Bathing Suit Scandal!

I came across this 1922 story while looking for bathing suit ads. The whole thing is just hysterical to me! I hope you like it, too.

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'One-Piece Bathing Suits and Bloomers Demoralize Hines Chapel Community'

Special to the Observer  June 4, 1922

Summer Girls at Camp Hicone Prove Bigger Attraction Than Eloquence of Preacher at Hines Chapel, and Wives in Neighborhood Are Raising a Row Because Friend Husband Is More Attracted by the Scenery Outside Than by the Kitchen Chores

(Check out some ads from the era while you read the rest of the story!)

'Greensboro, June 3 - Girls who go to Camp Hicone this summer will not attend church while dressed in bloomers, and the women in the neighborhood of the camp would prefer that a ban be placed on one-piece bathing suits, or better still, that their husbands be prohibited by law from going off directly after dinner to discuss the crops with the neighbors, this discussion always taking place at the hour the girls have chosen to swim in the lake.'

  'One Sunday last summer a large number of girls went to church at Hines chapel wearing their camping costumes, each costume consisting of a middy blouse and a pair of bloomers. The pastor of the church, Rev. C.E. Gerringer, states that the lack of attention paid to his sermon that morning was appalling. It was so noticeable that but very little than the cause for the distraction of the congregation was discussed for the next few weeks. But things quieted down and nothing was done about it.'

    'A couple of weeks later however an official of the church was on his way home one night about 9 o'clock and as he passed the chapel he heard peculiar noises. Somebody, he thinks it was a crowd of the campers, were in the church, the organ on which nothing except sacred music had ever been played, was doing it's best to substitute for a jazz band and the aisles were being used for dancing.'

    'The good church member, shocked almost beyond speech by the desecration, did not enter but rushed on home. Next day he spread the news. This was also talked about considerably.'

   'During the month of May there has been conduct at the camp which should not be tolerated, conduct which is demoralizing  the community about Camp Hicone.'

  'Girls with one-piece bathing suits are observed pretty nearly every Sunday afternoon about the swimming pool and almost every man in the community has acquired the habit of leaving home pretty soon after dinner to visit a neighbor to discuss the crops, leaving always before his wife has the dishes washed in order to keep her from accompanying him.'

   'And inasmuch as sometimes girls swim Sunday mornings the attendance at the morning service has suffered a serious decrease.'

     'A committee appointed in March will probably be called upon to act.'