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What bugged me the most about SPHS

Created on: 05/21/09 06:58 PM Views: 979 Replies: 23
What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Thursday, May 21, 2009 01:58 PM

Girls had to kneel down (1966-'68) so their skirts could be measured--and if too short, gasp!, be sent home.  Also had to wear navy blue or white skirts.  Now I realize what a good idea it was, but back then, grrrrrrr!  :)  Patti Wing Iverson

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Friday, June 5, 2009 10:28 AM

The "snotty cliques" may be harder on girls than on boys.  I was not in a "clique," but I hung out with a group of friends with similar interests.  We were pretty democratic and were well aware that we were not the "in crowd." It seems that some people with quite severe emotional problems gravitate toward teaching.  I do not know why.  Perhaps they are looking for victims who cannot retaliate, or, their relational problems prevent them from lasting long in an adult workplace.  If these people do not like kids, why would they want to be in a room with them for 6+ hours per day?  The effect of a vicious or disturbed teacher on kids can be great, particularly during middle school years when children are particularly emotionally vulnerable.  The unions and the tenure system keep these bad teachers in place when they should be encouraged to seek  different employment.  Nothing is done by administrators except in extreme situations.  I was very fortunate that I only had one such teacher in the 3rd grade (not in SoPas), but I recall this "mean woman" very well over 50 years later.    

 

 

Steve Kane, '66

 
Edited 06/05/09 11:21 AM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Saturday, July 18, 2009 02:15 PM


Patti Wing Iverson wrote:

Girls had to kneel down (1966-'68) so their skirts could be measured--and if too short, gasp!, be sent home.  Also had to wear navy blue or white skirts.  Now I realize what a good idea it was, but back then, grrrrrrr!  :)  Patti Wing Iverson

School uniforms should come back in style - it levels the playing field so kids that cannot afford expensive clothes do not have to feel less than  I went to So Pas from 1977 to 1980 so it was pretty much hippie chick meets surfer dude clothing. - Elena Zajechowski

 

 
Edited 07/18/09 02:16 PM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Sunday, July 19, 2009 05:00 PM

We had that too, 1960 - 1963. Wednesdays, you could wear anything you wanted. I really did like the navy blue and/or white requirement...it made getting dressed for school a whole lot easier.

As Girls League Vice President '62 - '63, I was in charge of enforcing that knees-to-the-floor rule, but I don't remember ever looking for violations, much less reporting them. That "job" should not have been assigned to a student (me.) Miss Lauer was Dean of Girls, and she was tough.

Karla Payne '63

 

 
Edited 01/02/10 02:48 PM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Thursday, July 23, 2009 03:58 PM

We support a local charter school, Literacy First Academy, that requires students to wear uniforms.  They are attractive but simple and several different designs and color schemes are offered.  The school is in a low income area and the uniform permits parents to buy clothes at reasonable prices without the fashion competition which is always won by those with more money to spend.  School should not be a fashionista contest and in our opinion the uniforms take some of the pressure off the kids, who have enough distractions as it is.  The uniform policy fits well with the school philosophy - equal treatment and respect for everyone and concentration on academic success.  The uniforms have not been controversial and parents seeking admission for their children often mention them as a reason for choosing Literacy First.  The big debate last year was rules for cell phones.  Some teachers wanted to ban them altogether, but parents use them effectively to keep track of their children.  A compromise was reached consisting of a rule that phones must be turned off when entering the classroom.  Any phone used by a student (including texting) or ringing during class is confiscated, the parents are advised and the teacher decides when, and if, the phone will be returned. 

I remember the "squat down" tests for skirt length in the halls at SPJHS and SPHS.  We boys thought it was hilarious, but the girls did not, especially if they had to go home and change!  However, boys were not immune.  I was once sent home to change because the SPJHS Vice Principal, Mr. Rightmer, decided that a tear in my jeans was unacceptably revealing.  Although neither the tear nor the effect was intentional on my part, (I appeared to grow about one inch per month at age 13.) undoubtedly he was correct!  Ah, the memories!

 

 

Steve Kane, '66

 
Edited 07/23/09 04:21 PM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Monday, August 17, 2009 06:03 PM

I still wear navy blue and white if I can't think of anything else to wear.

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Monday, August 24, 2009 01:52 PM
Karla, sure don't remember the girls having to wear a "uniform"! I'm sure I wasn't looking at the guys! Bill Patrick
 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 08:36 AM

We had the 'uniform' while I was at SPHS... I remember driving by the HS several years later, and it was obvious that the dress code had been dropped... cut-offs, crop tops, mini skirts and hot pants galore!  I almost ran into someone, I was so distracted by it!

