one girl would wear pants to school
That would have violated the tacit rule
Full skirts were what they all did wear
To attend wearing shorts, none would dare
It was enforced by the strongest thing around
Violators would receive a sneer and a frown
Peer pressure kept the dress code in place
Back then, nobody was willing to lose face
And if a boy had placed a ring into his ear,
Instant retaliation of the guys he must fear
“What’s that you have got there, my dear?
It’s obvious to all of us. You are a *****.”
Such talk was the universally accepted way
Bullying didn’t just start in our present day
So whether it was your voice or grooming
The group norm you had better be assuming.
Copyright © Elton Camp | Year Posted 2010
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