For many, college years are filled with wild explorations, but it’s shocking to learn that some of the most prestigious colleges once had freshmen pose for nude photos.
Yeah…that’s a no from me dawg. If I had paid all this money and got the grades to come to an elite college, asking me to strip off in my first year and pose for photos might just be a bit too much.
However, this was the reality for some freshmen at the top colleges in the US during a particular period.
This practice took place between the 1940s and 1970s at Ivy League institutions.
So what was the reason behind this? It was reportedly to study posture and body types. These photos were also used to gauge the rate and severity of rickets, scoliosis, and lordosis in the student population.
Yes, all freshmen at these schools were required to pose nude for black and white images, standing upright from front, back, and side perspectives.
The photos were taken by eugenicist W. H. Sheldon, who believed there was a relationship between body shape, intelligence, and other traits.
Sheldon’s theories have since been dismissed by most scientists as quackery, yet the photos still exist.
This means some of the most famous individuals from the 40s to 70s have a nude photo of them out there somewhere.
In 1995, the Smithsonian Institution acquired the photos and halted public access to them.
Among those subjected to this ritual were former president George Bush and Hillary Clinton.
The story is undoubtedly fascinating, but it has left people on social media in disbelief.
On the Reddit board ‘Today I learned’, users found the entire situation both hilarious and shocking.
“We need to take completely nude pictures of you all…for posture checks,” one person wrote, stunned.
“Did they have to be nude, though? You can see scoliosis, lordosis and rickets just fine with yo’ draw’s on,” another added.
“I’m just wondering WHY THE HELL colleges would even be doing this in the first place. Like, I legitimately can’t even guess what kind of excuse they’d have for doing that, let alone a reason,” a third wrote.
“Anyone ever get the sinking feeling that fifty thousand airy joke comments prevents any real discussions?” one concerned user added amidst all the jokes.