Early 20th Century Girls HS Track & Field
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The NCHSAA began official State
Championships for girls Track & Field in 1972. Brett Honeycutt, in researching old newspaper archives and school yearbooks, has found that some high schools in the state during the 1920s and 1930s actually had girls track teams, and competed in "State Meets" from 1927 through 1930.
In the 1928, 1929 and 1930 High Point Enterprise, I found that they had a pseudo state meet for girls at High Point College. There was also one in 1927, but I couldn't find results (I scowered the papers). I know there was one that year because one article lists the 1927 team champion and each article says which year of the meet it is..."second annual, third annual, fourth annual" There were no limits on the number of events you could enter because one girl from Waynesville won 6 events and placed 2nd in 4 more events. Teams that participated: High Point High, Waynesville, Concord, Charlotte Central, Alexander-Wilson, Leaksville, Edward Best (of Louisburg), Denton, and maybe a few others. High Point College gave a the "Max Rones loving cup" to the winning team, and if the cup was won twice a school got to keep it (so High Point, which won in 1927 and 1929, got to keep it... "High Point High School won the fourth annual interscholastic track meet held by High Point college Saturday afternoon and thereby gained permanent possession of the Max Rones loving cup. This cup had to be won twice for permanent possession. It was won in 1927 by High Point, 1928 by Alexander-Wilson, and 1929 by Waynesville, and 1930 by High Point." Also, a scholarship (one year it was half and another year it was full) to High Point was given to the girl who had the most points. One girl was mentioned, "Hedrick of High Point" was thought to have run a "Southern record" for the "400-yard dash" because she ran 52.9 seconds (the article mentions the time and so do the results, but that would be awfully fast even if you add 40 yards...at her rate, she is covering every 40 yards in 5.29 seconds, so add that to her time, and she ran 58.19 for 440 yards....Maybe it was possible.
Events that they contested (not consistent each of the 3 years that I found): May 25, 1929 article in the Wilson Daily Times: ONE-GIRL TRACK TEAM SWEEPS DIXIE MEET Waynesville, N.C., May 25---(AP) May Crawford, 16-year-old student and athlete, is not bothered by the fact she is the only member of the Waynesville high school girls' track team. She just goes ahead and wins for her school lone-handed. Her latest feat was to capture a state-wide meet at High Point, N.C. in competition with full teams from other schools. Single-handed she scored 42 points for Waynesville. The next highest number of points was 34, made by the Edward Best high school, Louisburg, represented by a full team. Seven schools competed. Miss Crawford was first in the 25-yard dash, the 75-yard dash, the 100-yard dash, standing broad jump, running high jump, and shot put. She took part in all the events, except the relays, and scored second place in four contests. Her distance in the standing broad jump was listed by the judges at 8 feet, 8 inches. She threw the six-pound shot 34 feet 2 inches, although she had never practiced for competition in shot put. Miss Crawford in addition to being an all-around athlete is a good student. She makes high grades all her subjects and is interested in music and art. She is a member of the junior class. Off the athletic field, May is distinctly feminine and helps her mother with the cooking and other housework. She is a daughter of the late Rep. W.T. Crawford of Waynesville. Source: NewspaperArchive.com
Note the javelin in the picture (!)
The girls on the front row are again holding a javelin.
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