'60s School Hair and Dress

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'60s School Hair and Dress

Postby jon » Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:51 am

This Day in Journal History
Aug. 27, 1966: School principals have the last word on what constitutes long hair for boys
By Chris Zdeb, Edmonton Journal
August 27, 2013 6:55 AM

EDMONTON - A boy with shoulder-length hair in the ’60s had a choice: his hair or his school.

Both Edmonton public and separate school boards said they were fairly tolerant of students’ needs to conform to current fads — which at the time meant Beatlemania — but there were limits.

There were no hard and fast rules. It was up to each school principal to decide if a student’s hair was “too far out.”

Victoria Composite High School student Dave Manning showed up for class one day in January 1964 wearing a neat sweater and tie and a trendy new Beatle cut. His principal scrawled, “Get a haircut” on Manning’s report card.

A month later, Beatle cuts were banned at Vic and at St. Joseph’s Composite High School. The latter also banned Beatle music from being played during the lunch hour.

Two years later, a neatly trimmed Beatle haircut likely wouldn’t get a boy in trouble with school policy, said T.D. Baker, public school deputy superintendent, but a boy with hair to his shoulders would have to get it cut.

Being a member of a long-haired rock band or singing group was no excuse.

One boy who tried it ended up having to discuss the issue with his parents and his principal, who pointed out he had an obligation to be properly dressed and groomed at school.

The solution was a compromise, said H.A. MacNeil, separate school board superintendent: The boy agreed to cut his hair halfway to his shoulders and to keep it neat.

By 1967, young people with long hair were being refused service in restaurants and were often booted out of public places.

Not long after, the Beatles themselves, circa Hey Jude, would be wearing the kind of shoulder-length hair that wouldn’t pass muster at school.
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Re: '60s School Hair and Dress

Postby jon » Tue Aug 27, 2013 8:54 am

Meanwhile, in Burnaby, at least at Second Street Elementary School, it would be sometime in the 1962-63 school year before girls were allowed to wear jeans.

Before that, it was skirts or dresses for girls.

I don't remember any rules about hair or clothes for boys.
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Re: '60s School Hair and Dress

Postby Eldon-Mr.CFAY » Tue Aug 27, 2013 1:49 pm

Greetings,
Jon thanks for putting some humor into our lives with this. Great reading!!! Its interesting looking back at past styles and trends but in some cases pretty funny too. One hairstyle I always got a kick out of was the BeeHive Hair Syle some women used to wear in I think the 60s. I remember one of my teachers in elementary school never came without it!!!

Take care everyone, enjoy whats left of the summer!

Eldon
Bye . . Mr. CFAY "Frequently On The Frequency"
The CFAY Website: http://cfayradio.wordpress.com
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Re: '60s School Hair and Dress

Postby Donald R » Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:23 pm

I recall being refused entry into the Roller Rink in Lynden, Washington because of my (almost) shoulder length hair. And what was really bizarre - I was 17 and with my parents on a church outing - they were the adult sponsors of a teen and twenty group at our church and had arranged this night of skating for the group. In those days, Lynden was a long, long way from downtown Vancouver (in more ways than one).

Every time I travel through Lynden, I can't help but think about that - and how angry my dad was over the arbitrary rule and the heavy handed enforcement. They finally let me into the rink after my parents promised that I was really a good kid and that the hair issue was just me trying to fit in with my peers at school.

I laugh about it now, but at the time I was devastated. I was 17 - I'm now 66 and obviously scarred for life!
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