My dad and his brothers grew up in Gary, Indiana, back in the 1950s. For those of you who don't know, the city used to be a great place to live and one of the nicest towns in the state, maybe the country.
Anyways, he told me that back then, kids that went to the local public schools in Gary often had their blood-type tattooed by the school on the side of their abdomen, near their waist. He and his brothers did not have this done to them since they went to private school, not public.
They first noticed other kids had the tattoo when they graduated onto public high school, and had swimming class with them. Swimming class, oddly enough, was conducted naked in the Gary school systems in the 50's. Boys and girls were separated, but both were completely naked, no bathing suits. Yes, this is in high school. I know, weird stuff...
...So back on subject, the tattoo was small, and read "O+", "A+", "B-", "AB+" etc. Pretty small, but still....
I am not aware if parents had to give consent for the tattoos. It was done sometime in grade school as a medical precaution. The country was quite a different place back then. I'm don't think I agree with this practice back then or today.
Anybody ever hear of this? Old enough to remember? How would you react if they proposed this today?
Anyways, he told me that back then, kids that went to the local public schools in Gary often had their blood-type tattooed by the school on the side of their abdomen, near their waist. He and his brothers did not have this done to them since they went to private school, not public.
They first noticed other kids had the tattoo when they graduated onto public high school, and had swimming class with them. Swimming class, oddly enough, was conducted naked in the Gary school systems in the 50's. Boys and girls were separated, but both were completely naked, no bathing suits. Yes, this is in high school. I know, weird stuff...
...So back on subject, the tattoo was small, and read "O+", "A+", "B-", "AB+" etc. Pretty small, but still....
I am not aware if parents had to give consent for the tattoos. It was done sometime in grade school as a medical precaution. The country was quite a different place back then. I'm don't think I agree with this practice back then or today.
Anybody ever hear of this? Old enough to remember? How would you react if they proposed this today?