Tales from the Morgue: Twirp Week in 1968

It was Twirp week at local high schools in 1968. At long last, the girls could ask the boys for a date, especially to the Sadie Hawkins dance.

But Twirp week, also called "Dear" week and Yob week, was not just about the dance. There were events all week long at most schools in the Tucson area.

Girls had to give lollipops to boys when they spoke with them in some cases. There were dress-up days. Students dressed in Grecian garb, girls at some schools were permitted to wear Bermuda shorts and students were expected in some instances to wear clashing clothing items.

It may seem ridiculous today to think that girls needed permission to ask out boys only 50 years ago, but conventionally, this was the case.

Read on to see how some of the schools celebrated. All articles are from the Arizona Daily Star Friday, March 8, 1968.

Boys Are Hunted In Twirp Week

After scanning the list of eligibles, girls at Flowing Wells High School have stalked from doors to ditches, hounded from sunrise to sunset, and scrambled from the art room to the shop in steaming pursuit of that certain unrendering male.

With the announcement that Twirp Week activities were scheduled for March 13-16, boys started attending school incognito while girls began hoarding every penny.

Those pennies not conserved may find their way into smile hats exposing the smile of one of the girls or boys selected by the student body for their bright, cheery smile. Mr. and Miss Hi-Smile of 1968 will be determined by the cash-in.

Following Hi-Smile and Dress-Up Day, Thursday will host Mr. Irresistible and Goofy Day. With girls in the long robes of ancient Greece and the boys again at the short end of it, Goofy Day is inspired by the style of dress of past Grecian civilizations.

Girls should stock up on lollipops for Thursday, because for every word uttered between a girl and a boy, the girl must obligingly present him with a lollipop. At the end of the day, the boy with the most lollipops will not necessarily be the biggest sucker, but Mr. Irresistible.

Friday, Sadie Hawkins Day will be highlighted by the traditional chase. Starting on the football field with the girls at center field, the race will end with the capture, surrender or escape of all those pursued.

A hayride and cook-out to Sabino Canyon was originally scheduled, but because of conflicting matters it will not be sponsored.

Climaxing grab-a-guy week, Bachelor King will be crowned at the twirl dance Saturday evening from 8-11 p.m. in the multi-purpose building.

Honorary bachelors at FW this year include freshman Paul Hannan, sophomore Perry Gates, junior Ronald Spangle and seniors Bob Davis and Mike Men.

Students will step into “Lost Paradise” and dance to the music of the Null Set. The Polynesian atmosphere will be accented by a tiki room and a treasure island.

Marilyn Craft, president of the organization, is in charge of Twirp Week.

Along with the change in places between the girls and boys came the waiting and disappointment of no date. For those boys remaining dateless and unmatched, wait until next year.

It Will Be Dear Week

Festivities Set To Start Monday

Next week At Catalina High School boys and girls will reverse roles in the annual Student Council sponsored Dear Week.

Opening the week on Monday will be “Red on Your Head Day.” All girls who wish to purchase tags for $1.50 each to tag the boy of their choice must wear a red bow, ribbon, scarf or hat. Tags may be purchased inside the main entrance before and during first period and lunch on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Security Day” on Tuesday will allow students to bring some item of personal security to school such as a stuffed animal. After seventh period in the Boys’ Gym, a faculty team will play basketball with Catalina’s intramural’s champions, the Consolidated Fruits. Admission is 25 cents per person.

That night at 6:30 there will be a box supper in the patio opposite the boys gym with the boys supplying the food. Providing entertainment at a hootenanny following the supper will be the Liberty Singers.

Girls may wear bermuda shorts to the supper.

For 50 cents a boy can dunk his date in a dunking machine, although unwilling girls may pay 50 cents to avoid the privilege.

A pie-eating contest with one participant from each of the classes will also be that night. Students will choose the candidates in elections in English classes Monday.

