1950's+Teenagers+VTHW

=__**Facts**__=

1. Rock n' Roll, "Boogie Woogie Music," gave teenagers of the 1950s musical identity in which people their age had not yet experienced prior to this time. As King of Rock n' Roll, Elvis Presley became an iconic figure for his sex appeal through this new genre of music, that provoked tension between teenagers and their parents. In the eyes of the typical 1950s teenager, Rock n' Roll provided lyrics to relate to and music to dance to. In the eyes of most parents of these teenagers, rock was music of the devil, and the teen's sparatic, energetic dancing to rock was even worse. Rock n' Roll was not only frowned upon, but even became banned and often led to the expulsion of school dances and concerts in suburban areas.

2. Teenagers in the 1950s enjoyed going to drive-in movies, bowling alleys, roller skating, sock hopping (attending teen dance clubs) and simply driving around in cars such as Hot Rods, which adults viewed as death machines. Teens made a point to get out of the house and spend time with friends rather than staying home watching sitcoms such as "I Love Lucy" after having a home-cooked meal, which was what their parents did for fun. Seeing a movie and grabbing a burger with a girlfriend/boyfriend or group of friends was much more freeing than staying home. Teens during this time used the freedom and independence they were given to live their young lives happily.

3. Teenagers developed new fashion statements throughout the 1950s that continue to inspire and set trends to this day. Guys typically gravitated toward one of two main styles, Greaser and Prep. Greasers had greased hair that was a bit longer than was known to be socially accecptable, and wore jeans and leather jackets. Preps wore slacks and a sweater set or letterman jackets. Girls also followed these two basic trends, either wearing knee-length poodle skirts with buttoned blouses and sweaters, or wore pants and v-neck tops. However, the more "rebellious" style of a greaser led to strict rules enforced in schools. If boys had hair long enough to touch their ears, wore blue jeans or wore T-shirts, they could be expelled from school. Girls could also be expelled if they simply wore pants, low cut or cropped tops, or wore skirts revealing their knees.

4. Teens also found identity in newfound slang, known as "hipster talk" during the 1950s. Various phrases were coined by teens, including "Back seat bingo," "burn rubber," and "DDT (drop dead twice"). Teenagers cursed and adapted sarcastic attitudes during this time, all of which angered parents. Songs (typically rock n' roll) and books were banned from schools if found to be cursing. //The Catcher in the Rye// was one of the many books banned, as the main character, Holden, heavily uses curse words and actively drinks and smokes. Adults were doing whatever they could to keep their teenagers sheltered from real life, and keep these teens "safe" and "holy".

5. Teens were expected to peruse a life of serious education and work ethic during the 1950s more than ever before. Teenagers were to take their high school studies seriously, attend college, get a white-collar job and provide for families, in which they were supposed to form immediately following college. The more these teenagers were pushed to study and go to college, the less they wanted to do it. Teens rebelled by simply not listening to adults... They didn't take school seriously and many didn't follow high school with college. Once again, teenagers found another way to rebel against what society was telling them to do.

=__**Primary Sources**__=


 * 1)** [[image:http://www.fofweb.com/Electronic_Images/ImageGallery/AmEHCA75.jpg caption="Fashion Trend for Teenage Girls in the 1950s"]]

This photo, taken in 1943 shows five girls sporting dog collars around their socks, a fashion trend that swept teenage America during that time. Girls with boyfriends wore collars on their left, as seen with the two girls on the right, and single girls wore the collar on their right ankle like the three girls on the left side of the photo. Random trends like this became popular among teens as forms of scandal and minor rebellion against their parents' conservative ways of life. The girl in the center of the photo was wearing pants, which was a huge issue during the 1950s as girls were often expelled from school if found wearing anything but long skirts or dresses on campus. Teenage girls during the 1950s found many ways to express themselves and prove their rebellion against adults' views through fashion.

//BOYS// ACADEMIC HIGH SCHOOLS AND HUTCHINSON-TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS //Note:// The apparel recommended for boys should be worn in standard fashion with shirts tucked in and buttoned, and ties tied at the neck. Standard of dress for boys, while in school shops or laboratories, should be determined by the school. //GIRLS// ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS
 * 2)**
 * Recommended:**
 * 1) Dress shirt and tie or conservative sport shirt and tie with suit jacket, jacket, sport coat, or sweater
 * 2) Standard trousers or khakis; clean and neatly pressed
 * 3) Shoes, clean and polished; white bucks acceptable
 * Not Recommended:**
 * 1) Dungarees or soiled, unpressed khakis
 * 2) T-shirts, sweat shirts
 * 3) Extreme style of shoes, including hobnail or "motorcycle boots"
 * Recommended:**
 * 1) Shirt and tie or sport shirt and tie
 * 2) Sport shirt with sweater or jacket
 * 3) Standard trousers or khakis; clean and neatly pressed
 * 4) Shoes, clean and polished; white bucks acceptable
 * Not Recommended:**
 * 1) Dungarees or soiled, unpressed khakis
 * 2) T-shirts, sweat shirts
 * 3) Extreme styles of shoes, including hobnail or "motorcycle boots"
 * Recommended:**
 * 1) Blouses, sweaters, blouse and sweater, jacket with blouse or sweater
 * 2) Skirts, jumpers, suits or conservative dresses
 * 3) Shoes appropriate to the rest of the costume
 * Not Recommended:**
 * 1) V-neck sweaters without blouse
 * 2) Bermuda shorts, kilts, party-type dresses, slacks of any kind
 * 3) Ornate jewelry
 * 4) T-shirts, sweat shirts

This primary source a Buffalo, New York school district's dress code for its students in 1956. This dress code kept teens from wearing sexually revealing clothing, or even simply wrinkled khakis or chunky jewelry. This dress code, and many alike during this time, was strictly enforced as a way to keep teens on the so called 'straight and narrow' path. Students were to dress neatly and conservatively, reflecting their parent's generation fashion wise, and conforming to out-dated senses of what is acceptable attire for school. Many schools enforced similar dress codes and ruled with an iron fist, leading to the overwhelming response of rebellion among teenagers against school officials, parents, and authority in general.

=__**Summary**__=

Teenagers in the 1950s experienced a wave of innovation and economic stimulation, allowing teens to warp their former nonexistent distinct identity into fun-loving, rebellion-seeking young people. Teens claimed Rock n' Roll music as their own, as it interpreted the feelings of angst against superiority that teens were feeling. During the 1950s, rules and regulations restricted teenagers from expressing themselves freely. These rules held teens of the 1950s back, keeping them from fully experiencing what post-war life had to offer during a time of mass innovation. However, though adults did all that they could, many teens found ways to rebel in ways of fashion, speech, music, and any other aspect of life they wanted. The 1950s was a time of a loss of innocence among many teens as they rebelled against their parents, losing trust and sometimes gaining juvenile delinquent records. Through this loss of innocence among teens, teenage identity was born. Typically, teens were known as rebels who held grudges against authority; nothing would stop these crazed teens from getting what they wanted... which was ultimately freedom.

=__**Works Cited**__=

Goldberg, David E. "Teenagers, Post WWII." //New York: Facts On File, Inc.//American History Online. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. .

Schwartz, Richard A. "Rock and Roll during the Cold War." //Facts On File, Inc.//American History Online. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. .

"Dress Code for High School Students in New York." //Facts On File, Inc.//American History Online. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. .

"Dress Code for High School Students in New York." //Facts On File, Inc.//American History Online. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. .