I received this e-mail on 3/25/99:

I live in Dayton KY and am a member of the Athletic Boosters for our high school. We were recently informed that we are the only high school left in the state of KY that provides letter jackets for the senior athletes at no cost to them. We are considering discontinuing this tradition due to the high cost. Currently we give each senior athlete who has played varsity sports for three years. These are not your typical leather sleeve jackets. We give a jacket that is more like the 'car coat' design. The graduating year is on the shoulder and on the sleeves are chevrons for each year of sport played. An active athlete could have three football, three basketball, three baseball or track, three cheerleading, three tennis, etc. Senior jackets are also awarded to members of the marching band.
We know that as far back as the 1940's these jackets were awarded and it was the same style and colors then as it is now.

Last updated: October 10th, 1999

Jamie Richardson jerichar@fas.harvard.edu http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~jerichar/sleeves/