Miller Junior High School annex — 1/29/1938 — #15401_1
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Photograph Copyright Anderson & Middleton Company
United States — Washington (State) — Aberdeen
Aberdeen Daily World
Thanks to Linnea Ekman for adding this information: "This appears to be the Miller Junior High School gym on 4th Street. My daughters knew it as the 5th Street gym when they attended the high school in the late 1990's." Additional thanks to Jo-Celle (Russell) Strom, who adds that the "5th Street Gym" and annex were bordered by H & I Streets in Aberdeen.
Thanks to Sam Talley, who writes: "During the mid-1950’s there was a right of passage for the graduating 9th grade boys. The boys were met at the front door of the school (see photo #12544_1) on graduation day by groups of high school boys, who would hold us down as we fought to get away, and cut off our hair with scissors or hand clippers. I and some friends sneaked out the back door seen in this photo #15401_1 and got away unscathed. We later cut off our own hair so we did not have to sneak around town to avoid being 'clipped', the term that was used. Neither parents, police, nor teachers attempted to stop this dangerous hazing practice.”
More thanks to Susan Larson who adds: “During the 1950's Miller Junior High School's 5th Street Gym was actually two basket ball courts, one for the boys’ and one for the girls’ physical education classes. Of course, the gyms were separated by a wall because, Heaven forbid, the boys might see the girls in their gym shorts. Lunch time actually lasted an hour, and noon dances were held in one of the gyms for a fee of 5 cents. A teacher, Bob Bacich, gave ballroom dance lessons to every 7th grade PE class. We danced to music by Frank Sinatra, The Four Lads, Gogi Grant and others popular during the day. Rock & Roll music was just beginning to come on the scene, but much too risque to be heard by teenagers."
