



The "School of Undressing" was founded in Manhattan in 1937 by Allen Gilbert. Operating burlesque shows at Manhattan's Apollo and Philadelphia's Shubert Theatres, Gilbert declared the noble intention of "dedicating my school to the sanctity of the American home." The aim of the course was "to make going to bed appear a thing of charm and pleasure rather than a routine chore."

Gilbert claimed to LIFE magazine, which published this photo spread, that 48 women had signed up for the school's $30 course.

In it, two burlesque stars demonstrated the techniques of undressing to students. The dark-haired "Professor" Connie Fonzlau demonstrated the improper and clumsy way, and blonde "Professor" June St. Clair showed the correct techniques.

Reader reactions to the LIFE article were mixed. In a later issue, comments ranged from shocked to disappointed. Some men were bemused, as they had never thought of watching their wives undress. One correspondent wondered how he was going to get out of his shirt and shorts and into his pajamas in "one magic motion."

Alongside his school, it's no coincidence Gilbert was promoting a forthcoming revue, called "Sex Rears Its Ugly Head."

These pictures were published in a world still dominated by the Great Depression. The traditional family unit was evolving; new social norms and sexual politics were being explored.

From 1930 to 1935, the number of single women in America had increased by a third — couples were putting off getting married, and birth rates fell dramatically, as the cost of raising a family became an increasingly heavy burden to bear. In 1940, an American survey revealed that almost 1.5 million men had abandoned their wives across the decade — even divorce was too prohibitively expensive.