Gulf Park By-the-Sea in Long Beach Mississippi by the year 1950 already had a tradition of 29 years as a junior college.
Open air class under a huge live oak. Here the girls wear simple dresses required for class. For atheltics they wear shorts. Blue jeans ar frobidden except at Huckleberry Hill, the college weekend camp. Other rules they must follow: no gum chewing, no smoking except in designated places with parents written permission; do not leave campus alone; no dates with boys not on the school's eligible list. To make this list a boy must submit an autobiography and four letters of recommendation.
The building itself, home for 237 girls, was surrounded by a gorgeous garden filled with jasmine and magnolias. The students started as girls and were leaving the institution becoming lithe and tanned, impeccably dressed and extremely polite. The academic program included: english, french, history and math with two mandatory physical training program of choice: fencing, sailing, water skiing and 17 others. Optional courses included: secretarial science, foods and advanced clothing.
Art class sets to work to paint the tropical plants growing near the studio. The course is to develop girls' taste in dress and in the home as well as in painting.
Sunbathers are permitted to go up and lie around on the roof every day at 1:40 PM. The average Gulf Park girl works on her tan at least 45 minutes a day.
Weekenders, up at the college's Huckleberry Hill for a change of scene, paddle in the bayous. Girls think the Huck si fun but a poor substitute for boys.
Water ballet is staged twice a year by the college's best swimmers in the open-air pool on the campus. Ballet also puts on shows at a nearby hotel pool.
Catching crabs to cook in their home economics course, three pretty girls squeal as thet bag a hard-shell. Course teaches them to cook everyday things like turkey and southern fried chicken, emphasizes party foods like pralines, divinities and baked Alaska and briefs them in use of machines like the automatic dishwasher.
_________________________
images and info provided by the LIFE Magazine / LIFE Magazine International / LIFE Magazine Atlantic ARCHIVE from the Zetu Harrys Collection
___________________________
If you like what I do support the project with a coffee
0 Comments