Figure 1.-- This photo was taken in Cabras, on the western coast of Sardinia. Traditionally, most families earned their livlihood in the fishing industry. Th photo is undated, but was probably takein about 1920. We see a mixed class of 33 pupils. During the fascist years coeducation was discouraged. Note that the children are all barefoot. Probably many children from fishing families never wore them. Also we do not see smocks. It is interesting that there are a lot of girls going to school. In the 19th century, many girls did not go to school. This was part of the reason that he country;s literacy ratewas so low -- only about 30 percet at the turn-of the century.

Many working-class children came to school barefoot. This was especially the case in southern Italy as well as Sicily and Sardinia. We are kess sure about northern Italy, but suspect children in rural areas also commonly cane io school barefoot, at least in warm weathr. We also see children wearing sandals by the 1920s, especially inexpensive Roman sandals rather than English school sandals which are more like shoes. But this was more common in cities than in rural areas. Both boys abd girls cane to school barefoot. Musolini and the Fascists seized power (1923). The Fascists took an interests in education. The Fascists discoraged coeducation. It was no commob at the time, but some villasge schools were coeducational. There was also an emphasis on school smocks. As best we can tell, smocks were mostly worn in rural schools. During the Fascist years we see children in rural areas wearing smocks. Footear did not chabnge durung the Fascist era. Thtcwa an economic issue. Foot =wear is epensive and Fascism did nor create the properity that parents needed to buy shoes. the

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Created: 10:45 AM 3/10/2024
Last updated: 10:45 AM 3/10/2024