Athletics

Written by Smarika R.

The uniforms worn by the students while playing sports were similar to their everyday outfits. The athletes often wore sweaters with long skirts that were usually floor length (occasionally the athletes wore ankle length skirts as well). The uniforms were also loose fitted and hid the figures of the students. Honors athletes were awarded blue W’s to be worn on their sweaters on the basis of health, disciple, and skill. These uniforms, although feminine and in accordance to societal norms at the time, can also be seen as more gender neutral (especially when considering just the top half of their uniforms) in comparison to their everyday outfits due to the loose fitted nature of their uniforms.

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Florence Converse, who graduated Wellesley College in 1893, comments on the “defects” of Wellesley students as a result of the change in attitude towards women. She spoke about how the freedom the students experience now (in the early 1900s) has resulted in “the graces and reserves which give charm and finish to daily living [to be] sacrificed to...study and athletics in college.” The emphasis that has been placed on women participating in college sports seems to be an objective that may have been disliked by the larger society. Even Wellesley College graduates from previous generations frowned upon student participation in athletics. Although students were technically involved in sports, Wellesley College did not fully embrace the full scope of the activity. This is illustrated by the fact that students were not allowed to participate in intercollegiate, i.e. competitive, sports. The rationale behind this rule was that sports for women should only be for “recreation” and “healthful exercise.” This may be why the students at Wellesley wore skirts instead of pants (or even shorter, more functional skirts) while playing sports. By wearing long skirts, the students were forced to maintain a feminine image accepted by society while participating in a male dominated activity.

Community Question: Have you ever faced discrimination due to your gender identity when participating in athletics? (Please answer in the Google Form below)

There seems to be an emphasis placed on exercise during this time period. Students who wanted a special certification in Hygiene were required to take a multitude of courses - many of which required the students to exercise for hours every week. For example, first year students were required to take Kinesiology (3 hours a week for a year), Gymnasium Practice (5 hours a week for a year), Corrective Gymnastics and Massage (2 hours a week first semester, 1 hour a week second semester), Dancing (1 hour a week for a year), Instruction in Games and Folk Dancing (2 hours a week for a year), Athletics (6 hours a week in the spring), and Swimming (12 lessons in the spring) on top of other lecture based Hygiene courses. This means that a fall semester first-year participating in this program was required to exercise 13 hours a week. One reasoning behind including so many exercise based classes may have been because the college wanted students to adhere to societal standards of beauty. Moreover, since the fashion at the time required women to wear tight corsets and slim fitted dresses on a daily basis: the students probably felt pressured to maintain a figure that could fit into these styles. As a result, this certification may have been popular amongst the students even though it was not required to graduate. Furthermore, naming the certification “hygiene” instead of athletics (or similar) suggests that this program may have been strongly recommended to the students. Overall, the existence of this certification reveals the immense societal expectations felt by the students in regards to their bodies - an expectation that feels quite gendered. 

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Object from the WCHAP Excavation

The shoe heel found at the WCHAP excavation comes from an Oxford shoe - a style of shoe which was more traditionally associated with men at this time. However, the heel appears to be too small in size to fit a man, so we can assume that it came from a shoe worn by one of the students. This shoe heel is an important and illuminating find because it showcases how even in an environment where one is pressured to dress a certain way, there will still be people who subvert societal expectations. The heel also provides evidence of students expressing their style in novel and alternative ways (a change from Victorian and Edwardian styles to menswear inspired styles for women). This shoe was probably also a more comfortable alternative to the heeled boots worn by the students at the time, making it an ideal shoe for various athletic and recreational activities.