Figure 1.--This is a maternelle some place in Algeria. The boys look to be about 5 years old. This is an all boys maternelle, mot were mixed genders. Two boys here have long hair. They are variously dressed in rompers, smocks, and bib-front shorts. The boys were mostly born in 1943 so this portrait was taken about 1948. Some of the boys' names are known: Ernest Pons Jean Katin Lucien Giraut Michel Bruno Nicolas Lubrano Lavadera Gilbert Proto Michel Proto Vincent Pomares Jean Peruffo Roger Teste Jean ? Martin Paulo Burle Gobi ? Ignace Martinez Scala ? René Conessa Paul Autuoro 18 Nicolas Pons Pastor 21 Lucien Ruis 22 Jean Paul Treminio 24 Jean Loup Ivanes 26 Gilbert Palomba Bernard Algarra Mimi Rodriguez Raymond Sanchez Raymond Piedecausa. A reader writes, "Notice that two of the boys wear long hair, one done in ringlets. Also this was an all boy's class. Several of the boys appear to be wearing rompers some quite large others more closely fitting knit style."

The French replicatred the same school system they had in France to Algeria. We see all the the same grades froim materelle on up. The classes were all taught in French with the curriulum set in Paris. The actual clasess vatied over time. And the French left Algeria before the major reforms following the 1968 Paris school riots were implemnented so the old school system was used in Algeria. And the children seem to have dressed very similrly for schools that we see in Framce. The French system developed in the 19th century changed the grade system after 1968. This was part of the educational reforms following the Paris School riots. Under the old system, the French called the classes/grades by the number or the term in descending order. (This was oppsite the American grade system of ascending order.) . This meant 12ème-11éme or CP = child 6 years; 10éme-9éme or CE 1 = child 7 years; 8éme-7éme or CE2 = child 8 years; 6 éme or CM1 = child 9 year; 5 éme = child 10 years; 4 éme = child 11 years; 3 éme = child 12 years; 2 éme = child 13 years; and classe du certifificat d'étude primaire = 14 years. This important diploma don't exist anymore. A French reader tells us, "In my time we referred to the number rather than the letter terms like CP and CE. So I had began school in the 12 ème school program during in October 1949. I was only 5 years old, butbegan school early because I was a prodigy boy. In the old class photographs there is often a slate or card with the grade level indicated. Most children before World War II only went to primary school and never went on to secondary schools. A child would have his Certificat d'étude primaire (" certif ") at 14 years old, some even at 13. The school was made compulsory untill 14 years, but I'm not sure when it was made compulsory. A French reader writes, "To avoid some confusion we used in 1950s quite often the names CP CE CM and so on. Although many old class photo are written with the old number class.

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Created: 3:41 AM 5/8/2012
Last updated: 1:22 PM 2/3/2017