60s/70s Boys School Bathrooms Had No Doors—Privacy Was Optional

What explains the absence of doors on boys’ bathroom stalls throughout the 1960s and 1970s? If you went to school in the 1960s or 1970s—especially in places like Ellen Stiles School or Auburn High School in Rockford—you might remember a peculiar (and uncomfortable) fact: The restroom stalls for boys at schools during this time commonly lacked doors. For students today, that sounds bizarre. During that time period, such bathroom designs were standard practice in numerous schools throughout the United States. You were left with two options: either go in front of anyone who entered the bathroom or hold it, which sometimes is not an option, so it's back to option one.

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The Push for Visibility and Control
The primary purpose behind removing stall doors from boys’ bathrooms at schools was to prevent misbehavior. School administrators held the view that more visible environments would help decrease vandalism and fights along with smoking and other misconduct which typically occurred in hidden areas. School authorities adopted the straightforward yet extreme measure of door removal to address escalating disciplinary issues.

Schools decided to remove bathroom doors following multiple incidents of vandalism and fires in these facilities. Students did not stay in the open restroom areas for extended periods, nor used them as gathering places when doors were removed. The primary goal was to enforce control and discipline and privacy became a secondary concern.

Reflecting Broader Social Norms
Social norms regarding privacy expectations for boys specifically differed during that historical period. An unspoken belief existed throughout society which expected boys to endure uncomfortable situations without complaint. The need for personal comfort took a backseat while schools prioritized practical arrangements and systematic order.

The schools of Ellen Stiles and Auburn High in Rockford, Illinois, followed the same standards as other institutions in their community. Those who attended school during that time remember feeling embarrassed and awkward by doorless stalls but accepted these conditions with resignation. It was just how things were.

A Practice That Didn't Last
During the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, educational institutions systematically eliminated this practice. The shift in how we viewed student rights, together with privacy and mental health concerns, has resulted in standard restroom designs. A restroom stall without doors would be deemed unacceptable as well as unconventional in today's standards.

For people who experienced this practice, doorless stalls represent one of the unique oddities of American school life during the 1950s and 1960s.