The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-01-22
GLIM p S ES
H E Pa T
By CAROLYN LLOYD

me for being so indicate as to
continue talking about boomers;
but as l wrote about basketball
boomers last week, l was re-
minded that those unlovely ar
ticles of wearing apparel were
the indirect cause of two of the
most embarrassing moments of
my life.
The first occurred when I was
in the seventh grade. That year
we had a red-headed teacher
named Miss Baum, who managed
to make our lives thoroughly
miserable-and vice-versa, 1 sup
pose. One of her disciplinary
measures was to write the name
of each pupil on the board with
100" beside it. When one COM
mitted a misdemeanor, he was
sent to the board to remove so
many points from his conduct
grade and the record was kept
there for the inspection of the
principal. My name, since it be-
gan with a 'C", was at the very
top of the board. One unhappy
day l was tardy at lunchtime and
was sent to the board to- subtract
point from my grade. That part
didn't bother me, but a greater
humiliation was. in store. l, like
all other girls my age at that
time, was wearing boomers.
Purple ones had just come in
style to replace the old hla-k
Sateea, and I had persuaded my
mother to buy me a pair. These
were quite full and reached to
just above the knee. Now I was
short and my name at the top of
the board was just beyond my
reach. AS l stood there on tiptoe,
straining to touch the eraser to
the board, wave of giggles
swept the room, punctuated
every now and then by snort of
mirth from one of the boys. Sud-
denly 1 knew the cause-my
dress went up with my arms, but
those boomers, anchored by ell
astic, didn't give an inch. 1 threw
an imploring glance at Miss
Baum, but to no avail she stood
there with folded arms, adamant.
There stood for what seemed
like an hour, trembling all over
and blushing in an agony of en-
barrassment, until finally she
took my hand and guided it to
make a wobbly "99". 1 never for
gave that teacher, and l shall
never forget those purple bloom
ers.
The second incident took place
during my freshman year in
college, and is connected with
boomers only because black
serge ones and MILDLY blouses
were standard attire for the gym
class which was to be my I'M
doing. Physical education was a
required course for freshmen, so
three times a week, attired in
middies and boomers, we did
setting-up exercises, ran reluc-
family around the gym, and
learned folk dances. Now that
was one field where 1 shone: but,
alas, my proficiency in the folk
dance was to result in the second
most humiliating experience of
my life.
Each May Day the college put
on a festival which had become
quite celebrated and attracted
large crowds. That year several
members of my class, including
me, were selected to do the May
pole dance. Dressed as gypsies,
we performed on a raised plat
form, and it seemed as though
all of Shreveport had turned out
to see us. The dance routine in
cluded taking turn around the
pole, ribbon streamer in hand,
dancing to the front of the plat
form, and giving a spirited kick,
first with the right foot and then
with the left. Somehow, on one
of those trips around the May
pole, a loop at the bottom of the
streamer became entwined about
my left ankle. Blissfully unaware
of impending doom, I skipped
merrily to the front of the plat
form, kicked with my right foot,
kicked with my left foot-and
landed flat on my back. There
l lay before the population of
Shreveport with my left foot
suspended in midair. By the time
l could disentangle myself, my
! fellow gypsies had just about
finished winding the Maypole,
and l would have gladly joined a
gypsy caravan going to the other
end OF the earth.