Figure 1.--This is ac group of children from French and English speaking schools participating in an exchange program. The photograph was taken May 1988..

My daughter in the 6th grade at an elementary (primary) school was in an English immersion class even if the school was French . At the end of the year, an exchange with a French immersion English School in Ontario resulted in a travel at Oshawa, near Toronto followed by a visit from the pupils at Pointe-Claire. During this visit, there was a lot of verbal exchanges between kids and a day at Québec City by bus. I pictured all this travel. But my main point in writing you is the group picture I took just before the departure after the week visit in Québec Province. I send you a picture taken ook on the steps of St-Joachim Church. This picture was taken in May 1988 near the end of the school year. Those kids were a delight. Even if different, they are very similar. It is hard to tell who is French or English speaking. There is a good example of the similarities within differences. If we look at the clothing, we see that those children are less distinct between sexes as it was in the 1950s, the 30s and also the 10s. Something like equality or "uniformity" without any uniforms imposed by adults. Those kids were not kiddy, excited or aggressive. They were full of joy and eager to learn. Each of them are also different. We can see all possible style of dressing: long pants, short pants, jeans or skirts, T-shirt, sweat shirt, all the possible styles of hair. Some girls are more conscious of their image but it is as a matter of fact. There is something very poetic and authentic in each of the children. From my point of view, those pictures are a kind of synthesis , a globalisation of all the trials and errors of the past. This gave birth to other styles but in the 90s, this style was a peak, a summit. It tells that school can be a nice place.

Created: 8:36 PM 12/26/2004
Last updated: 8:36 PM 12/26/2004