Jump to content

Johnston Middle School At 10410 Manhatten Dr.


jwphillips2

Recommended Posts

I went to Hartman and Jones from 1970 to 1976 and if I remember right the boys swam in jock straps and the girls swam those white uniform gym outfits. They told us so the chlorine did not mess up the lockers where guys left their trunks and didn't take them home after every swim class. I guess we were naive or people just didn't read to much into it. If there was a perv in the school it would probably be a coach. They were some sadistic sobs and quick to pull out a padel for any infraction.

joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My brother and I were at Pershing 63-65. The boys were supposed to wear trunks but if they left them at home, they had to swim anyway, in the nude. It hapened to my brother at least once. I was horrified when he told me about it. Somehow I never took swimming there. But I was next door in the girls locker room trying to change in and out the one piece, snap front, elastic leg gym suit without letting anyone see any of my body above knees or below neck. The air in there was so thick with Aqua Net hairspray you could hardly breathe.... That was in 7th grade - by 9th grade everything had changed of course!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1971 at Clear Creek High School, all students had to wear school supplied jock straps and gym shorts during P.E. Class. There were three large bins marked small, medium and large to reach into. Some poor assistant coach had to wash and dry these all day long for the next classes to use. We all had to take showers, no exceptions. Another assistant coach watched us to make sure everyone showered and then handed each of us a towel as we finished.

More than once we were made to swim in just jock straps. Nobody asked why, we just did what we were told. We assumed the coaches just didn't want to wash and dry that many garments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1971 at Clear Creek High School, all students had to wear school supplied jock straps and gym shorts during P.E. Class. There were three large bins marked small, medium and large to reach into. Some poor assistant coach had to wash and dry these all day long for the next classes to use. We all had to take showers, no exceptions. Another assistant coach watched us to make sure everyone showered and then handed each of us a towel as we finished.

More than once we were made to swim in just jock straps. Nobody asked why, we just did what we were told. We assumed the coaches just didn't want to wash and dry that many garments.

OK, that's just creepy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was in swimming classes at Rogers MS, we wore our own swim trunks to the pool. Boys and girls swam together; girls had to wear one piece swim suits and boys had to wear swim trunks.

We showered in our swimsuits, because the shower rinsed the suits AND the bodies.

When changing from street clothes to swim trunks, kids wrapped towels around their bodies to maintain modesty (and this was in the locker room) - My generation seems to be more modest than the previous generation!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was in swimming classes at Rogers MS, we wore our own swim trunks to the pool. Boys and girls swam together; girls had to wear one piece swim suits and boys had to wear swim trunks.

We showered in our swimsuits, because the shower rinsed the suits AND the bodies.

When changing from street clothes to swim trunks, kids wrapped towels around their bodies to maintain modesty (and this was in the locker room) - My generation seems to be more modest than the previous generation!

I've noticed that modesty thing with my 18 year old son. He won't even come out of his room without being fully dressed, even if it's just to go to the clothes dryer or something.

I had two older brothers and an older sister growing up. We all changed in front of each other as kids. Sis quit changing with us when she started growing tits. I think mom told her to be more careful around boys, even her own brothers. But us guys never quit changing in front of each other. The boys shared one bedroom and bathroom anyway. (Brady Bunch style.)

My parents also had a beach house at Bolivar when we were growing up. There was an outdoor shower head underneath, we all used it to rinse off and change in and out of our swim suits. I guess you loose modesty growing up like that. A generation thing as they've been calling it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've noticed that modesty thing with my 18 year old son. He won't even come out of his room without being fully dressed, even if it's just to go to the clothes dryer or something.

I had two older brothers and an older sister growing up. We all changed in front of each other as kids. Sis quit changing with us when she started growing tits. I think mom told her to be more careful around boys, even her own brothers. But us guys never quit changing in front of each other. The boys shared one bedroom and bathroom anyway. (Brady Bunch style.)

My parents also had a beach house at Bolivar when we were growing up. There was an outdoor shower head underneath, we all used it to rinse off and change in and out of our swim suits. I guess you loose modesty growing up like that. A generation thing as they've been calling it.

Plumber, you sound like you might be a closet Exibitionist as opposed to someone who has no sense of modesty. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to Johnston the first year it was built. When I first got there, I was a little shy about the nude swimming for boys and girls at the indoor pool. I think the girls went three days and the guys two days, and then it was switched the next week. A friend who went there after I did said that he couldn't remember when it was discontinued or why. Does anyone know the story? Can you imagine the outrage if this were to happen today?

I think they moved it to the Colonial House Apartments during the 80's. :lol: At least that's what I hear...don't know first hand... :lol:

Unless it's a completely barren beach, I ain't showin my nekkid body to nobody...and then only to my significant otter!

Oh...that fifties skinny dipping pool...was it co-ed? :o

Edited by Disastro
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went to Johnston the first year it was built. When I first got there, I was a little shy about the nude swimming for boys and girls at the indoor pool. I think the girls went three days and the guys two days, and then it was switched the next week. A friend who went there after I did said that he couldn't remember when it was discontinued or why. Does anyone know the story? Can you imagine the outrage if this were to happen today?

