|
Have a look at British preparatory schools, the buildings, the masers, and the oupils in different decades. This will begin in the 19th century when preparatory schools were first founded. Several preparatory schools pre-date the 19th century, but that was because they were not founded as preparatory schools. The changing styles of school uniform over the decades are particularly interesting. Major changes in these schools took place after World War II, especially when parents began reassessing the value of boarding for younger children. The shift to coeducation was another major development. Most of our photographs were taken in the 1980s, but we plan to add some historical photographs to provide a view of preparatory schools over time. Some of the images here illustrate changing trends at the schools. Others simply provide interesting images at prep schools over time.
After the turn of the century we note far more photographs available and this we begin to get a better idea of school life. We notice quite a number of images from prep schools. Some had uniforms. As best we can tell, the general approach was suits, usually with Eton collars. Not all schools, however, had uniforms. We note quite a number of prep schools that did not have uniforms. We believe that this was especially true of smaller prep schools.
The French Luminere brothers developed a commrcially viable color process (1903). Color photographs began to appear (1907). We note a lantern slide from England which we believe was taken in the 1910s, probably the early 10s. It is the first color photograph we have found of a British prep school boy. He wears a orange and black striped blazer and matching peaked cap. He also wears black long trousers. Appearently short trousrs at prep schools did not become standard until the 1920s. He looks quite young, probably just beginning at school. A little boy in the backgrond has a sailor cap with 'HMS INDOMITABLE' on the tally. The "Indomitable" was the first battle cruiser built in 1907.
A number of prep schools were located at pleasant sites along the coast. These schools were evacuated during World War II (1939-45). Some were lodged in temoprary facilities. Some moved in with other schools and shared facilities.
We note one prep school in the early 1950s that acquired a fire engine. Two brothers served as the joint headmastrs at the school. Apparently the school use the fire truck for educational purposes. Or perhaps one of them wanted to be a fireman. The boys of course loved the fire engine. The school has since closed.
British parents by the 1960s were beginning to increasingly reassess the value of boarding younger children. Taditionally boys began their prparaory school at age 8 years. Many mothers by the 1960s were beginning to think that was too young an age to begin boarding.
We note an increasing number of preparatory schools shifting to coeducation in the 1970s. This does not appear to have been a decession based on educational philopsophy. Rather it appears to have been a change made to attract and retain a full school roll. Coeducational schools simply increased the number of prospective pupils. In addition, many parents wanted the convenience of dealing with one rather than two different schools. The shift to coeducation profoundly affected the ethos and program of the schools involved. Nitably it was almost always the boys schools that bcame coeducational rather than the girls' schools.
The trend toward coeducation continued at British prep schools. It was becoming much more accepred in the 1980s, but always a necesitating considerable adjustment as each school decided to accept girls. (For some reason Girls schools rarely accepted boys.) We notice more modern school furniture at many schools, although the old-style wooden desks were still quite common. School unioforms continued to become more casual with many schools dropping both caps and ties. Many schools changed from short to long trousers, especially for the older boys. Grey Terelyn shorts and kneesocks were still commonly worn. Some preparatory schools had corduroy uniforms. This was not the most common style uniform, but was worn at a few schools. These boys in the 1980s wear corduroy jackets and matching short pants (figure 1). Sometimes the jackets and shorts do not match because they were bought at different times.
