Woman Arrested for Indecent Exposure

                                                    

Idea #1:  Cut paper collage card

      Try to imagine actually swimming in the outfit shown here.   Made of the favorite swimsuit fabric of the day - wool in nearly any color of your choice - you could order one from Sears or make it yourself.  Of course, most women at that time didn't really "swim"; they waded.  There was a real danger of  drowning

while trying to swim in such a heavy, wet costume.  It's been said

that some ladies even wore their corsets under their suits!

      In 1907 or 08 (books vary on the date) a pretty young lady by the name of Annette Kellerman was  arrested at

Boston's Revere Beach because she "showed too much leg." The charge of indecent exposure seems ridiculous to us, but she was hauled off to court.



   

 



Ideas #2:  Art journal page

     When asked by the judge why she was dressed in a man's style of swimsuit, Annette explained that she wanted to swim 3 miles out to a lighthouse and couldn't do it in the costume worn by women.  The judge must have agreed with her because he allowed her to wear the suit, BUT only if she covered herself up with a robe until she was in the water.

      

       Born in Australia, Annette learned to swim and ballet dance as a child to strengthen her legs weakened from a bout with polio or some other muscle disease. That wasn't the last people heard about her.   In America, in addition to working for swimsuit reform, Annette Kellerman  became a famous silent movie star.

        Esther Williams starred in the movie about her, and  The Original Million Dollar Mermaid by Emily Gibson tells Annette's  

 story.

 Smarty and I'll be back soon.