Figure 1.-- Here we see three brothers together on a warm summer day. The younger boys (Chester and Roger) look to be about 4-5 years old. There older brother is probably about 11 years old. The portrait is undated, but was provably taken in 1914. Big brother He is teaching his little brothers how to box and without boxing gloves. We do not know if they are just posing. Presumably dad is supervising the operation as he probably took the snapshot. Big brother might get into trouble for that today, but was probably viewed differently at the time, especially by dads. We at first thought the boys were wearing H-bar short pants, but instead the H-bar device is aketon waist to hold up his shorts and long stockings.

Here we see the boys together on a warm summer day. The boys look to be about 4-5 years old. There older brother is probably about 11 years old. The portrait is undated, byt was provably taken in 1914. He is teaching his little brothers how to box in the family backyard. They are learning how to box without boxing gloves. We do not know if they are just posing. Presumably dad is supervising the operation as he presumably took the snapshot. Big brother and dad might get into trouble for that today, but was probably viewed differently at the time, especially by dads. We do not know if the boys actually had at each other. If so, we are guessing it ended in some tears. We thought at first that the boys were wearing H-bar short/knee pants. They were not verty common in America, but a major style in Germany at the time. A reader, however, cirrectly fogured out that they were not wearing H-bar short pants, but instead the H-bar device is aketon waist to hold up his shorts and long stockings. H-bar shorts were no worn in America at the time, but skeleton waists or other stovking supporters were nealy universal. The children look a little Italian, perhaps there were European connections. You can tell it was a warm day because they are not weaering shirts. Curiously they are wearing long stockings despite the heat. Clearly mother dressed them. They also wear sandals which were fairly common with well-to-do families at the time. Their older brother who has more to say with how he dressed wears knickers without shoes and stockings. Away from home he probably would have worn long stockings, although black ones. The younger boys still have pageboy bangs, We see them all dressed up in Oliver Twist outfits in another image.

Created: 10:34 PM 6/1/2011
Last edited: 10:56 PM 10/2/2015