Figure 1.--The press photograph shows Mrs. Eileen Williams with her son Ralph (age 5 years) amd Mrs. Helem Williams with children Mark (age 4 years) and Ann (age 9 years). The ladies who are not related are a news item because they were applying to be police women in Melrose. The state is not indicated, but could be California. The photograph was dated July 16, 1951. The children are dressed for summer. Ralph wears saddle shoes. Mark wears double bar closed-toe sandles. nnweared red low-cut Ked sneakers.

Age was a factor in footwear. Most American boys wore leather low-cut oxfords by school age. Some girls wore them, but almost all boys did with few exceprions. Saddle shoes were a style that had wide usage across age and gender lines. Sneakers were also popular for schoolage children, but not for school. Until the 50s they were not widely worn by teenagers, except for gym classes in school and basketball. Todlers often wore white-hightops. They were considered healthy for younger feet. Pre-school boys might wear sandals, but we do not see boys wearing them at school. One reason that sandals and strap shoes were worn by younger children is that the task of learning to tie shoes laces is not easy. Younger boys also wore low-cut oxfords, but had to depend on parents to tie their laces. It is one reason that sneakers ar not as common for pre-school children as they are for school-age children in the 50s. This was a problem for many 1st Graders when they began school. I recall this as a major problem. Only at about age 5-6 years do most children learn to tie their own shoe laces, some a little longer. Girls seem a little quicker to pick up the skill at first. Putting on sndals is something that younger children can master. Older boys might wear loafers. They seem most popular wuth teenagers.

Created: 4:52 PM 10/2/2017
Last updated: 4:52 PM 10/2/2017