We Learn by Doing, Leading, and Competing: Women in Athletics and

Physical Education 1890- 1960

Physical Education courses for students were required at Bridgewater starting in 1860. However, The Hyannis Summer School of Physical Education, in existence from 1922-1929 with the motto “We Learn By Doing,” preceded the physical education major. In 1937, Bridgewater became the first State College to offer the Physical Education major in Massachusetts. The merger of Hyannis and Bridgewater Normal Schools, and the leadership of long time faculty member Dr. Mary Jo Moriarty left a lasting influence. Many male students enlisted in the armed forces during WWII, so the Physical Education major at Bridgewater was women only until 1972. There were physical education courses and athletics for men throughout the history of the college. Physical Education for women was guided by the philosophy Dr. Moriarty learned at Boston University’s Sargent School which focused on hands-on learning, teaching and participating in gender-appropriate physical activities, and paying attention to proper hygiene and health. Women were discouraged from overly competitive play and encouraged to focus on enjoyment, camaraderie, order, and proper techniques.

Lyrics and Audio of Alma Mater: Bridgewater State University

The flag is made of felted material and reads “Hyannis Bridgewater State College. We Learn by Doing.” What does this mean to you? This motto was adopted by the physical education program when it moved from Hyannis to Bridgewater in 1937 and it remains the motto of the major in 2026, 89 years later.

Some of the earliest photographs of field days held at Bridgewater in the 1890’s. How would you do in the potato sack race?

Hand sewn gymnasium shoes and long bloomers were likely used in early versions of courses like Physical Education Activities, which was described in 1940 catalog as introducing students to seasonal activities such as field ball, and soccer while also offering “corrective exercises in accordance with individual needs as revealed by the health examination, x-rays, test, and the health history.” (Bridgewater Course Catalog, 1940).

Bloomers were worn under dresses or skirts in the 19th century. They allowed much more freedom of movement for women bicycling or playing basketball. Alice Bowman, Bridgewater Normal School class of 1898, was part of this group playing basketball outdoors with a long dress over her bloomers. In many of our team photographs, you can see women competing with the bloomers and long sleeve shirts with neck scarves.

Camp Howes activities. How many of these have you tried?

Dr. Mary Jo Moriarty’s scrapbooks from 1942 show the Hyannis Summer School activities. Physical Education students were required to attend one session in June or September as part of their training to become teachers. Cooking, cleaning, leading activities and learning new activities were all part of the camp experience. Camp Howes was named after Herbert Howes, a Bridgewater Normal School graduate and the first president of Hyannis Normal School. Camp Howes continued operation until 1948 when Bridgewater sold the property.