Phys Ed, Required Class in College

When I attended K-State, we were required to take four semesters of Phys Ed. It was always interesting to try to get clear across campus to the dorm in time for lunch. My phys ed classes always seemed to be at 11 a.m.

I remember one semester I took Tap Dance/Tennis. We had nine weeks of dance and nine weeks of tennis. I can still do a "time step" and a "step-ball-change." I might have to think really hard to do it. I can also make a train sound with taps. I think perhaps I did better at the tap dance than I did at tennis. I was never good at it and played just a few times with my kids when they were in their early teens.

Another semester I had field hockey and something else. The memorable thing about the field hockey class is that I hit the tallest/largest girl in the class and knocked her cold. Of course, she was not at all athletic nor competitive. I felt really bad about it. She was ok - but I still felt bad.

The other class I remember is swimming class. Walking across campus with wet hair in December was not the thing to do. Mom and Bill thought it would be a very good idea if I took a semester of swimming. I wasn't too excited about it because I was afraid of water - courtesy of one of my classmates walking into Cedar Bluff Dam carrying me - walked in over our heads! I'm still angry at him about that!

Anyway, Mom and Bill prevailed and I enrolled in beginning swimming. I can't remember whether we met two or three times a week for 16 weeks. I did learn to do the back stroke and also was learning the side stroke at the end of the class. We were required to jump in the deep end and swim to the shallow end to pass the class. This was difficult for me to even think about! However, on the last day I jumped in the deepend and did the crawl to the shallow end - without taking a breath or opening my eyes! I never did get so I could do the crawl and breathe. I did, however, get a passing grade! Hooray!!

I have no recollection of the other phys ed class I took. I did take the four semesters of Phys Ed, however.