On being a twitterer...

“Because there’s someone there who twitters-twitters like a little bird…’A little bird told me’-was a saying of my youth. It’s very true, Kemp-these twitterers can tell one a lot if one just lets them-twitter!” From Agatha Christie’s, Sparkling Cyanide

Surfing in Cape Town, South Africa, 1924

"The people had short curved boards and came floating in on the waves...I made for the bathing pavilion, and when they said would I have a surf board, I said 'Yes, please.' Surfing looks perfectly easy. It isn't. I say no more. I got very angry and fairly hurled my plank from me. Nevertheless, I determined to return on the first possible opportunity and have another go. I would not be beaten. Quite by mistake I then got a good run on my board, and came out delirious with happiness. Surfing is like that. You are either vigorously cursing or else you are idiotically pleased with yourself." From Agatha Christie's The Man in the Brown Suit

Adventures in yearbook research: Oceanside-Carlsbad Union High School, 1909-1950

After I completed my column for the Carlsbad Patch on the Carlsbad History Room yearbook collection: http://carlsbad.patch.com/articles/for-the-love-of-yearbooks, my curiosity about the state of girls’ sports was so piqued that I headed over to Oceanside High School to look at their complete collection of yearbooks for the former Oceanside-Carlsbad Union High School. Aside from girls’ sports, what I found in the earlier yearbooks was interesting enough to warrant a second write-up. 

The Oceanside-Carlsbad Union High School opened in 1906 with just twenty students in two grades, 9th and 10th. The first yearbook for the high school was published 1909. It gave a short history of the students’ activities and the school itself from 1906-1909. The yearbook was called The Nautilus and the cover included an inspirational saying: “Build thee more stately mansions, oh my soul." It seems that the student body had consisted mainly of girls from its opening until this first publication. Five girls made up the first graduating class: Sibyl Spencer, Ramona Rieke, Marguerite Brannen, Eunice Everett, and Edith Cotteral. They were active girls and serious scholars. During the 1906 and 1908-1909 school year, their basket ball [sic] team played against other schools: Santa Ana, Orange, Escondido, and Fallbrook. By 1909, they also had a new tennis court. 

Despite what our preconceived notions might be of the education available to girls in the early 20th century, there were no home economics classes until 1919. They did have a school library, which opened in 1907 and a student council. The student council consisted of the usual officers, as well as a “Mistress-at-arms”! Similar to our experience today, the incoming 1908-1909 freshman class was the largest: seven students, including two boys. Five girls made up the sophomore class. The junior class consisted of one boy and one girl. I hope they got along!

The “Athletics” section in the first yearbook was contradictory, as were many aspects of progressive behavior in women in the past. Just as Elizabeth Blackwell who was the first female to graduate from medical school would not walk in her college’s graduation because it wasn’t “ladylike,” so these active and intelligent girls apologize: “The feminine element of the OCUHS is predominant, so if the discussion of girls’ basketball fills the space devoted to athletics in general, we hope our readers will not be disappointed.” I have tried to surmise who that apology was meant for: the three boys at the school, parents, or perhaps the general public? Regardless, the rest of the section contained their scores for the season, descriptions of the players, a general discussion of the benefits of athletics, and gratitude to those who supported the team. 

They won four out of seven games, and the county championship. Each player was entertainingly described, e.g. "Sibyl Spencer-Small, quick, sly center" and "Enice Everett-A nifty guard with a swift arm." Ramona Rieke, who wrote the Athletics’ section, wrote a very inspirational and uplifting description of the game and its benefits (NBA/WNBA PR, take note!): “…basketball is one of the very best tests of the activity and alertness of the brain…. The real heart of its popularity is that the game is a most insistent shaper of character. Endurance, energy and patience are the secrets of successful playing. Good control of temper and the absence of selfishness and personal antagonism are necessary for a real player. But best of all is that beautiful friendliness, companionship and concentration of many minds on one thing in common, causing respect and love for one another, which is all so firmly established by team work.” 

By 1912, the yearbook had been re-titled, Green & White. Due to the fact that there were hardly any photos in these early yearbooks, there was a lot of space for information about their coursework, examples of student writing, etc. In the 1912 yearbook, a student wrote about how the tenth graders studied the papers of Sir Roger de Coverly, each taking a character name to “make them more interesting.” Based on other essays in the yearbook, it is evident that Joseph Addison was revered. (Joseph Addison wrote the play, "Cato," a favorite of many of our Founding Fathers.) Another student wrote an essay about the history of African-Americans. The sophomore class motto was “That which we think we understand best, we find ourselves most ignorant of.” Clearly, the human condition has not changed. This year also saw a new school built for about $16,000, after a $15,000 bond measure passed. The curriculum was still very general. This is understandable since there were only six graduating seniors in 1913. The ninth graders' course load consisted of: Latin, Algebra, General Science, and English. In the senior write-ups of 1913, it was noted that Mary Machado and Ruth Bryan were three-year graduates, with the well-earned congratulations on their achievement. 