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Saturday, December 12, 2009 06:39 PM

The silly thing that bugged me the most about SPHS was the poor girl's sports program. Compared to the fabulous SPJHS program where girls sports ruled, coming to the high school was a huge disappointment.  I remember sitting around doing basically nothing during gym... gone was the team competition, tumbling meets, dance contests, girl's spread, and all of the other fun of the Mustangs, Dumbos, Tiger Cubs and Amazons. Instead we played a few ho-hum sports (but I WAS happy that hockey & hockey play day was still on the agenda, and I was on the Hockey Play Day team all three years at SPHS). 

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Monday, December 14, 2009 10:18 AM

When we were in school womens' sports got almost no money or resources.  Most schools did not have interscholastic competition for girls, the women got old equipment, if any, and could only use the fields and gym when the boys did not need them.

Title IX of the Civil Rights Act which requires equal resources for boys' and girls' sports has changed this deplorable situation a great deal.  However, there are many schools not in compliance.  Even today, schools spend most resources on boys' football and basketball.  When our daughter was in high school, she wanted to compete in the long jump in track and field but the school had no jump coach for the girls' team!  Just as you did, the girls sat and did nothing during gym period.  Some parents, including me, started a campaign to change this unequal situation.  It was a long battle and victory came too late for my daughter but the district eventually complied after fighting us every step of the way.  We had to threaten a lawsuit in order to gain compliance and equal treatment for women.  Believe it or not, I was accused in a meeting of undermining our national defense by demanding equal resources for women!  The theory was that boys needed an unequal share in order to become effective soldiers!  I pointed out the obvious fact that the military now has a high percentage of women in almost every specialty, including combat roles, but the genius who made this accusation invited me to continue the debate outside the meeting chamber, anyway.  His wife intervened and this historic confrontation did not occur.

My belief is that high school athletics should be funded and organized for the benefit of all of the students/athletes on an equal basis and not to create gladiatorial contests for the entertainment of adults.  Anyway, U.S. womens' sports has had a period of tremendous growth due to Title IX and long-delayed equal treatment for women athletes.

 

Steve Kane, '66

 
Edited 03/16/11 03:06 PM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Saturday, January 2, 2010 02:54 PM


William M Patrick wrote:

Karla, sure don't remember the girls having to wear a "uniform"! I'm sure I wasn't looking at the guys! Bill Patrick
 
Bill, I think you were too busy being a jock. I can't believe you didn't notice that we all dressed the same. You're kidding, right?
 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2010 12:48 PM

Karla, actually what I was doing was, walking around campus memorizing each page of the dictionary in my head, so what everyone was wearing must not have registered!

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Tuesday, February 23, 2010 01:55 PM

What bugged me the most about SPHS...... I guess it would have to be the distance between the Boy's & the Girl's Gym. I was the first boy to take the Modern Dance class with Shirley Wiesinger. The class was wonderful, but doing a "hundred yard dash" in tights and a dance belt was a challenge!

Love, held fast with tiger seals,

Derek

Derek Gene Bird, 1977

 

With my heart and mind,
Derek

Derek Gene Bird, 1977

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2010 05:39 PM

Derek, you were, indeed, a brave soul!

Steve Kane, '66

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 05:22 PM

I agree with you now and then...in fact I felt so strongly about it that in the spring of 1974, I decided I wanted to run track. I was good and I was very fast. But there was no outlet for me. I proposed to the school board to allow me to run (just practices at first) with the Boys Track Team.

The school board had many, many "reasons" why I shouldn't be allowed to do it. One reason being that "boys and girls sports shouldn't mingle". I explained I would just be working out with the boys. They gave me permission to do so.

While "practicing" the coaches noticed that I "actually" had the ability to "beat" a few of the guys that were regulars on the team. Coach Yang, Coach Kabealo, and Coach Goto all made remarks to me about "wishing I could run on the team". I thought so too. So I again went before the school board and made a rather HUGE request. To be allowed sanction to run with and as a part of the boys track team for SPHS. Of course this request literally brought the house down, I heard excuses from "where would you change into your uniform" to "who would watch over me while at out of town meets". I told the board that I believed the Coaches would look out for me, just as they did for the boys at track meets, and that as far as changing my clothes, I was most certainly able to use the Women's restroom, I could wait to take a shower when I got home!

