Home Uncategorized Dressing For Respect…Whatever Happened to That?

Dressing For Respect…Whatever Happened to That?

by Kelly Crawford
A faithful reader, Civilla, took the time to send me something she copied from her high school handbook–“Eastport (N.Y.) High School, Student Handbook” 1969-1970.
She also blogged about this at her blog. I find it remarkable how just our dress code as a society has slipped so far from what was once considered normal, “respectful” dress, into what is now an “It’s all about me and I’ll wear what I want” attitude.
There were a lot more things I may share from the handbook in another post…this is quite a bit to chew on!
Thanks for sharing this, Civilla!
CITIZENSHIP AND MANNERS AT HOME:

The five Trustees of the Eastport Board of Education were elected by the school districts’ qualified voters to govern the operation of our school. The Principal, as educational leader of the program, holds responsibility in the implementation of all regulations. The Board must require high standards of conduct and appearance if we are to create an atmosphere within the school that will insure the best possible learning conditions.While respecting individual student rights and responsibilities, the Principal, in his traditional role, is obliged to support and defend what furthers the “common good” and common standards of the community.

When individual behavior, action, or dress undermines or is detrimental to these purposes and tends to negate the learning environment of the school, such actions must be limited by the school authorities — board of education, and district principal.Therefore, in conjunction with the purposes and climate needed to conduct school properly, the school should set reasonable standards of behavior and dress for its students.The importance of being a good citizen at school and elsewhere cannot be overemphasized. Our school’s reputation is the responsibility of each student as he or she demonstrates habits of citizenship and manners.

The following regulations have been developed to assist students in learning accepted standards:

1. Smoking is prohibited in the school building, on the grounds or on any school sponsored trip. This habit is injurious to health and should be discouraged, especially for young people. Enrolled students may not carry matches or smoking materials to school or on any school trip. Offenders will be reported to the principal for punishment.

2. Chewing gum or candy may only be used in the Dining Hall. It is not courteous to use it in class, therefore, it is forbidden.

3. Dress appropriately whenever you are at school. This evidence of respect for your educational institution will bring rewards to all of us in our school’s reputation.

BOYS:

1. No jeans above Grade 8.

2. Shirt buttons closed except top button when worn without tie.

3. At all socials — shirt, tie, and suit coat are required.

4. Hair is to be cut to give a neat manly appearance.
5. If a shirt has tails, they should be tucked in pants.

6. One must respect himself before others will respect him. Being neat and clean generates a respect for you in others.

GIRLS:

1. Girls should give a ladylike impression; therefore slacks, shorts, etc., are not permitted. Skirts should be suitable for school use.

2. Makeup should be appropriate for teenagers. This means no eye makeup except at formal dances in reasonable degree.

3. Hair should be groomed to give a neat appearance; of course this means no curlers, etc.

4. Large dangling earrings are not to be worn during the regular school day.

If in doubt concerning proper dress, makeup, etc., please consult the school nurse-teacher. Students should use please, thank you, and pardon me, whenever necessary. These phrases are verbal courtesies which are an evidence of good manners.

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10 comments

Q December 19, 2008 - 9:48 pm

“Hair is to be cut to give a neat manly appearance.”

In a government ‘educational’ institution?

Yeah right!

Reply
Mother of Dog December 20, 2008 - 12:54 am

I’m laughing….why do you insist it should be 1955 again? Why don’t you just deal with the world that we have? Do you really think that girls in skirts is going to bring back some sort of fantasy you have of the past?

LOL

Reply
Word Warrior December 20, 2008 - 1:05 am

I’m laughing…why do you insist on twisting my words and intentions into something they’re not?

Where in the post did I “insist” it should be 1955 again?

Is it a fault to remark that our culture’s dress hardly reflects the kind of respect it once did?

Where did I say girls need to only wear dresses, and that I have a fantasy? (I’m wearing jeans right now–gasp!)

This is why your comments rarely get published. You read into everything according to the delusion you have about “my kind”.

Reply
Mother of Dog December 20, 2008 - 1:50 am

Kelly, that’s just not true and rather unfair. I talked about this in MY blog. I don’t think you have a “kind.” What I perceive is that every woman on here is different – and has different struggles.

May I gently suggest that you do seem to have a chip on your shoulder about my “kind?” We aren’t a great big lump either. 🙂

Now back to your post – I don’t think that girls should wear tube tops to class, yup I agree with that. But I’m from LI too, and I had that dress code – and I remember when I was a little girl freezing in skirts in the winter on the way to school. It wasn’t that wonderful, and you know, I don’t remember us being any more respected.

Mind you, I think that dress should reflect dignity. I don’t like seven year olds in belly shirts. I was raised very strictly and by a European mother. I was never allowed to wear jeans to school! But I meant that we aren’t going to turn back the clock to a past age where women were more respected and men wore hats and walked on the proper side of the curb. Time moves on, fashions change, the world evolves.

That’s all.

Reply
Word Warrior December 20, 2008 - 9:43 am

MOD,

No one wants to turn back the clock. But we should all be seeking to stop the decline of respectfulness among our culture– (isn’t this really at the heart of all the issues here? If we returned to more of a “treat others as you want to be treated” mentality, there would be no need for groups of activist fighting for this right and that.)

Pointing to a time where children were expected to be more respectful and the adults required it is not a futile thing.

Let me paint you a picture…I’m sure this will be mistaken for a spirit of pride, but it is not.

Our community of friends, church, school, neighbors, etc. have raised some of the most respetful, deferring children you have ever seen. They are a stark contrast to a typical group of teenager.

The boys actually do honor the girls and treat them like ladies, and all of them are mature beyond their ages, compared to the average, they dress respectfully, speak respectfully and intelligently, and behave much like I assume children once did.

That’s not a fantasy, but a reality. And I talk about it because it’s a reality. I have strangers repeatedly ask me in public “how do you get your kids to behave like that”?

And I have normal kids. It shouldn’t be that respectful children are the exception, but they are.

We wear normal clothes, we don’t hold on to some nostalgic era…we only look back to see how and why things have deteriorated so much, and see what we can borrow from a culture that turned out far better citizens than ours.

The world has evolved…doesn’t mean we just apathetically let it fall apart. I don’t have to let my children fall into the decline of the culture…and I won’t.

We are called to something higher.

Reply
Wenonah4th December 20, 2008 - 10:00 am

I like that they had explanations. IMO, people are more likely to be willing to do something (any particular thing) if they have a reason for it.

Mother of Dog, if you really want to talk about turning back the clock, how about the fact that the girls at my alma mater (a private college) were required to wear gloves if they went off campus until about 1965? I could go on, but you get the idea.

Reply
Civilla December 20, 2008 - 8:51 pm

I don’t know, MOD, but it seems like our Western society is headed “back to the future” in one way or another. I’d rather see it go back to 1955 (not that the times were perfect, of course) than back to the ancient Greek or Roman empires, which is where it seems like we are headed. We don’t need that kind of decadence.

Reply
simplebeauty December 22, 2008 - 12:45 pm

I just have to say that I love this post! My favorite tid bit was “one must respect themselves first before others will.” That is such wonderful advice.

Reply
Rachel January 5, 2009 - 6:18 pm Reply
Jennifer December 10, 2009 - 12:14 am

What’s the matter with shorts?

Reply

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