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June 13, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Viola LaLonde and Elizabeth Van Tuyl." Our second glimpse of these Jazz-Age vagabonds. National Photo. View full size.
I notice the girls are dressed identically. They're wearing shiny leather shoes, matching short pants (what did they call these, anyway? Plus fours? I've forgotten) matching hose, and matching what appear to be men's shirts. They don't look like my idea of flappers, either - true individualists, I guess.
[They're dressed for a road trip, not a night at a speakeasy. - tterrace]
In September 1929 Viola LaLonde (then of South Manchester CT) became the new "physical directress" at the Norwalk (CT) Y.W.C.A., prompting the local newspaper (The Norwalk Hour) to share with its readers her background. After graduating from Holyoke High, she attended the Washington College of Music and Marjorie Webster School of Physical Expression in Washington, and completed the physical education course at Arnold College in New Haven. By 1929, she had "experience in recreation work" at Yellowstone, Fry's Springs (VA), and summer camps in Maine and Vermont. Her new boss "expressed her belief that Miss LaLonde would be a worthy successor to Miss Bertha Mooz, who recently resigned to be married."
The Decatur (IL) Review caught up with these "two girl tourists" on July 13, 1922, when they stopped at Fairview Park in that burg on their return to Washington. The article said they had been on the road two over two months (which is more plausible than the idea that they'd made it from Washington to San Fran to Decatur in only a month). The article also noted that "they carry no tent, but sleep in the automobile. . . . Their vacation will soon be over and they are in a hurry to get back to Washington."
Did they document any of their trip? (A quick search turned up other sources of these Shorpy pics, but no narrative).
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