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One of our readers has kindly sent us a portrait of her mother's First Year Grade class all lined up separately at school in 1937. It was rather a small class of 18 children. I believe that it is a school in Gladbach, a region in western Germany east of Cologne. The children would be 6-year olds. The fact that boys and girls were in the same class suggests it was a small school. This was often the case in village schools, although the background looks more like a city. The girls seem happier about school than the boys. Many of the girls have large hair bows. We think hair bows were more popular in the 1910s and 20s, but at least for the little girls, hair bows were still popular at this school in 1937. All the girls but one wear dresses. The dresses have varied detailing, but are all waistless dresses. One girl looks to be wearing a dress her mother knitted at home. She is one of the few girls who does not seem very happy. One girl wers a sweater and skirt. The wear long stockings or knee socks. Our reader's mother is on the far right. The boys mostly wear sweaters, although one boy wears a sailor suit. He has white knee socks and white mittens. The boys wear short pants and like the girls with knee socks or long stockings. High-top shoes were still common for younger children, especially the boys. There is an imposing building in the background, but I am not sure it is a school as there seems to be a fence or wall between the children and the building.
Melanson, Christine. E-mail message (November 20, 2018). Christine has kindly provided us family portraits of her mother and grandmother.
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