 Figure 1.--Short pants during the 1970s and 80s tended to be worn at much shorter lengths. Since the 1980s most Scottish boys now wear long pants rather than shorts, but shorts were still worn at quite a number of primary schools. |
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We do not have any historical information on what Scottish boys wore to school during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many schools during that period, especially the state elementary schools, did not require a school uniform. As a result the children came in their regular clothes. Further clues can be obtained by assessing the clothes worn by English boys at the time. It certainly would have been expected for the children to wear more formal clothes than is currently customary. School uniforms in Scotland during the inter-war era appear to have been quite similar to England. Children in satre primary schools did not wear a uniform, but many boys wore caps with suits to school. I'm not sure about state secondary schppls, but assume they had uniforms that paralleled those of Scottish and English public (elete private) schools. I do not know to what extent kilts were worn at public schools. The uniform at Scottish private schools consisted of a blazer, school tie, and short pants. There were major changes in the British educational system after World War II, although the economic devestation of the War prevented the immediate implementation of those changes. Educational opportunity was widened throuhout Britain. The Education Act (Scotland) of 1945 applied the provisions of the Education Act of 1944 to Scotland. It required fewer inovatins to implement in Scotland because many of the reforms such as free secondary education was already availoable in Scotland. School uniforms in Scotland continue to be worn at most schools. There had been few changes in the styles. Elementary boys generaly wear sweaters to school while secondary boys commonly wear black blazers. The few changes that have occurred include caps and short pants. Caps as in England have disappeard. Since the 1980s most Scottish boys now wear long pants rather than shorts.
I do not have any historical information on what Scottish boys wore to school during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Mamy schools during that period, especially the state elementary schools, did not require a school uniform. As a result the children came in their regular clothes. Further clues can be obtained by assessing the clothes worn by English boys at the time. It certainly would have been expected for the children to wear more formal clothes than is currently customary. Whether Scottish boys commonly wore kilts and thus also wore them to school, I do not know. Wearing kilts to school would depend on how common it was for boys to wear the kilt normally. Unfortunately, I have virtually no information on this. Nor do I have any good information on uniform standards at private Scottish schools during the early 20th century. I would, however, be very interested in any historical information visitors to this web site might have.
School uniforms in Scotland during the inter-war era appear to have been quite similar to England. Children in satre primary schools did not wear a uniform, but many boys wore caps with suits to school. I'm not sure about state secondary schppls, but assume they had uniforms that paralleled those of Scottish and English public (elete private) schools. I do not know to what extent kilts were worn at public schools. The uniform at Scottish private schools consisted of a blazer, school tie, and short pants. Uniforms at private Scottish schools were largely identical to English uniforms, but with a few differences. I know less about regulations on school uniforms at state schools. HBC has few images of Scottish school children during this era. Thise we do have suggest that boys generally dressed much like English school boys to the south.
There were major changes in the British educational system after World War II, although the economic devestation of the War prevented the immediate implementation of those changes. Educational opportunity was widened throuhout Britain. The Education Act (Scotland) of 1945 applied the provisions of the Education Act of 1944 to Scotland. It required fewer inovatins to implement in Scotland because many of the reforms such as free secondary education was already availoable in Scotland.
School uniforms in Scotland continue to be worn at most schools. There had been few changes in the styles. Elementary boys generaly wear sweaters to school while secondary boys commonly wear black blazers. The few changes that have occurred include caps and short pants. Caps as in England disappeard. Short pants tended to be worn at much shorter lengths. Even some private secindary schools in the 1970s still had short pnts uniforms. Since the 1980s most Scottish boys now wear long pants rather than shorts, but shorts were still worn at quite a number of primary schools. Some of the more traditional styles were retained at private schools. Many prep schools still had short pants uniforms in the 1980s. Scottish prep schools unlike English schools often had brightly colored kneesocks rather than the traditional grey. Even at these schools, however, by the late 1980s traditional uniform styles had begun to disappear. Caps in particular had become very rare and even prep schools had begun to specify long rather than short pants.
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