This Week in Wire History: Nudie Pics of Wheaton Women?
April 15, 1999
Issue date: 4/15/09 Section: News
Although the Wire has covered the issue of "posture pictures" before, this topic nonetheless remains controversial and interesting.
-Chuck Platt '10
In Jan. of 1995, the New York Times Magazine boasted a glaring headline entitled "The Great Ivy League Nude Posture Photo Scandal." This article describes the urban myth of the nude posture photographs taken of thousands of Ivy League freshmen... Such rumors include the photographs having been stolen or sold on the Ivy League black market and being an elaborate cover-up for eugenics. It was this article which sparked the question of whether or not Wheaton's own posture photographs had suffered the same supposed fate as their counterparts.
Wheaton has always been very interested in the education and well being of its students. As time went on, the school became very concerned with posture and body poise.
Each incoming freshman student was required to have a posture picture taken. This meant that the student had to be completely devoid of any clothing and a row of metal rods was adhered to the spine of the student so that they were perpendicular to the body. Several photos would then be taken of the student from different views. By studying these photographs, possible spinal irregularities were determined and a regiment of corrective exercises was then prescribed.
Because of the wild myths circulating concerning the whereabouts of the postural photographs...Wheaton's head archivist, Zephorene Stickney,, conducted a research project, [discovering] that each photograph had been destroyed upon the graduation of the students.
- Caroline Magwood
-Chuck Platt '10
In Jan. of 1995, the New York Times Magazine boasted a glaring headline entitled "The Great Ivy League Nude Posture Photo Scandal." This article describes the urban myth of the nude posture photographs taken of thousands of Ivy League freshmen... Such rumors include the photographs having been stolen or sold on the Ivy League black market and being an elaborate cover-up for eugenics. It was this article which sparked the question of whether or not Wheaton's own posture photographs had suffered the same supposed fate as their counterparts.
Wheaton has always been very interested in the education and well being of its students. As time went on, the school became very concerned with posture and body poise.
Each incoming freshman student was required to have a posture picture taken. This meant that the student had to be completely devoid of any clothing and a row of metal rods was adhered to the spine of the student so that they were perpendicular to the body. Several photos would then be taken of the student from different views. By studying these photographs, possible spinal irregularities were determined and a regiment of corrective exercises was then prescribed.
Because of the wild myths circulating concerning the whereabouts of the postural photographs...Wheaton's head archivist, Zephorene Stickney,, conducted a research project, [discovering] that each photograph had been destroyed upon the graduation of the students.
- Caroline Magwood
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