Figure 1.--Here we see some Haitian school children. The snapshot is undated, but was probably taken in the early 1930s.

Haiti until independence was a hugely profitable slave-based sugar colony of France with no education for the vast majority of the population. The country's Constitution provided for free and compulsory primary education for all children (1805). This provision was absent in American state constitutions. Creating such a system was beyond the means of the new republic. The first leaders Henri Christophe (1807-20) and Alexandre Pétion (1806-18) began the job of constructing schools. The country in a few years had nineteen primary schools and three secondary lycées (1820). This essentialy provide for schools in the principal cities, but there wre no rural schools. The Haitian Education Act (1848) created rural primary schools. They were small schools with a shotened curriculum. The law also created colleges of medicine and law. Political turmoil and ecoomic difficulties prevented Haiti from establishing the comprehensive natinal school system that had been hoped for by the country's founders. Thus most Haitans had little opportunity for education. Wealthy Haitains sent their children, mostly sons, to France to be educated. The conclusion of a Concordat with the Vatican dramtically changed Haitian education (1860). The Catholic Church sent priests to Haiti which included teachers. This among other matters cemented the Catholic orientation of Haiti's ruleing class. Haitian public schools developed as Catholic schools in contrast to the secular educational systems fevelopin in Europe. The system was jointly funded by the Varican and the Haitian Government. The teachers were primarily French priests which in addition to instruction promoted an assoiciation with France among the children. The education message was essentially that Hait was backward and should look to France for enlightenment and essentially colonial message despite the fact Hiiti was independent. Essentially the French taught Haitians to look down on themselves and their country. The schools were mostly primary schools and almost entirely in the cities. There were a few secondary schools with excellent standards, but a very small part of the population attended these schools. Rural educatioin was very limited. The curriculum was very similar to 19th century French schools, emphasizing the classic literature and rote learning. The Americans tried to establish vocational education during their intervention (1915-35), but this refom was discontinued when the Americans dearted. Education in Haiti did not begin to change until the 1970s. Administrative and curriculum reforms began during Jean-Claude Duvalier regime and primary enrollments expanded. Even so, most Hautians dropped out oschool by age 10 years and only 8 percent of the school age children even began secondary school (1982).

Careful, clicking on these will exit you from the Boys' Historical Clothing web site, but several are highly recommended

• Apertures Press New Zealand book: New book on New Zealand schools available
• School Uniform Web Site: Informative review of British school uniforms with some excellent photographs
• British Preparatory Schools: A photographic book depicting life at British preparatory schools during the 1980s. Most of the schools are English or Scottish, but schools in Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and Ulster are also included. The pictures show the uniforms worn at many different schools.
• Information: Information about school uniforms in America

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Created: 3:08 AM 6/10/2008
Last updated: 3:08 AM 6/10/2008