From the trendy ankle-length swing prom dress style to the short poodle hairstyle, social and cultural influences in the 1950s shaped the teenage experience differently from that of today’s youth. Students of that period at Roslyn High School spent their time participating in various extracurricular activities, including sports and clubs, that are dated now and no longer offered to current students.
Roslyn High School students had a variety of ways to get involved and show school spirit. For example, performing alongside Roslyn’s Marching Band, the team of majorettes twirled their batons, adding an eye-catching appeal to school events. Majorette baton twirling is now regarded as a dying art, being replaced by larger props, such as flags, that are also easier to coordinate.
At school events like plays and “Back to School” nights, groups of girls called usherettes were present to welcome people into the school. Their job was specifically to assist people attending school functions.
Some of these girls were also part of the yell squad to support school spirit. The team was made up of a separate group of girls from the cheerleading team. The enthusiastic girls used their loudest voices at sporting events to encourage the school’s sports teams to victory. These young women found their place in their school community, fulfilling a role that aligned with traditional societal norms and embodied the image of a woman whose duty was to support and assist others in their community.
Roslyn High School also provided opportunities for these ambitious women to prepare for life after high school. Female students could become members of the Future Homemakers of America Club, where they prepared to take on household responsibilities. In yearbook photos, these girls are often shown standing by stoves cooking.
Other girls were beginning to work in retail pursuits at the school’s novelty store, where they sold school supplies, while still others ventured beyond their local community, traveling to different states with the school’s Hostel Club. Both female and male students took trips together, participating in outdoor adventures that included hiking, biking, skiing, and boating.
The student experiences offered by Roslyn High School, ranging from entertainment to community service to outdoor exploration, during the era reflect the context of the time period. Exploring the activities that students spent their time on helps illustrate school life in Roslyn and broader societal trends of the 1950s.
To learn more about the history, visit the Roslyn Landmark Society’s website at roslynlandmarks.org. You can also visit the Bryant Library’s Local History Collection at localhistory.bryantlibrary.org to explore more of Roslyn’s historical past.
Sophia Lian is a Roslyn Landmark Society 2024 Gardiner Young Scholars Program high school intern and part of the new “Young Historians” collaboration between the Roslyn Landmark Society and Schneps Media LI. Special thanks to the Bryant Library’s Local History Collection for providing research assistance.