The Gov's Academy Archives : The 60’s Hair Scandal

At Govs, hair is a huge statement for guys and apparently it always has been. Surprisingly, this caused problems in the late 60’s, even resulting in a rule put into the student handbook. According to English department faculty member John B. Ogden in his personal recollection, boys’ hair had to constantly be “closely trimmed” and “a barber from Newburyport came to the school one evening a week and boys signed up for services (or were signed up).” Ogden also tells the story of one boy who refused to go to his appointments and after continuing to rebel after a talking to from the Dean, was brought to the headmaster’s attention, who said: “I do not want to expel a boy for having long hair.”

Upon looking through the Milestones from the late 60s, it was clear that this rule was no joke. Every boy had the exact same hairstyle and it wasn’t an exciting one either. The reference source Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms addresses the male hair trends of the 60s, stating that “buzz cuts went out of style as the dominant haircut for men, and men increasingly went to stylists instead of barbers to keep their hair in fashion.” This was clearly a pivotal moment in history, as men started to express themselves more freely through how they present themselves.

It is unfortunate that Govs had to regulate the students’ appearances, but it is also interesting to relate it to the present. If this rule were in effect nowadays, I think it would cause absolute uproar from the students. It is hard to imagine the administration telling us how we can and can’t wear our hair and teachers scheduling us appointments when it got too long. Besides that, I can’t even imagine how it would make the hockey boys feel.