HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCIAL COUNCIL RESOLVES TO FORSAKE 'FLAPPERISM'
Hackensack*, New Jersey (JFK+50) On October 25, 1924, the Washington Times reports that the "girls of...Hackensack High School have voluntarily forsaken flapperism** and all connected with it."
The girls' social council at the school adopted resolutions resolving to...
"dress moderately and appropriately and agree not to wear...dresses of extreme length, (or) tightness."
"to the mild and sensible use of cosmetics and to ban the use of paint, lipsticks, eyebrow pencils and powder."
The Times says these resolutions were presented to the faculty of HHS.
*Hackensack is the county seat of Bergen County, New Jersey located 12 miles NW of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Its most famous native son is U.S. astronaut Wally Schirra.
**flappers were young women, particularly college aged, of the 1920s who wore short skirts (knee high length), bobbed their hair, enjoyed jazz music and flaunted disdain for prevailing codes of behavior. Some smoked cigarettes.
The term came from unbuckled galoshes the girls wore making a flapping noise as they walked.
JFK+50 NOTE
I taught the 1920s for 40 years in middle & high school. In middle school we had girls dress up as flappers & perform dances of the day including "The Charleston." It was their favorite period of U.S. history. (see pics below)
I had never seen the term 'flapperism' used in any of my sources until reading this Washington Times article.
SOURCE
"Flapperism Forsaken By Hackensack Girls," The Washington Times, October 25, 1924, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
