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Coeducation was in many ways a product of the Reformation. Protestant groups belived that girls as well as boys should be taught to read the Bible, although this varied among the different demomimtions. This was imprtnt not only for their own salvation, but because mothers playd a leading role in techinh children to read before the creatuioin of opublic chool systems. In Britain, coeduction was most commonm in Scotland which of course was a separate country until the the 18th century. The Church of England had less raducal Protestant features. To some extent, coeducation was more common in northern Rnglnd thasn the rest of the country. There was a long tradition of dame schools in which very young children were cared for together. Schools beyond the dame school, however, were primarily for boys. Gradually we see more girls beginning to be educated (late-18th century). The general approach in England was separate gender schools. At the time churches took a leading role in education abd the COE promoted separate gender eduction when the the issue of educating girls arose. The Society of Friends (Quakers) took leading role in promoting coeduction, but thy were a relatively small group. In Europe the primary adoption of coeduction was in ythe Protestnt north, especially Scandanavia. Engkisdh schools cintinued to be single gender into the 19th century. Most of the new schools as England began to build a free state education system were single gender schools. Thus was nearly universal in the cities, but varied somewhat in the countryside. This is becuse rural achools were necesarily smallr nd walking to school often neant some distance. Thus in made practical sense to tech the boys abnd girls together. Separate schools would have made the walks to school untenable, especially for the younger children. Separate gender sdhools were not unusual in Europe, but coeducation had been adopted in the United States which established a national public education system (actually separate state systems) well before England. There are quite a few examples of this in the photographic record. England launched it free state primsary sustem (1870). There was no decision on gender. This was left up to the locl educational uthotities. In the 20th century, ERnglish educators began to discuss the merits of single gender ad coeductionl schools. Snd therewere different approches, these invcludd different dchools, sparate classes ij nthr sm chool and separate searing within classes. Here is an example of an unidentified coeductional school about 1910. Over time, we see more and more schools in the 20th century becoming coeducational. We see a school in the 1920s on the previous page. A good example of a school about 1930 is Sheringtom Primary. This was particularly the case after World War II. Almost all primary education in the state system is now coeducational. Private schools which continued to be mostly single-gender have followed in the same direction during recent years.
Related Links: Careful this will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but both sites are highly recommended
Boys' Preparatory Schools: A lovely photographic essay on British Preparatory Schools during the 1980s with over 200 color and black and white photographs.
Apertures Press New Zealand eBbook: New eBook on New Zealand schools is available
Apertures Press British Preparatory School eBook Volume I: New eBook on Brirish preparatory schools is available
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