Uniform Requirements in 1958

In the first letter home to her parents (see previous post), Alice makes reference to buying shoes and sending various receipts back home for payment.  All students at Bedford College of Physical Education were required to purchase an extensive array of clothing for all of the different activities offered by the College.

This Clothes List for 1958 not only gives details of the items to be purchased but also from whom they should be bought.  Alice recalls:

“Our preparation for teaching was very thorough and very high standards were expected of us at all time.  All sports shoes had to be clean for every activity, i.e. no mud or dirt, and shoes worn for tennis had to well 'blankoed'. The teaching of athletics was just coming in and we were the first set of students to wear tracksuits at the College – they were very thick maroon cotton which, without any washing machines in the houses, took at least five days to dry. The right kit for Dance, Movement, Games, Teaching Practice and Swimming was strict and cost an 'arm and a leg' in those days.