I was there from 80 - 83 and cannot remember swimming in the buff ... dammit! I miss all the good stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry guys, it DID happen and it was during the day as part of gym. We played dodge ball when it was raining and basketball otherwise. I'd like to hear from the students who went there and know the truth. I can't verify the same happened for the girls.

Nude swimming for boys was in effect when I went to Albert Sydney Johnston Jr High around 65-66. It was very awkward, I didnt like it. The rumor was that girls did not swim nude, but I dont know the fact. Boys definately did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nude swimming for boys was in effect when I went to Albert Sydney Johnston Jr High around 65-66. It was very awkward, I didnt like it. The rumor was that girls did not swim nude, but I dont know the fact. Boys definately did.

That's so sexist! Only the guys had to swim nekkid?! What's up with that? :lol:

Was it nekkid basketball and nekkid volleyball too? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Good lord, I can't believe this topic went on as long as it has.

Nude swimming was never a big deal. I used to do it at Edison High School. The pool was located underground by the girls gym.

As soon as the doors closed, we started stripping, it was only occasionally when a coach or student straggled behind a bit TOO long and suddenly yanked the door open to expose 50 or 60 kids in mid nudity.

now that I think about it, I guess that's why the girls loitered for the first few minutes after the doors were initially closed. Some guys didn't even bother waiting for the doors to close.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny how this is burned into one's memory...from another '62-'65 nude Johnston Jr High survivor.

Everyone who called me a maniac here at work (their numbers are legion) about this subject has read this part of of the forum because they just couldn't believe it. I said "Look, I'm not saying we had catered orgies, I'm just letting you know that what really happened may not agree with your knowlege of history". That's what makes life so interesting! Nude DANCING would be different.

Edited by jwphillips2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What happened to the former building?

They tore it down as the construction around it was occuring. If you go to the school now (and if memory serves me correct) the open space that is in front of the school is the is part of the site of the original building.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
With all due respect, that sounds like an urban legend.

No urban legend about it. My husband attended Johnston MS and yes indeed, they swam nude. :o;) In fact, when he told me about it, I accused him of making it up. Frankly, I was quite appalled by it, even alluding to the idea that the swim coaches must have been pervs, but he assured me it was totally accepted by all, no parental or student complaints, and apparently no untoward 'incidents' were ever reported. A different time indeed......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, i went to Johnston in the early sixties, for 7th and 8th grade, and boys swam in the nude. Oddly enough, it didn't even seem especially weird at the time, certainly not like it would be nowadays.

I swam there the 1st semester of 7th grade. At one point, someone crapped in the pool. I am not making this up. This is too weird for me to make up. Someone looked over, and there was a floater, a big one, looking like a Baby Ruth, floating in the middle, there. We all howled and pointed, and every one got dressed, and no one swam for about a week, while Coach Capers and Coach Macy questioned each of us individually. When it was my turn, I went in the coach's office, and Capers looked me directly in the eye and said "We already know who did it. We just want to see if YOU will tell the truth about it." Truth be told, they never knew\ who it was; I don't think any of us did.

Lots of people blamed Dorfburger (name changed), who was the school "victim" at the time. Poor b&stard was always getting pushed down the stairs, or knocked into the wall, or his street clothes thrown in the shower during gym. You saw him crying some where or another every week that first semester. Since he was in that swim class, everyone immediately started pointing at him and ridiculing him, laughing "Dorfburger did it!". I often wonder what happened to him today, 45 years later. Probably today he's a loan officer somewhere, turning down loans of people like those who used to hound him. More power to you, Dorfburger, wherever you are.

The coaches were straight ahead guys, from what I could tell. Disciplinary pops, from Capers or Macy, were to be avoided, if at all possible. They could give no more than three, but you did not even want ONE. No thank you , sir. It wasn't going to kill you. They were merely applying the board of education to the seat of knowledge. You could hear the pop through the door of the coach's office, so if we knew someone was getting pops, we'd gather on the other side of the door, and listen for that muffled "WHOOMP!!!" One may not have liked Capers nor Macy, but they got respect, unlike most teachers today.

I am glad to have found this thread, so I too can show some people, who flat out did not believe it when I told them about the nude swimming. I was beginning to think I hallucinated the whole thing..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL. Good post Stu. I don't really remember the nude swimming but I do remember getting a lot of swats from the coaches. Especially Capers and Macy. Did my drivers ed with Macy in his Mustang. He was quite a character. Used to tell us stories how he escaped Poland during WWII.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about y'all, but out in the neck of the woods we grew up in, we swam naked all the time, we didn't even own swim trunks. If we went to Galveston we wore homemades to keep from going to the pokey. What's the big deal, skinny dipping has been around since the beginning or time. Just don't see the issue. Junior High back then isn't like it is now days. Kids were still kids back then. Nowadays kids grow up too fast or at least they think they do. Some really do. My wife has had some of her fifth graders come up pregnant, never heard of such a thing back in grade school. Shoot if you got to kiss a girl by the 6th grade in the 50's you were Hugh Hefner! Things just aren't like they used to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like that overview of the original campus on the 61-62 directory. An addition to the 2 story wing on the north side of the campus was added around 1966-67, correct? That's what I was told by one of my teachers who was a student around that time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...