Each of us had an opinion, and many voiced their views emphatically. It wasn't a comparison of presidential candidates. We were female high school students discussing the idea of uniforms for physical education classes in the late 1950s. We thought the whole idea was preposterous. Old play clothes were just fine.

My brother Gene sent me a copy of a newspaper clipping showing my PE class in those uniforms accompanied by a lengthy story extolling the benefits of the uniforms and the benefits of PE class. Apparently the uniforms were meant to blur the lines between the haves and have nots. We all...