1942 - Dionne Quintuplets Surrender Pigtails on Eighth Birthday

Published in The Daily Monitor Leader, Mount Clemens, Michigan, May 28, 1942

Photo was not included in the article, but taken the day of this event.

The Dionne Quintuplets surrendered braided pigtails to celebrate their eighth birthday today and they agreed that their new bobbed hair-dos were "tres chic."

The fact that these five French-Canadian sisters emphasized their approval in French rather than English was perhaps symbolical of another adjustment in their lives.

Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, the stocky country physician who attended their birth as a collective 13-pound, six-ounce bundle of femininity and guarded their health more than seven years, offered his resignation last February. Dr. J. I. Joyal has taken over the work.

Premier Mitchell Hepburn of Ontario said Dr. Dafoe stepped out "because his position has been made impossible by reason of the fact the children (bilingual) are not allowed to speak English."

Mr. and Mrs. Dionne, the parents, arranged the hairdressing yesterday as a surprise gift. The girls were summoned in turn from the nine-room nursery to the staff house.

First came Marie, who was found by three Toronto specialists April 24 to be suffering from a wasting of the right thigh and calf, then Émilie, Cécile, Annette and Yvonne.

Mrs. Dionne snipped off the pigtails. Miss Clara Ogilvie of New York trimmed and dressed the hair.

"It has fine, lovely texture," Miss Ogilvie said. "Although it has been pulled straight by the braiding, now that it is short I'm sure that it will curl."

All members of the Dionne family planned to gather for a birthday dinner and the cutting of five cakes, each carrying eight candles. Unlike previous observances, no outsiders were to attend. The quints had birthday corsages from a California admirer, H. Elliot Crockett.