In one of these early yearbooks, the foreword suggests that teens consider attending high school for its excellent social aspects, but admonishes them not to even consider it if they aren’t willing to improve themselves through the challenging academics offered at the school. In an essay by Sedric Brown entitled “Ranches of California,” he suspects that the land would soon be in the hands of the “incoming tourist population.” He felt that the government should preserve the ranches, just as they do the Missions. He was right on, the "tourists" have settled en masse, aided by developers.

The years of WWI are reflected in the pages of the yearbooks with former students serving in the military, and there were many! There were several seniors who served and then returned to finish high school, as noted in the senior write-ups. At a time when it wasn’t a requirement, coming back to complete their high school education speaks highly of those young men. By 1925, Home Economics was relabeled Domestic Science. In 1927, it had become Domestic Art. The boys were not to be left out of advancing their own knowledge of domestic activities- the 1931 yearbook had a photo of the inaugural Boys’ Cookery Class. Another unusual class that only appeared to last a year was an Advanced Physiology Class for girls, apparently to learn about hygiene! 

The 1928 yearbook showed a photo of the three buses the school now had at their disposal. Prior to this, my understanding was that most students took the train and/or walked. By 1931, the number of buses had increased to six and by 1932, seven. It was noted in the yearbook that some students had a round-trip of sixty miles. For those who participated in extracurricular activities, there were late buses that left the school at 5 p.m. Among the extracurricular offerings, the Stamp Club, Badminton Club, Homemaking Club, and Future Secretaries were new options in the 1950 yearbook. Senior superlatives made their debut in the 1945 yearbook. 

Watching the evolution of school culture and teen-aged students through their high school yearbooks in a “time-lapse” fashion affords us a unique “big picture” view, as with the changes in Home Economics classes and cheerleading. The similarities and differences between high school students of today and those one hundred years ago, demonstrate that while teen-agers haven’t changed as much as we might think, the world we grow up in affects our sensibility. And our sensibility creates the world for the next generation.

An interpretation of Title Nine from 1977

From the 1977 Carlsbad High School Yearbook:

“Title Nein(9)

In 1972 the Federal Congress completed the last stages of the Educational Amendment Title Nine. It took five years to complete from the first initial stage to the time it was enacted.
Title Nine is a portion of the Federal Education Amendment which prohibits sex discrimination and segregation in education.
The effects Title Nine has had on Carlsbad High School’s activities and clubs has been tremendous. Girls activities have been hardest hit with this new rule. Such activities as the Girls’ Glee Club can no longer retain their old name because it is discriminating. The group is now called the Treble Choir. One of the most favored mock sports for girls is Girls’ Powderpuff Football. This name is also to be changed , to Superbowl. The reason because girls might become offended by the old name. Traditionally we have had the boys dress up as cheerleaders on Powderpuff day. This is now no longer allowed, because it is discriminating against both sexes. The reason behind these is beyond my comprehension. Half the fun of such activities are the little crazy things students do, such as boy cheerleaders dressed up as girls.
To pick a Homecoming Queen is a tradition which is an honor to any girl. But now, so that neither sexes be discriminated against, it is required that we have both a homecoming queen and king. In my opinion, boys have never cared much about being king, but rather in kissing the queen – well and fitting.
In a student survey, one out of every 10 students said that it was foolish or corny. This survey included both boys and girls. Evidently, they do not feel threatened by tradition.
Title Nine is indicative of the age of women’s liberation, and reflects a sudden awareness and a new interpretation of an event that has existed since Adam and Eve in the garden. It has its good points, but as many things today, it has been so overworked and interpreted that it is taking on a definite air of absurdity.”

Girl Power...annotated list of books for strong girls

Do you want to raise a strong, independent girl who thinks outside the box? Here's a selection of picture books to get started early! I highly recommend reading every picture book before you read it to your children. I found one that just sounded like it fit the bill: a girl who liked insects, only to find out that it was very mean-spirited! I also haven't included books that put down other ways of being a girl, even if they promote individualism, i.e. Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey.


1. I can do that!: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda White

Did you know that Wyoming was the first state where women were able to vote? When they organized as a territory in 1869, women's suffrage was included. When Wyoming became a state in 1890, the right for women to vote in their state was maintained. Esther Morris, who was instrumental in the right to vote being included as a law in Wyoming. She was also the first woman judge. For older kids, a fun activity is to use genealogy websites to find her in the census. This really shows how we can learn about her using original documents from American history!

