The University of Oregon’s foot fetish

In 1916, one of the courses at the University of Oregon veered from the old standards of Classics, Arithmetic, and Biology. As one reporter put it, “Beautifying the feet of girl students is one of the most important courses at the University of Oregon.”

Yes, the University of Oregon tested girls for flat feet, and if they had them, the University tried to fix it using special exercises and shoes. The reason? As the original report put it, “A good foot is perhaps the most coveted distinction for the girl graduate here.”

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Why did the school focus on feet so much?