Note: All images are thumbnails to larger photographs. Click on the thumbnails to see the pictures in greater detail. Red Cross Life Saving Patch (University Archives, C:8/18/8, Box 5) Program from "Mermaids and Men's Waterplay," 1926 (University Archives, C:8/18/8, Box 5) Program from All Sports Night 1932 (University Archives, C:8/18/8, Box 2)

The Women's Life Saving Corps was chartered with eighteen members in 1924 the stated purpose was to "...educate in life saving methods and promote interest in swimming and life saving methods. Also to train leaders in such methods." The Missouri Mermaids were organized two years later in 1926 to promote an interest in swimming. Members were women passing Red Cross Life Saving examinations and a swimming skills test. Competency skills necessary for becoming a full member were: four different dives; a good racing start and turn; swimming one length of pool in sixteen seconds; and swimming fifteen lengths of pool using not more than two strokes in good form. In 1926 the Mermaids performed in the "Mermaids and Men's Revue" along with the Men's Swimming Team; the first joint swimming exhibition between the men and women swimmers at MU. The exhibition brought in enough money to pay for the bleachers in the balcony of the Women's Gym. This would be the first of many annual Mermaid water shows featuring fancy diving and synchronized swimming. Red Cross Charter for Women's Life Saving Corps, 1924 (University Archives, C:8/18/8, Box 1) Water Safety Instructors, 1924 (University Archives, C:8/18/8, Box 5) "Mermaids and Men's Waterplay," 1933 (University Archives, C:8/18/8) In 1931 spectators were admitted to Brewer Field House for the first All Sports Night--admission price twenty-five cents. Two hundred women and one hundred-seventy five men were featured; the first exhibitions of sports activities in which both men and women jointly participated. Women students demonstrated wall scaling, folk dancing, Danish gymnastics, tap dancing and clog dancing. Gymnastics Demonstration, All Sports Night 1931 (University Archives, C:8/18/8) Various forms of dance have been popular with MU coeds. Interpretative dance became an accepted form of exercise in the early 1900's; an annual "women's stunt" was the May Day Celebration in which "dances of the seasons" were performed along with traditional may pole dances. May Day, 1911 (University Archives, C:8/18/8) Dance of Spring, 1911 (University Archives, C:8/18/8)