Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified primary school class, we think in the 1920s. It looks to us like perhaps a 2nd grade class, children of about 7 years of age. We are not sure about the country, but it may be English or perhaps American. Perhaps readers will have some insights. Notice the tiled half walls. Put your cursor on the image to see the rest of the class. A British reader writes, "I have carefully examined the classroom portrait herev and I think its an English primary school. My main clue was the boy in the tie. The horizontal stripes looks very English and I have seen other 1920 images of boys dressed in the way the boy here is dressed.

Schools and education changed substantially after World War I in te 1920s. In Europeand America and Noth America we begin to see more children not only completing primry school, butnow beginning secondary school. In Europe the end of the empres that had dominated Europe for centuries meant that more chools were taught in national languages, athough Grman contnued to be mportant. While the Austrian German,and Ottoman Empire disappeared, the Communists revived the Tsarist Empire with the Soviet Union. And we see more schools in the European colonies round the World, although universal pulic ystm would not appear until Decolonization following World War II. The only public school systms outside Europe and the Dominions was Japan. Modern educationhad by the 1920s become an accepted part of Japanese national life. As in Europe, reltively few children advaced beyond primary school. The quality of education varied widely. Britain, France, and Germany had excllent schools, although oportunities for working-class children was limited. The American public school system was one of the crown jewwels of the Americn Republic, sheparding children from varied natinl, religious, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds into full particiption in American citizenship and mational life. Many Europeans did not believe it could be done. Many Germans until World War I in particular to their detriment did not include the United states to be a real nation. With a new restrictive immigration policy, American schools gradually found they had to deal with ls diversity among th children. Except in American, boys and girls were gerally taught separately, although tere was some exceotions. Village and small town primary schools were often coed because finances did not permit separate schools. The modern styles of school uniform generally appeared in the 20th century, mostly after World War I. We notice a trend toward more casual styles beginning. Fewwe boys wore suits to school. Knickers had become standard in America during the 1910s and this continued during the 1920s. Younger boys might wear short pants, but cord knickers were standard schoolwear. Boys and girls still commonly wore long stockings, especially black long stockings. Short pants became very common in Europe, although by no means universal. The shorts worn in the 1920s tended to be very long like knee pants. Girls alwayts wore dresses, never pants. England was by far the most important country in influencing school styles such as peaked school caps, blazers, and gym slips. France and Italy were also of some importance. School sandals also became very common in England and we see them in some other countries as well. After the War, Eton collars and knickers/knee pants grdually gave way to soft collars, blazers, and short pants. Most English bopys wore short pants and knee socks to school. Until after World War II, however, school uniforms were primarily worn at English private schools. Even so, they influenced styles in the state schools. German schools did not have uniforms, but many boys wore a military style peaked cap. Many French amd Italian children wore smocks. Italian children had wide white collars, but this was les common in France. Educational authorities varied on the value of school uniforms. Countries varied greatly as to their approach. While short pants were standard for schoolboys throughout Europe, hosiery was more varied, here climate was a factor. Knee socks were common, but long stockings widely worn in northern Europe wuth its cooler climate. There were also seasonal differences. Secondary education wasstill not common for working-class children. It was most common in America where coeducation was also most prevalent.

Prevalence

Schools and education changed substantially after World War I in te 1920s. In Europeand America and Noth America we begin to see more children not only completing promry school, but now beginning secondary school. Thus while Grmanization ceased, Russificatin did not, except for te countries escaping from the Rusin Empire (Finland the Baltics, and Poland. And we see more schools in the European colonies round the World, although universal pulic ystm would not appear until Decolonization following World War II. The only public school systms outside Europe and the Dominions was Japan. Modern educationhad by the 1920s become an accepted part of Japanese nationl life.

National Schools

In Europe the end of the empres sthat had dominated Europe for centuries meant that more chools were taught in national languages, athough Grman contnued to be important. While the Austrian German,and Ottoman Empire disappeared, the Communists revived the Tsarist Empire with the Soviet Union.

Levels

Reltively few Erpean children advaced beyond primary school,especially working class children. Mre American children attended high school, but it was no whre near universal. .

Quality

The quality of education varied widely. Britain, France, and Germany had excllent schools, although opportunities for wrking-class children was limited. The American public school system was one of the crown jewwels of the Americn Republic, sheparding children from varied natinl, religious, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds into full particiption in American citizenship and mational life. Many Europeans did not believe it could be done. Many Germans until World War I in particular to their detriment did not consider the United States to be a real nation. With a new restrictive immigration policy, American schools gradually found they had to deal with ls diversity among th children.

Countries

We know a good deal about schools in som countrie and next to nothing about schools in many other countries. This ibs both because of variatin in the written ans photograoghc record.

Gender

Except in American, boys and girls were gerally taught separately, although tere was some exceotions. Village and small town primary schools were often coed because finances did not permit separate schools. The commitment to single gender schoos would not change until after World War II.

Schoolwear

It ws still possiblle in the 1920s to identify te counry involved in school portrait based o te clothes the childdren were wearing. to The modern styles of schoolwear and school uniform generally appeared in the 20th century, mostly after World War I. We notice a trend toward more casual styles beginning. Fewwe boys wore suits to school. Knickers had become standard in America during the 1910s and this continued during the 1920s. Younger boys might wear short pants, but cord knickers were standard schoolwear. Boys and girls still commonly wore long stockings, especially black long stockings. Short pants became very common in Europe, although by no means universal. The shorts worn in the 1920s tended to be very long like knee pants. Girls alwayts wore dresses, never pants. England was by far the most important country in influencing school styles such as peaked school caps, blazers, and gym slips. France and Italy were also of some importance. School sandals also became very common in England and we see them in some other countries as well. After the War, Eton collars and knickers/knee pants grdually gave way to soft collars, blazers, and short pants. Most English bopys wore short pants and knee socks to school. Until after World War II, however, school uniforms were primarily worn at English private schools. Even so, they influenced styles in the state schools. German schools did not have uniforms, but many boys wore a military style peaked cap. Many French amd Italian children wore smocks. Italian children had wide white collars, but this was les common in France. Educational authorities varied on the value of school uniforms. Countries varied greatly as to their approach. While short pants were standard for schoolboys throughout Europe, hosiery was more varied, here climate was a factor. Knee socks were common, but long stockings widely worn in northern Europe wuth its cooler climate. There were also seasonal differences.

Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Long pants suits] [Knicker suits] [Short pants suits] [Socks] [Eton suits] [Jacket and trousers] [Blazer] [School sandals]

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
[Return to the Main School uniform page]
[Activities] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Debate] [Economics] [Garment] [Gender] [Hair] [History] [Home trends] [Literary characters]
[School types] [Significance] [Transport and travel [Uniform regulations] [Year level] [Other topics]
[Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]

Created: 9:05 PM 8/17/2013
Last updated: 5:13 AM 7/20/2014