Whee! Play Day!

Gee, no dishes, no childcare...what a treat!

On June 13, 1940, the third annual Woman's Play Day was held. Women put on shorts (rather cutting-edge, I gather) and headed out to Griffith Park for a picnic and recreational activities. Never heard of this before.

Play Day was quite a big deal. The Directors of 25 different playgrounds--who had rehearsed the women in advance of this event--took turns leading songs, exercises, square dances, rube dances, and acted out hunting scenes to tune of "Way Down Yonder in the PawPaw Patch."

Grown women. Did I mention that?

After a picnic lunch, "competitive stunts in costume were presented by the various playground groups." And there the article ends.

In November that year, another Housewives Play Day was announced--this one for the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. By 1941, 800 women participated in the June Play Day--and the celebrations culminated in a conga line! However, the reporters at the Times resorted to the same ol' introduction to their story: Dad had to cook dinner today as Mommy played at the park..."

Looks like the frolick either died out or was deemed not newsworthy after that, though. Wartime activities no doubt took precedence over Housewives Play Day.