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We note a range of different occassions which are celebrated at French schools. They are for the most part similar to the occassions celebrated at other schools in other countries. In many cases the costumes worn by the children, especially the younger children, are destinctively French. Although our informtion is still incomplete we have begun to collect information on this topic. The information we have collcted is mostly based on the photograohic record. The most important event based on the prevalence of available images appears to be the year end programs. Each class seems to put on some sort of presentation, often in special costumes just for the event. We also notice festive holiday pagents of various kinds. We also believe that there were prize giving ceremonies at the end of the year, but we are not yet sure about that.
It is very common for American and English schools to organize holiday pagents. We do not have much information yet from our French readers, but this seems to be the case in France as well. We have archived a number of French school photographs showing holiday pagents. So we know that there are also holiday pagents at French schools. Christmas pagents were particularly common in the photographic record. We note a number of examples in French schools. We also note a Christmas pagent held at a French school in Senegal with a not very Christmassy look. We are less familar with how common other such pagents were in France. We suspect there were also Easter pagents, but have not yet found any examples of this. They may be less important because Christmas in Western Europe is an event especially associated with children. Thee seem to be events at a maternelle and primary schools. We are less sure at this time about events at secondary schools.
Schooltrips are popular events at schools all over the world. This seems to be the case in France as well. We think school trips were another popular event at French schools. We are not entirely sure how common they were or just how they were organized. There are of course two kinds of trips, local trips which are field trips. Longer trips migh involve an over night stay. Schools from the provinces often planned a trip to Paris. These long trips were often for the older children, but we see some schools with mixed age groups. A good example is a village school trip to Paris right after World War II (1946).
A typical event in France at the at the end of the school year (usually June) is a special program. Each classe usually gives a little performance. These presentations vary but can include poetry recitations, singing a chant, ect. The parets are invited to wtch the performance. The teacher normally asked that the children be dressed in the
same style. This was very popular in all French schools, both in France and the colonies.
During this performance, the best pupils recived prizes. Important perons such as the town mayor were invited to observe and give out the prizes. A French reader writes, "I remember about 1950 when I was a little boy, I was assigned to hand the prizes to the mayor as hepassed them out. I was chosen because I was with my uncle who was an importnt official. I was dressed in a beautifull romper suit. I recall that I had not yet begun school myself. I had just had my hair short cut and was around 5 or 5 1/2 years old."
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