Peppy Pilots’ New Uniforms Abandon Traditional Emblem

New Pep Club Uniforms at Fall 1959 Pep Rally

This is the second in a series of stories to commemorate East’s 100th anniversary celebration October 7-8, 2023. The Messenger originally published this story in October, 1959.

From navy blue skullcaps, white skirts and sweatshirts in 1928 to bright blue crew-neck sweaters and Bermuda skirts in 1959, marks changes in dress made by East’s Pep Club in the past 31 years

“Lambano, Tincano, Banano, Soprano, toot, toot, Wichita,” yelled the 50 senior girls who were members of Pepper Box in 1928.  Elected by their individual classes, 300 Peppy Pilots had replaced the earlier organization by 1929 and cheered East teams on to victory in gray sweatshirts, blue skirts, and blue berets.

The traditional dark blue and white, selected by the student body of Wichita High School in 1893, has been used in many styles and combinations. Uniform skirts have been 17 shades of blue, varying from blue-black to navy blue, creamy blue, blue-purple, and 1959’s Columbia blue.  Wool, faille, cotton, velvet, hopsacking, and gabardine are a few of the materials used.

Blouses in 11 styles: white middies, shirts, ruffled numbers, blue middie with a white tie, and a blue skirt and blouse have been worn by Peppy Pilots. Gray, white, navy blue, and speckled sweatshirts; beanies, berets, skullcaps, and stocking caps as well as three styles of weskits have also decorated pep clubbers over the years.

The white stadium sweater, navy skirt, and blue and white emblem chosen by East’s largest pep organization, 850 girls, in 1949 was worn until 1958. These uniforms have been replaced by eye-catching, fashionable outfits.

For the first time in East’s history, the Pep Club emblem will not represent an airplane, the school symbol. Instead, a large, fluffy white “E” will be worn.  Right, Jane Thompson, ’60}

“Our new uniforms saw their first action last Saturday night at the East-Shawnee Mission East game,” stated Glenna Stearman, ’60, Pep Club cabinet member.  “Tonight, all 567 of us will be out to greet the team on the field, to yell our heads off, and to support them, win or lose.”

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Editor’s Note: Glenna told the backstory of the new uniforms in a story she wrote for this website, “My Brief Career in Fashion Design.”

In late spring of junior year, Susie Smith and I decided that the East High Pep Club needed a new look. I showed her a drawing I had made  of my idea, which she liked immediately. At that time Susie (at left) was a model for Innes Department Store, where she was acquainted with the buyer as well as the Bobbie Brooks sales representative. Innes and Bobbie Brooks all liked the new short skirt look and decided to make it for us, since we had a very large pep club. Long white socks were part of the outfit with the sweater and skirt—which I adapted from Scottish kilts.  

We were the first high school to show off our legs with a sassy attitude. The school administration took an interest: fashion intersected with politics, or maybe prudery. Actually, not much leg showed. Between the white knee socks and the hem of the skirt having to touch the top of the knee, only knee caps were exposed. What else was not to be exposed was whatever was under the skirt. The test for that was walking up the cavernous staircases at East and having someone at the bottom looking up to see what was visible beneath those cerulean blue pleats. Zero tolerance! By any measurement, the uniform skirts were an enthusiastic departure from the mid-calf length of the skirts girls usually wore. My design anticipated the mini-skirts we flaunted a few years later.

The Pep Club Cabinet never missed an opportunity to lead by example.

 Check the Gallery for pictures of the Peppy Pilots activities and uniforms.