Many years ago, I was teaching math on Long Island when the local parochial School asked me to join its staff. They were having discipline problems with the seventh- and eighth-grade students and were looking for an experienced teacher.

I accepted the position and seemed to have no behavioral problems most of the time. Every once in awhile, the behavior was not to my satisfaction. Then I discovered why. Although the students were a required uniform each day, on the day they had physical education class, the school uniform was not required. They were permitted to wear jeans, sneakers and a shirt of their choice. On this day, behavior was a problem. This was extremely noticeable with the girls. If I hadn’t experienced it myself, I would not have believed that dress could make such a difference in behavior.

A few years later, I became principal of the school. My first directive was to establish a gym uniform. As a parent of three children in parochial school, I was thankful for the uniform requirement.

Nancy T. Lindon

Pinehurst