Stearns Girls' Basketball, 1930's

      Playing basketball on a high school girls’ team in the 1930’s was a different experience than it is today! Six girls were on the floor at a time, with three forwards (shooters) on one side of the center line and three guards on the other side. No one was allowed to cross that center line! Only one dribble was allowed and there was no jump ball!

  The 1930-31 team faced unusual obstacles. Due to high enrollment, double sessions were held and that made scheduling basketball practice difficult. They finally worked out a schedule and played several successful games. Then the school was quarantined because of scarlet fever and all games were canceled except three with East Millinocket. Stearns won the first by one basket, a tie for the second and a “decided victory” for Stearns in the third.

Stearns 1932-33 team played 11 games against teams from Schenck, Ricker, Brownville Jct., Milo and Maine School of Commerce. They won nine with scores like 36-12, 39-46 (one of only 2 losses). The yearbook gives little information other than part of the coach’s (name not given) speech to the players. He said; “I’m the boss! Whether you like it or not. I’m the boss. In other words, while you’re down here, what I say goes. All right?” That was how the season began…97 girls listened to those words; ten received letters!   

Twenty-four girls reported for practice in the fall of 1934. There practices were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On December 4 of 1935, girls’ basketball was led by Coach Jimmy Stevens for the 1936-37 season. He began practice by giving “particular points on their playing, after which work started in earnest.” The playing positions were Left guard, right guard, center, left forward and right forward. There were six girls available for substitutes

The 1936 girls’ basketball practice began after the first quarter exams. Twenty-four girls were chosen for the team. (Only 12 are shown in the yearbook photo.) The coach that year and for several years after was Jimmy Stevens. The yearbook gives no information as to the win-loss record for the 7- game season. That year there was also an “interclass basketball tournament” with the A squad varsity acting as coaches. An “unprecedented two-day trip to Aroostook County was one of the highlights of the season.” The girls defeated Ricker Classical Institute and lost “by a close score “to Houlton. At the close of the season, the “book” showed 8 victories and 5 losses. Total score for wins was 307 and for losses 240.

            Miss Donna Mills became the Stearns girls basketball coach for the 1938-39 season. Practices were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “At the close of the season the scorebook showed five wins, four losses, and one tie. This year is the first time that the Stearns girls have played the two section game of basketball at home. After the basketball season closed the team met to choose next year’s captain and manager.”