This high school yearbook posted photos of the daily PE classes. Poor images but should bring back memories of being either a student or PE teacher. Note there are 7 vertical rows indicating the 7 class periods. There were probably 2 PE teachers, one having the boys on the left and the other on the right. The school where I taught had between 12 to 16 boys in each class and only 4 classes per day, but the photo reminds me of my student teaching year where 30+ was the norm. It was impossible to accomplish what was expected of a teacher (particularly a student teacher) in the 55 minute class period. 5 minutes after the final bell we had to take attendance and check uniforms, including jock checks (and included cup checks at schools which required them).

Then have the class do 5 to 10 minutes of calisthenics, followed by the daily activity of basketball, touch football tumbling, wrestling, pyramids etc. Warm weather meant track activity such as running springs, hurdles and high jumps but always included some laps around the track, trying for a mile timed run at least once a week.

At the school where I did my student teaching the gym was only as big as one basketball court. On days when the girls PE class used the swimming pool in bad weather there wasn't room on the gym floor for 60 to 70 boys to participate in any activity other than calisthenics and us teachers were expected to walk through the ranks providing "motivation" to those not "in the spirit"

PE teachers were often required to verify that thorough showers were taken. No one could remember names of 120 students, so at my school district each boy had an attendance number assigned and roll call was done merely by checking numbers painted on the gym floor. A similar method was used to check showers as each boy merely stated his attendance number which was checked off when he picked up a towel leaving he shower.

Somehow in spite of this chaos we were expected to provide report card grades for each individual student. Figure that one out!

Finally, many schools laundered PE clothes and provided a clean gym uniform to each boy daily. If you look at the number of students at this school, add a towel for each one plus add in perhaps 30 athletic uniforms (football, baseball, basketball etc. it certainly made for a daily chore for the laundry crew.

Memories anyone?

Bob


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