Figure 1.--This photograph shows a school a crowd of people, mostly kids from the same school, behind a police cordon. We are not sure about the date, but think it could be the 1930s, but it could be the 1950s after the War. The New Ideal advertisement could be the 1930s or 50s, but probably not the 40s. A British reader tells us, "Noted the advertisement for toothpaste. It is rather expensive and the price indicate that the photograph dates to the-early-1950s. Another advertisement is for P an O cruises. Again indicative of the early-50s and that it is a cricket ground where more prosperious people would be." (Here our British reader is referrinto the fact that that there is or used to be a clas dice in British sport. Football was popular with the working class why cricket was most popular with the prosperous classes.) At first we thouht it might be a group on the street awaiting a royal or other notable pass by. But if you look closely there is no street in front or houses and shops in the background, but there is a curb. Nor is anyone waving a Union Jack. So we are guessing that it may be a sports field trip with the photo taken at the edge of a cricket ground, explaining the advertising billboards. The boys' caps indicate that most of the boys were from the same school. It looks to be a private prep school. Sport, escpecially rugby and cricket (but not football) were major activities at private schools. The boys as supervised group probably used public trasit to get to cricket ground. Put your cursor on the image for a closer look.

School field trips have come to be one of the most popular school events. Children look forward to them not only for the activity planned, but for a welcome break from the everyday school routine. We are unsure just when schools first began to organize outings. A factor here is that Britain did not begin to create a state school system for all children to attend fee free until the second half of the 19th century. This probably depended on the type of outing. There are two basic types of outings. We know that there were outings for celebratory events such as school picnics in the 19th century. These events were a little more complicated in the cities, but of course there were parks. We are less sure when educational outings called field trips were first scheduled. We do not yet have any evidence from the 19th century or even the early-20th century. We think they became much more common after World War II, but our information is still very limited. A factor here was the ease and cost of transport. Field trips are difficult without busses. When I was teaching I took my students all over the place, but this was only possible because school busses were available. This was not the case in Britain until after World War II. A British reader from Blackburn tells us that he does not remember field trips, only a few school trips in secondary school. England did have an excellent public education system. Which made field trips in London and other big cities feasible. England like most European countries have a wide range of fascinating places that school children can visit. Not only are there the standard work place sites and wonderful museums, but there are fascinating historical sites from stone-age Stonehenge to the war room where Winston Churchill oversaw the British World War II effort. Of course no place has more possibilities than London, but there are fascinating site located all over England. Many school outings are fairly standard. Some teachers use more imagination than others in organizing interesting field trips. Field trips are now fairly common, but as best we can tell this was a development that began in the 1960s.

Popularity

School field trips have come to be one of the most popular school events. Children look forward to them not only for the activity planned, but for a welcome break from the everyday school routine. And the various activities appealed to them, some more than others.

Types

The chronology of field trips probably depended on the type of outing. There are two basic types of outings. We know that there were outings for celebratory events such as school picnics in the 19th century. These events were a little more complicated in the cities, but of course there were parks. We are less sure when educational outings called field trips were first scheduled. We see some such trips at the turn-of the 20th century in America. We suspect a similar timeline in Britain, perhaps even earlier. We notice several different types of educational field trips. This varied somewhat depending on the age of the children. We think this was most common for primary age children, but we are not quite sure about this. The types we have noted relate to governmental, historical, literary, natural history, occupational, scientific, and sports trips. Governmental trip smight mean visits to govrnmental institutions. The historical sites are enumeral in England with all kinds of interesting side stories. Literary trips were a little more limited, but could include the homes of gamous authors which ahave been preserved or perhaps a visit to a newspaper. Natural history trips at first meant visits to zoos and museums. Now wildlife parks exist. Visits to esturies and othe ecological zones are now being organized. Occupational trips could include visits to farms and factories. Scientific studies could include museum visits ior the sites like Greenwich. Sports trips could include attending important matches. Here we see a sports trip (figure 1). We suspect that in recent years there have been ecological trios, but can not yet confirm that.

Chronology

We are unsure just when schools first began to organize outings. One advantag English teachers had was that thete ws no shortahe of fascinating places to visit. A factor here is that Britain did not begin to create a state school system for all children to attend fee free until the second half of the 19th century. We do not yet have any evidence from the 19th century or even the early-20th century. We think they began to become an established school activity after World War II, but our information is still very limited. we do nnot We are not yet sure of the chronolgy of the field trip image here, but would guess the 1950s (figure 1). Field trips are now fairly common, but as best we can tell this was a development that began in the 1950s. We have not yet found examples with definite dates before the War. The earliest images we have found so far look to come from the 1950s. The images are not dated, this is omly our estimate. We have found examples that look like both state schools and private schools. We are not sure how transport was handled. These are schools that unlike the United States would not have had school busses available for the trips.

Transport

A factor here was the ease and cost of transport. Field trips are difficult without busses. When I was teaching I took my students all over the place, but this was only possible because school busses were available. This was not the case in Britain until after World War II. A British reader from Blackburn tells us that he does not remember field trips, only a few school trips in secondary school. England did have an excellent public education system. Which made field trips in London and other big cities feasible.

Venues

England like most European countries have a wide range of fascinating places that school children can visit. The mind boggles at potential field trips that could arranged. Not only are there the standard work place sites and wonderful museums, but there are fascinating historical sites from stone-age Stonehenge to the war room where Winston Churchill oversaw the British World War II effort. Of course no place has more possibilities than London, but there are fascinating site located all over England. Many school outings are fairly standard. Some teachers use more imagination than others in organizing interesting field trips.

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Created: 6:42 PM 2/28/2019
Last updated: 12:51 AM 6/14/2019