Naked swimming in U.S. schools

See also: U.S. naturism  Naked swimming, Naturist swimming

From 1913 when the first indoor pool was built to the 1970s it was normal and required for boys and men to swim naked in public swimming pools. ¹ Nude Swimming in School – Paul LeValley :Nude & Natural 37.1 (Fall 2017)

Pools  at organizations like  the YMCA and in schools it was a requirement that men and boys swim naked. It is just over fifty years since the requirement to swim naked was removed. ²Until Fairly Recently, The YMCA Actually Required Swimmers To Be Nude

People who didn’t experience boys swimming naked in the YMCA and in many physical education programs in the public schools in the US find it hard to believe that this was done.³ Frank Answers About Swimming Naked

American high school and junior high school swimming in many states had policies that followed APHA guidelines. The guideline were published every three years, and from 1926 until 1962 every edition recommended nude swimming. In other states, all boys and girls bathed in clothes. The 1937 Administration of Health and Physical Recreation training manual stated,

“Nude bathing for boys is practiced universally, in a few schools girls may swim nude and this is the most sanitary method.”⁴Nude Swimming

Though the requirement applied only to boys and men ⁵ When boys swam naked the reason given was the swim suits of the dates made of wool were a public health problem. They also created problems for the filtration systems of the first indoor pools.

At indoor pools used exclusively by men nude bathing should be required,” says a document published by the American Public Health Association in 1926. “At indoor pools used exclusively by women bathing suits should be of the simplest type.”
XXI.Suits,TowelsandCaps
A. At indoor pools used exclusively by men, nude bathing should be required. ⁶ SWIMMING POOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC BATHING PLACES STANDARDS FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, AND OPERATION 1926

Though not everyone appreciated the requirement ⁷A Brief, Humiliating History Of Swimming In Gym Class naturists have always questioned the point of wearing a swimming costume. ⁸Why Society Is Better Off Swimming Nude Without Bathing Suits

Boys and girls participated in swim meets without any negative effects on female participants or spectators.  Some teenage school boys never saw past the titillating novel aspect of being naked among their peers. ⁹A Sprout Among the Green Giants: Tales of Naked Swimming at my Public High School This provides another rational for the promotion of non-sexual nudity practiced by naturists.

A number of reasons caused the end of the practice. Improved pool are and techniques including chlorinations. The advent of Title IX equal sports access  for girls and the concerns of some parents were all factors. There were votes taken most of which choose to maintain the practice but the trend away from naked swimming in school had already started. By the late 1970’s the practice ended. ¹⁰ Nude Swimming in School – Paul LeValley :Nude & Natural 37.1 (Fall 2017)

 

 

References

• 1
  Nude Swimming in School – Paul LeValley :Nude & Natural 37.1 (Fall 2017)
• 2
  Until Fairly Recently, The YMCA Actually Required Swimmers To Be Nude
• 3
  Frank Answers About Swimming Naked
• 4
  Nude Swimming
• 5
  When boys swam naked
• 6
  SWIMMING POOLS AND OTHER PUBLIC BATHING PLACES STANDARDS FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, AND OPERATION 1926
• 7
  A Brief, Humiliating History Of Swimming In Gym Class
• 8
  Why Society Is Better Off Swimming Nude Without Bathing Suits
• 9
  A Sprout Among the Green Giants: Tales of Naked Swimming at my Public High School
• 10
  Nude Swimming in School – Paul LeValley :Nude & Natural 37.1 (Fall 2017)