Wednesday will be “Favorite Teacher Day.” Students should bring presents for their favorite teachers on that day, according to student body president Larry Peth.

Also on Wednesday students may indicate their favorite counselor or administrator by stuffing barrels with the administrators’ and counselors’ names on them with trash from their lockers.

Thursday will be “Crazy Clothes Day” when clashing clothing articles should be worn. Couples are also encouraged to wear matching shirts.

The week will be topped with “Inferior Female Day” and “Silence Day” on Friday. That day, boys may order girls to open doors and carry books. In addition, girls will be given ribbons in homeroom which they must give up to the first boy they speak to.

A dance from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. featuring the Lewallen Brothers will end the week. Admission is free with a Dear age and $1 a couple without.

At the dance, the Dear King and three attendants will be crowned. Elections to choose two finalists from each class will be Monday in homeroom.

Students may vote for their favorite candidate by contributing money in that boy’s jar in the cafeteria during lunch. The boy with the moist money at the end of the week will be Dear King.

All proceeds from the week go to the American Field Service.

Yob Is The Name; Girl Chases Boy

A bright orange tie, a shocking pink short and paisley print pants will not look uncommon in the halls of Pueblo High School next Wednesday.

Students nearly 18 will not feel out of place with large lollipops suspenders and a Dennis the Menace colic on Thursday.

On Friday a great many students will be dressed alike and will not feel like fashion conformists at all.

Why? You is the name — and girls asking boys for dates is the game.

Other schools call it “Twirp” but at PHS is is traditionally called you (boy spelled backwards).

Beginning on Wednesday or Crazy Day, as students will strive to look like psychedelic posters and culminating on Saturday with a picnic and dance. You days will be the only time of the year when fire warriors can ask boys “to be Yobbed.”

The female sex will also carry on all of the other “courtesies” which are usually up to the boys, such as opening doors and carrying books.

Thursday has been dubbed Little Girls’ Day and Little Boys’ Day. The girls’ League-sponsored affair has chosen Friday as Matchup Day when the girl and her You will dress alike.

You days end with a picnic and dance on Saturday. After that things in the dating world of Pueblo will be “back to normal.”

Twirp Week Scheduled

‘Firing’ Starts On Wednesday

Next week is Twirp Week at Sunnyside High School, sponsored by Girls’ League.

Girls will be out “dear” hunting Wednesday. They may pick up licenses for hunting and tags for the “dear” after he has been caught. After school, cartoons all be held in the cafetorium, featuring Chilli William, Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda.

After school Thursday, there will be an ice cream social and a slave auction. Palph Proffitt will be auctioning Girl’s League members to boys with the highest bid.

Friday will be the day that will pay off to those who attended the slave auction. Girls who were bought must be slaves to their owners for the entire day. Friday is also Sadie Hawkins Day, when the girls and boys can wear cutoffs or casual wear.

The Twirp Dance will be from 8:30 to 11:30 Friday night in the cafetorium. Playing will be The Lewallen Brothers. Daisy Mae and Lil Abner awards will be given to students with the most original costume.

Girl’s League is one of the most prominent clubs on the campus this year. It is not only a social club but a service one as well.

Some of the club’s service projects this year were serving at dinners and teas, being ushers for the annual open house held at the high school in the fall, making cookies and decorating the faculty workroom during the Christmas holiday, delivering Valograms to students on Valentines Day and now, the girls are making bean bag frogs for children in orphanages.

Girl’s League has many guests come and speak to the high school girls during the year, Mrs. Elias, Spanish teacher, spoke to the girls on folklore Feb. 8. Yesterday, two foreign exchange students from the University of Arizona spoke on their homelands. The boy was from England and the girl, attired in authentic dress, was from Mexico. After they talked, there was a question-and-answer period. The students came to the campus while school was in session and sat in on some of the classes.

Planning for the future, the league is going to have two college girls come and talk on sorority and non-sorority life.