One of my favorite photos in the History Center collection is a panoramic photo taken in 1931 by the Grabills, two of Shreveport’s most significant and talented photographers, father and son Burch and William Grabill. The sepia-toned photograph shows a wide ensemble of a hundred or more girls of varying grades among the tall timbers surrounding Plain Dealing High School. The school encompassed all grades, from first grade to last year of high school. The girls were wearing their regular school clothes of skirts and blouses, tights and lace-up shoes, and were apparently taking a physical exercise break led by their teachers, also in their usual cardigans, blouses, skirts stockings and elevated-heel shoes. Each group of girls, surrounding a group in the center playing basketball, is in a different pose, some with both arms straight out on either side, some with arms at angles above and below their heads and one group is possibly doing push-ups. One can guess they are participating in the popular group exercises known as “calisthenics”.
Calisthenics are free body exercises (exercises that use the body’s own weight) that include such motions as bending, stretching, twisting, swinging, kicking, and jumping, as well as such specialized movements as push-ups, sit-ups, and chin-ups. Calisthenics are designed to promote strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination and improve wellbeing by putting the cardiovascular system to work in a controlled and steady way.
Calisthenics arose in the early 19th century from the work of Germans who worked to popularize gymnastics. Some physiologists stressed the exercises’ importance in the development of education for women. In the United States, Catherine Beecher was an early advocate of calisthenics and wrote Physiology and Calisthenics for Schools and Families (1857). Beecher was among those who promoted calisthenics solely for women, but they quickly became an activity for both sexes.
The health benefits of calisthenics were generally recognized by the beginning of the twentieth century, and primary and secondary schools throughout the Western world began instituting them. Schools eventually used these classes to show they took physical health and development seriously. This emphasis was spurred on by World War I when as many as one-third of U.S. military recruits were deemed physically unfit for combat. The U.S. government then passed legislation to improve the quality of physical education. In fact, physical education became mandatory in many states in the 1920’s.
Calisthenics among the trees seemed to seamlessly fit among the other activities of the school day at Plain Dealing High School. An article from the “Plain Dealing Progress” dated April 9th, 1937 and entitled, “Art Exhibit Was a Huge Success Here During Last Week” stated that, “A very interesting literary and physical education program was conducted in connection with the art display and Mr. Phillips said the pupils especially enjoyed the exercise outdoors last Thursday afternoon.”
The Bossier Parish Libraries History Center can provide an abundance of interesting facts and photographs about Bossier Parish. We would also love to hear your stories and see your photos. With your permission we could scan them to add to our collection. Visit us soon at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. We are now open: M-Th 9-8, Fri 9-6, and Sat 9-5. For more information, and for other intriguing facts, photos, and videos of Bossier Parish history, be sure to follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on TikTok
Article by: Pam Carlisle
Image 1: Advertisement for the Minden Male Academy from the Bossier Banner-Progress, September 15, 1881.
Image 2: Panoramic photo (scanned in two parts) of female students exercising and playing basketball on the grounds of Plain Dealing High School, 1931. Photo by Grabill, from the Mayme Rae and Hunter Willett collection at the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center
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