Longhair

I was born in 1948 so when I was growing up during the 1950s "Longhair" referred always to college professors of a certain era and classical or "longhair" music. Both were considered Passe (pass-A) during the 1950s. Einstein was of this era with his long hair. So I guess the "Longhair era" lasted from about the 1870s to about 1915 to 1920 depending upon what area of the U.S. or europe you lived in then. But this all sort of ended abruptly with World War I when everyone fighting sort of "shaved their heads" and this sort of way of thinking continued to a greater or lesser degree through World War II. So, even in the 1950s I wasn't allowed in grade school or junior High or High School 1953 until 1966 to wear my hair below my collar. That was the rule for all boys. And girls were sent home if they wore pants, shorts, culots, tight sweaters or short skirts also during this time. Boys were only allowed to wear shorts in Gymn classes.

So, flash forward to 1964 when the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and all the British Beatles Clone groups like the Dave Clark 5, Herman's Hermits etc. all became the rage in the U.S. and throughout the world.

I guess it sort of started with the Beatle mop it was called then. So, as a natural progression men and boys started to grow their hair long like the Beatles and Rolling Stones and other groups. Girls started ironing their hair straight and growing it down to their waists. And everyone was dressing different too.

I can remember when I saw my first "Berkeley Girl" from UC Berkeley in California. I think she was home either for summer vacation or something and she wore a Pendleton wool shirt and took it off because it was hot that day in Glendale, so it likely was around 1961 or 1962. I could see the hair under her arms and she didn't look like she had showered recently and wore blue jeans. I was sort of horrified at the time as I hadn't seen Any girl dress like this yet. About that time Boys were starting to make skateboard from their roller skates by taking a 2" by 4" stud and nailing or screwing the separated roller skates to the bottom. Then boys started taking pieces of wood to wood shop in Junior high and making skateboards out of wood that looked like miniature surfboards. The world was changing. Then a friend of mine went down Adams hill on a skateboard and went too fast and skidded on his side too far and had to go to the hospital. The times they were a changing and people were getting injured in the changes more.

But as long hair on rock bands and their followers grew and grew it peaked in 1969 and 1970 with men's hair down to one's heart and a full beard. You can see this in "Let It Be" the last movie the Beatle's made together in 1970.

However, today when you see old folks my age from about 50 to 70 years of age or more wearing various states of long hair, it is important, (I believe) for you to know why they still wear long hair.
From my point of view it is to honor all their friends who died along the way of their generation, in the Viet Nam War, overdosing on drugs, crashing their cars or motorcycles or planes or gliders, or committing suicide because of a lover or because they couldn't deal with life for whatever the reason.
So, the next time you see someone rich or poor or in between with long hair or beard just remember that they are honoring the dead of their generation who died for whatever the reason good or bad. They are remembering friends and relatives now dead so you will know both who they are and who they once were.