That's when I began to run sanctioned races at all SPHS Tiger Track meets. I was a sprinter and recruited a few girls onto the team with me and we formed a baton team and won many, many races! I also encountered numerous young men at other schools that when they found out I was racing they bowed out of the race!! Too funny!!

I thoroughly enjoyed the competition on all levels. I tried many new and different track and field events. I stretched myself to the extreme limits ~ and it was incredible! I won enough races and got enough points that the only thing the Coaches could do at the annual banquet was --- to give me a SPHS track and field letter!! I wish that there was a photo somewhere of my receiving it.....I ran track all three years in high school, 74, 75, 76...and miss the competition to this day...Julie Yost put it very well in the 1975 Copa De Oro - under "Girl's Sports" - "I get more out of it because the guys are harder to play"...my sentiments exactly!

I did try to get one more thing that the school board absolutely would not bend on....A letterman's jacket!! I so wanted one!! Oh well, I guess you can't win it all!

I am so proud, now, of the Girls Track and Field team...how wonderful to see women's sports take off as they did....all it took was a little blood, sweat, and tears...and a young woman's perserverance (or would you call that stubbornness??)

Thanks SPHS for teaching me that I am strong and for giving me the opportunity to grow and expand my horizons for something I truly believed in.

 
Edited 03/17/10 05:47 PM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Sunday, January 16, 2011 02:31 PM

 Aileen, I do not remember the name of the girls vice principal at SPJHS when I was there ('60 to '63), but I know that she was strict because quite frequently, as I mentioned above, I would see two or three girls squatting in the hall taking the "skirt length" test.  I doubt that it would be permitted today, and I am not sure about what it contributed to decorum in the school.  I described this ritual to my daughter when she was about 13 and she thought that it was "crazy."  However, it did not seem crazy then, just a routine part of school life.

Steve Kane, '66

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Wednesday, January 26, 2011 02:13 PM

1.  The football coaches did things to us non-athletes in their PE classes for which they should have been imprisoned and today would be.  PE was pure misery with those sadistic bullies.

2.  The unfortunate practice of someone in the administration sending the ladies home if their skirts were too short - no such thing.

MalibuBill '64

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2011 11:03 AM

Laurie - Please allow me to suggest you place your name in nomination into the SPHS Athletic Hall of Fame for your trail blazing on behalf of girls sports. Your tenacity resulted in a pioneer achievement and should be recognized as such. I sent the current high school principal, DR. Janet Anderson, an email this year nominating 4 student athletes for induction into the Hall of Fame, who I believe should be in that elite group, but were not as yet. I hope that you do look into putting your name and accomplishment in for consideration. Principal Anderson told me that those newly nominated student athletes would be considered for inclusion this Fall and, if selected, would be inducted during the SPHS All Years Reunion, scheduled for 2012. I believe Dr. Anderson graduated from SPHS in the 1970's, so she may already have heard of you. Who knows, you might still get that letterman's jacket!   

 

steve ledder

sphs class of 1960    

 
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Monday, June 24, 2013 08:55 AM

It might have been Margaret Lauer. She was very strict indeed!

 
What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Monday, June 24, 2013 02:36 PM

If you're referring to Steven Kane's post, he said he didn't remember who the Girl's VP was at the Junior High. I didn't go to the Jr. High, so I don't know, but Miss Margaret Lauer was Dean of Girls at SPHS. She was not only very strict, I don't think she liked girls very much. Or maybe she just didn't like herself, so she took it out on the students.

 
Edited 06/24/13 02:43 PM
RE: What bugged me the most about SPHS
Posted Monday, June 24, 2013 02:59 PM

Two things still stick with me, to this day.

1) The lack of a decent music program including an orchestra. There was a 30-piece marching band and a dismal chorus. I suffered through chorus for a year, then was fortunate to get in to the Pasadena Symphony as a bass player. I had gone to Sun Valley Jr. High where we had an award-winning orchestra. (I should mention that I got to take organ lessons at the HS and use my study hall to practice on that magnificent pipe organ. I wonder if it's still in operation. What a great experience to be alone in the auditorium and play to my heart's content.)

2) I was one of a small handful of new students on the first day of 10th grade. There were cliques, and newbies weren't readily welcomed. Class officers and Tigerettes were chosen at the end of 9th grade. It took me a while to finally feel like I fit in. The last 2 years were delightful, socially, though.

I've just gotten home from my 50th reunion weekend. It was wonderful, as they all have been. Old friendships were renewed and new ones were made.