By Kayla Gowen and Colleen Harley
Staff Writers

It’s an event known by anyone who lives in the Lower Bucks County area; it is greatly anticipated; the one and only school to provide such an event, Neshaminy High School; it is the spectacular event known as Gym Night.

Gym Night is a highly anticipated event at Neshaminy for teachers, students, and members of the community as well.

Students are divided up into two teams in each grade— last names A-K are on the Blue team, and L-Z are on Red team. Together, captains from each team create a dance to go along with a subcategory of an overall theme. They spend countless hours practicing, raising money, and creating art to decorate Gym Three with for a weekend full of fun, friendly, competition.

But how did Gym Night evolve into the weekend we all know and love? In the 1953-54 school year, Neshaminy High School introduced Gym Night for the first time.

The overall theme for this new event was deemed, “Fun Night.” Space was limited, as were the areas to have Gym Night, but the show went on. Events of the highly anticipated weekend included cheerleading and decorating, as well as sportsmanship and organization skills.

The Health and Physical Education Department run the event and is currently under the direction of Amy Geruc. But we must not forget the one person who made our beloved Gym Night possible, Mr. Harry E. Franks.

In 1958 and 1959 Mr. Fred Gerst became head of the Health and PE Department, and under his watch, the participants and spectators and number of events only grew. He also introduced more flamboyant decorations, and the senior relays were something everyone waited to see. The dance exhibitions that each team put on were even bigger and better than before.

PE teacher Richard Reice, a graduate of Neshaminy himself, reflects on Gym Nights past. “Everyone did Gym Night, it seemed. I had two older brothers who got involved and it seemed like a fun thing to do. I was a captain my sophomore and junior years,” Reice said.

“As juniors, we did Peter Pan. Interesting story there is I flew across the gym as Peter Pan and landed in the middle of the gym floor. I held onto a pulley contraption, not tied in or anything, there is no way they would allow a student to do that today. As a senior, I was a cheerleader. That was considered the highest honor to be chosen a cheerleader. We did huge pyramids, etc. in the middle of the gym floor.” Reice said.

Parental involvement is a huge part of what makes Gym Night run smoothly, but according to Reice, that wasn’t always the case.

“There’s much more parental involvement than in the past. Back in the day, we got a plastic bag with the costume material in it and you took it home and your mom or grandmom sewed your costume according to the directions in the bag. They have much more elaborate costumes nowadays.”

Since Reice was in high school, Gym Night has obviously evolved and changed into something much more elaborate and rule ridden.

Math teacher, David Calderbank is also a Neshaminy alumni who looked back on his gym night experience. “It is increasingly less about traditional athletics and more about school pride, competition and performance because such a wide array of students participate in it now,” Calderbank said.

Gym night has become an all weekend event. The activities take place on Friday night, Saturday, and Saturday night.

Calderbank also stated, “When I graduated we only had Friday night and Saturday night performances and grades 10-12.”

Nowadays, Gym Night is offered to grades 9-12; each grade has their own responsibilities that they need to do to help their color team win the highly competitive weekend.

The school wide event has become more of a performance to be watched by many, not only those who attend or attended Neshaminy. Everyone in the community eagerly awaits for ticket sales to begin.

For past student and current English teacher, Jennifer Mann commented on how Gym Night has changed since her years as a student at Neshaminy.

“I don’t remember people “camping out” with chairs and waiting in huge line for tickets the way they have recently,” Mann stated.

Gym Night has made a lasting impression on Neshaminy alumni and current students will always be able to look back on their experience from the event. Though, when they are reminiscing on their high school days, they will be able to see an evolvement of the Gym Night.