Figure 1.--Here we cee a CEP class at the Ecole Gambetta in 1959-60. For somereasons there seem to be two teachers. We are not sure what CEP means. We note CP and CE classes, but we are not sure about CEP classes. They look like the older boys at the school. Hoefully our French readers will explain what CEP means.

We note school photographs of classes from different grade (form) levels at the Ecole Gambetta. We notice all the different grade levels from maternelle through CM2. The boys in these different grades wore a wide range in outfirs which varied both by age and chroolgically. We also note a difference seasonally with more boys wearing short pants in the war werather. Kneesocks were not very common, exceopt when worn with knickers.

Maternelle

French nursery schools seem to have been mostly included as part of primary schools (ecoles). I'm not sure just how common this was, but we note many schools in both Algeria and France that had nursery schools. The image here is the nursery school class in 1948 which is made up of both boys and girls. Most of the children wear smocks, but they apparently not required and not all of the boys wore them.

Cours Préparatoire (CP)

Cours Préparatoire was commonly referred to as CP. This was the entry level class in primary school The children began at age 6. We notice CP classes that are all boys. We do not know if there were also sepasrate classes for the girls or if the girls in nursery school went to another school for primary classes. Many of the boys in CP wore smocks. We see quite a number of different colors and smocks worn by the boys. There was clearly no requirement as many boys are not wearing them. Most of the boys are wearing short pants.

Cours Elémentaire (CE1 and CE2)

Cours élémentaire was commonly referred to as CE. Unlike CP, there were two classes, CE1 and CE2. We have a photograph from one class, the CE1 class in 1957. These boys would have been about 8 years old. Maby of the boys wear smocks, again in several diffwerent styles. Many of the boys wear long rather than short pants. Here we think seasonality is a factor. Many of the boys not wearing smocks are dressed warmly.

Cours Moyen (CM1 and CM2)

These were the younger boys at the school. French primary schools also included cours moyen. The Ecole Gambetta had both CM1 and CM2 classes. We not boys wearing a wide range of clothing. Most boys woreshort or long pants. We note boys also wearing knickers in the 1940s and early 50s. Some boys also wore smocks, but not as commonly as the younger boys.

CEP

We notice a CEP class here in 1959 (figure 1). We are unsure just what CEP stood for and how the CEP level fit into the French school system. We think this may mean Certificat d'etude primaire. What we are unsure about is if this was a separate year of studies or if this was simply the boys from CM2 that actually graduated and received their certificates. They look to be older boys. Most of the boys here wear long pants, but some wear shorts. Knickers are no longer worn in the late 1950s. None of these boys wear smocks. A French reader tells us, "CEP meant Certificat d'étude primaire. It was a exam for the children 13-14 years old who were unable to continue their education on to secondary school." Note there are a few more Algerian children here than in the class photographs. Another French reader tells us, "After the CM2, the children which do not go on to secondary school might enter in the Fin d'étude 1ère année and then Fin d'étude 2 ème année. Aat the end of this class the pupil had to pass a exam called the CEP. This exam was quite complicated. This diploma was very often ask for the job and means that the child can correctly write French, can read and had basic mathematical knownedge. French history was also in this program. For girls, knitting, sewing and children care were also included.