A 1924 Graduation Program with a Twist … And a Bob, and a Wave
On April 28, 1924, in Trenton, New Jersey, the all-women Class of 1924 and other female students at the Pauline Academy of Hair and Beauty Culture gathered for a “Hairdressing Show and Dance” at the Crescent Temple. The women’s education had been of a practical bent learning skills: shampooing; hair dressing, coloring and waving; manicuring; eye brow arching; etc.
What we are talking about — [Pauline Academy of Hair and Beauty Culture]. Program for Hairdressing Show and Dance Given by Pauline’s Academy… [cover title]. Trenton: Eureka Press [1924]. [12]pp. Program. 9½ x 6 inches. Color illustrated self-wrappers; stapled.
End-of-the-year academic convocations have long been popular. They were opportunities to demonstrate learning and cultural polish. Polish in a metaphorical sense. The polish the women in the Class of 1924 acquired at the Pauline Academy was quite literal — shiny hair, buffed fingernails, neat wavy hair. Because the students of the Pauline Academy of Hair and Beauty Culture learned the techniques of hairdressing and (surprise!) beauty culture, the women’s convocation took the form of a demonstration of their accomplishments.
In a series of vignettes, live models showed off a variety of hair styles:
C- Blonde Water Wave, Model Myrtle Burbank, Dressed by Miss Gill. D- Gray Headdress Model Mrs. Marie Worthington, Dressed by Miss Carpenter. … K- Single Bob, model Miss Jennette, waved by Miss Pauline[.] Same model dressed with Glorose. … Q- Blonde Head dress, model Regna DuBosq, dressed by Miss Tindal.
This 1924 program’s cover for this evening convocation shows a smiling woman. She appears to be in boudoir attire, surrounded with emblems of beauty: a powderpuff, lipstick, rouge, an overflowing jewelry box, and a fan of feathers. The woman is well-coiffed, primped and preened, and ready for a night out.
The Pauline Academy convocation included traditional elements such as an opening address, music, and a vocal solo. Numerous local businesses were advertised inside the event’s program; hairdressers and beauty supply companies. And there were full page ads for Pauline Academy, The House of A. Blatt Inc., and J. Zabludoff & Sons, “Philadelphia’s Leading Hairdresser’s Supply House.” The program listed the ten women in the Pauline Academy Class of 1924 who received diplomas.
The Pauline Academy program was a mix of old and new. While there were elements of traditional academic convocation or graduation programs, the focus was vocational learning and practical demonstration. This focus was all the more interesting in that it centers on women, women who were effectively training to become independent businesspersons and entrepreneurs.
One can imagine this elaborate 1924 graduation hairdressing show being staged today; taking the form of a live demonstration, a reality TV-style competition with prizes.
What would Miss Pauline say? Probably as much as possible to encourage women to attend her school, and she might be the star hostess of the show.
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