100 Years to Suffrage (Library of Congress): http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawstime.html Accessed Sept. 13, 2011

National Statuary Hall in Wash DC: http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/nsh/morris.cfm Accessed Sept. 13, 2011

2. Dahlia by Barbara McClintock

One of my favorites, even though I was never a tom-boy...A little girl who is, gets a very fancy doll from an elderly relative. The illustrations are excellent. The story is set in the past.

3. Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke

There have been known women pirates: Anne Bonny and Mary Read. But like real pirate stories, they're not really appropriate for children. Thus, we create fun pirate stories for little ones (and maybe for us too). Pirate Girl is a great story for girls, and as fun to read as any pirate tale!

Smithsonian blog entry on Anne Bonny and Mary Read: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/history/2011/08/if-theres-a-man-among-ye-the-tale-of-pirate-queens-anne-bonny-and-mary-read/ Accessed Sept. 13, 2011

4. My Hippie Grandmother by Reeve Lindbergh

The daughter of Charles Lindbergh wrote this delightful story about a grandmother who thinks outside the box and encourages her granddaughter to do the same! Especially for parents who have a little counter culture in them, as a hint for the future?!

5. Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole

A princess who doesn't want to get married. Probably out-of-print, but hopefully, your library hasn't weeded it out! If they have this one, then they might have Ms. Cole's other gender cliche busting book, Prince Cinders.

6. Stand Tall, Molly Lou Mellon by Patty Lovell

A petite little girl moves to a new town and demonstrates how to be confident under pressure. Not my favorite illustrations, but the story is worth it...

7. Mighty Jackie: The Strike-out Queen by Marissa Moss

Simple story about 17 year old Jackie Mitchell, who struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game. Her contract with the minor league team she was on was voided by the commissioner of baseball. A great story that shows that things can change, that things have been different, and that a young woman can beat two of the heavy weights of baseball...

Biography of Jackie Mitchell on Baseball Almanac: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/aubrecht8.shtml

Carlsbad, New Mexico or Carlsbad, California?

As the Mercury Insurance Open tournament wraps up, I am reminded of the humorous misadventure of one of the players-Bojana Jovanovski. According to http://www.womenstennisblog.com, her agent sent her to the wrong Carlsbad for the tournament. The tournament was being held in Carlsbad, California, but she flew to Carlsbad, New Mexico! After spending the night there, she flew to the right Carlsbad-900 miles away.

What is so amusing about this mishap is that this is not the first time that there has been confusion between these two Carlsbad’s. Back when railroads were the main source of transport for goods, the Atkinson & Santa Fe Railway must have experienced mix-ups as well because they decided to rename our station to prevent confusion between the two. They changed it to Carl. This happened in 1907 when Carlsbad was only about 20 years old. However, the people who lived here already felt a great sense of pride and were none-to-pleased with the name change. They complained and petitioned, and finally in 1917, our station was changed back to Carlsbad.

To read about how our Carlsbad- Carlsbad, California got its name, see: http://carlsbad.patch.com/articles/how-carlsbad-got-its-name

Why a Feminist Mother plays Barbies with her Daughter...

Yes, I know, she's not anatomically correct. And she has lots of stuff, including clothes and beautiful long hair. Her not being anatomically correct could easily be seen as a physical "defect"(we all have them) and her pretty hair is then her best feature.

However, when the question of Barbies came up, I referred back to my own childhood. I had played Barbies and have been a feminist my entire adult life, so what harm could there really be? Although I realize that there were certainly other factors that brought about my own feminism. My daughter received a couple of Barbies as gifts when she was even too young to play with them. So I began my quest to properly outfit a Barbie collection, which proved to be quite easy! I found more than enough to fill up the playroom at thrift stores, yard sales, and swap meets. Ready for the complete Barbie lifestyle, I only had to wait until the request for a Barbie playdate was made.

When it did come and the Barbie town was set up, I saw that there was an opportunity here. My child was young and under my guidance and influence. I use it elsewhere, why not during play? So playing Barbies became a lesson in being a strong, independent, accomplished woman. Our Barbies were doctors, librarians, writers, professors, business owners. They went skiing, surfing, snowboarding, running, etc. They also attended the opera, poetry readings, DAR meetings, took educational classes and did volunteer work at their local library. I never made a big deal out of what my Barbie was wearing, except that it be practical for whatever activity they were doing. Their hair was brushed and styled, but with no more emphasis that we have in our own daily life. And though there was one Ken doll in the collection, he's a friend- there were never any weddings. Not that there's anything wrong with marriage, but that needn't be the focus of Barbie play.

Imaginative play is important for children, but parental involvement can and should guide our children. An occasional hands-on approach allows us to demonstrate to our children our values. Barbie's gender-cliché building ability can be tamed and redirected with much success...and plus, it's just fun!