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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dan Connors
Catholic Digest
Phone: 860.437.3012 ext. 121
E-mail: dconnors@catholicdigest.com
www.catholicdigest.com
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Catholic School Uniforms: The Story Behind the Pleats
Catholic Digest takes a lively look at pleats, plaids, and pushing the envelope
September 22, 2009 -- Plaid skirts and navy trousers may seem synonymous with Catholic school, but that wasn't always the case. Although these days even many non-denominational and public schools have adopted the uniform as an equalizing, unifying force
that reminds students to take seriously the work they are given, it wasn't until the mid-1960s that the trend took off.
"Catholic School Uniforms" in the October issue of Catholic Digest, takes a look at the history of the school uniform and its evolution over time.
In the early 1960s, only about one half of Catholic
schools had uniform policies, according to David L. Brunsma in his book
The School Uniform Movement and What It Tells Us About American Education. In
fact, uniforms were actively discouraged by some Catholic laity who
worried they infringed upon parents' rights and stifled individuality.
In
American Catholic schools today, many believe the uniform confronts
both issues of class and identity. "The uniform is a statement of what
we represent, it identifies a person as a Catholic school student, and
it puts everyone on the same page," says Sister June Clare Tracy, OP,
Manhattan district superintendent for Catholic elementary schools.
At
most retail stores, a year's worth of uniform items might cost a parent
between $125 to $200 per child. Still, Karen Ristau, president of the
National Catholic Educational Association,
agrees that some families struggle more than others with those costs,
and says even uniforms can't erase class lines completely. "There were
always some subtle differences where you could tell" a family's
financial status by the state of the child's uniform, says Ristau.
Thomas Shipley, president of Dennis Uniforms in
Portland, Oregon, says that his company strives for high-quality
uniforms that make a parent's investment worthwhile. Because Catholic
school uniforms are rarely based on fashion trends, students can wear
them year after year.
What of the
popular belief that uniforms help generate better student behavior?
Brunsma studied the differences between Catholic schools with uniforms
and those without, and found few differences in student behavior.
With every uniform dress rule comes one more potential
uniform violation, which can make policies difficult for teachers to
enforce. But that may not be such a bad thing, Ristau says. Most students strive to distinguish themselves, their
individuality, and their dress in small ways. "[The uniform] gives
something innocent and harmless to rebel against as an adolescent. You could break those rules. You could be rebellious against
socks instead of drugs."
Click here to read the full article "Catholic School Uniforms" by Kerry Weber
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Catholic
Digest is America's most popular Catholic magazine. Since 1936,
Catholic Digest has used the stories of real people to demonstrate that
a life guided by faith can be exciting, challenging, enlivening, and
joyous. Catholic Digest is owned by Bayard, an international publisher
with more than 100 periodicals in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America.
Note: Excerpts and quotations permitted. Credit Catholic Digest and original source if applicable. For more information, contact Dan Connors at 800-321-0411 ext. 121 or via email at dconnors@catholicdigest.com
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