Sadie Hawkins Dances Again!

A real beauty, eh?

The lovely picture above is that of one 'Miss Sadie Hawkins".  This, uh...character originated from Al Capp's Li'l Abner comic strip in November of 1937.  UGGH!  Sadie was the ugliest, homeliest, and the most "un-sought-after" (I can't say woman) specimen in Dogpatch.

At the age of 35, Sadie was still a spinster, and her dad was tired of waiting for someone to come 'a courtin' for her.  He was beginning to think he would be stuck with her forever (don't know where her mom was).  Anyway, he was a well liked citizen in town with some clout, and planned a day for all the spinsters of Dogpatch to catch a husband.  He lined up the unmarried girls, with the bachelor boys in front, and said, "When I fire this 'ere gun, you get to runnin', and whoever gets caught has to marry the girl!"  (Could that have been the beginning of what we know as 'shotgun' weddings???) Heh heh!

Anyway, Sadie did catch a guy-bless his heart!

Sadie Hawkins day caught on in real time!  Since 1939, high schools and colleges alike hold events and festivities, empowering the women to go after their man!  Al Capp did not intend for this to become a 'true' annual occasion, but it's popularity soared,  Mr. Capp's popularity also increased, so, even in the comic strip, it became an annual November event.

Li'l Abner proposed to Daisy Mae in 1952

Sooo, as Jimmy Soul sang in 1963,

"If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life,

never make a pretty woman your wife."

Needless to say, 'Sadie Hawkins' day did become a, sort of, holiday-rather, an annual event in America.  There are Sadie Hawkins dances, where the girls can ask the guys to dance, or, even take them out to dinner and a movie...sort of a role reversal event.  My husband, Karo, said they had Sadie Hawkins day each year at his school. 

We had a smilar event at our high school in Kansas City.  And it was called 'Twirp Week'.  It usually occurred in the spring, and we girls were allowed to wear jeans for a week to school.  And, as the 'role-reversal' tradition goes, the girls carried the boys' books to classes, bought them cokes, took them home from school, and asked them on dates.  At the end of the week, we had a 'Twirp' dance.  So the girls had to ask the boys for the date to the dance.  Well, I wasn't dating anyone at my school, but got approval to bring a date from another school.  So it was pretty good fun!

Here are some Twirp Week activities at my school in 1966

A tug of war between the girls and the boys...and, the girls won!  Can't see the boys on the other end-were they really there?  And, the girl in the next picture lived on my street.  I guess they were running in and out of a box obstacle course.  Oh well, I suppose that was lots of grins! 

*** And, finally...The Dance! *

What fun!  Our 'Twirp' Dance was in my high school gym with a live band and good dance music.  I drove my old 1953 Plymouth with my date and another couple to the dance.  We had a great time, and the two boys, who weren't even from our school, enjoyed the evening!

So, ladies!  If you're feeling a little 'twirpy' on, or around Sunday, November 13th, JUMP out there, grab a man, and swing him around the bush a time or two! 

Thanks so much for coming by and joining me in a dance or two from the past!  I appreciate all my readers, and 'blogmates'!  Don't forget to stop and say hello! 

It's a cool, breezy 68° day in Fort Worth, Texas

My sources of information came from:

My 1966 High School Annual

Yahoo Images

Google

Wikipedia

 http://www.lil-abner.com/

http://www.prom.about.com/

http://deniskitchen.com/

answers.yahoo.com

And, if you're in the USA and Canada, don't forget to walk backwards 1 hour in time!

Tonite...or, in the morning-whatever!  November 6, 2011

Also, coming up is the Beaver Moon on November 10, 2011 when the beavers are preparing for winter.  Beware, beavers!  Hunters are setting traps...they want your fur before the hard winter sets in, when some of the swamps freeze over.  Hurry, and build your dens!

See you soon!