Figure 1.--These Scottish boys are relaxing after their classes. They wore continuing wearing the basic classroom uniform after classes, but were allowed to take off their ties. |
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There are a wide range of activities conducted at school, both inside and outside the classroom. Many of these activities required a specaialized uniform or sports gear. Scottish schools, especially the private schools probably had more elaborate uniforms and specialized schoolwear than any other country. The school regulations varies over time and among the many different types of schools. Many schools had a dress uniform worn on Sunday or special school events. During regular school days a less elaborate uniform was worn. At some schools boys would come to schools in their blazers, but just wear their jumpers while in class. Many boarding chools only had boys wear their blazers as needed. This was especially the case of the preparatory schools so the younger boys did not ruin their blazers.
Many schools had a dress uniform worn on Sunday or special school events. During regular school days a less elaborate uniform was worn. Here the regulations varied over time. At some prep schools the only difference was a white rather thana grey shirt and lace-up shoes rather than sandals. Some other schools had more elaborate dress uniforms such as suits rather than blazers.
Regulations on the traveling uniform varied from school to school. Most schools with uniforms wanted to put their best face forward and had definite rules on how the boys should be dressed in public when coming to school. This was also the case whn taking school trips. This was especially true of private schools. State primary schools, even those with uniforms, usully did not have blazers. Many other schools did have blazers. At some schools boys would come to schools in their blazers, but just wear their jumpers while in class or shirts in the warm weaher. This included the boarding schools with day boys. The baorders often did not wear their blazers much, only on Sunday and other special days. Most schools required the boys to dress up in their blazers when taking school trips or when traveling at the beginning and end of term. Caps were also required although by the 1980s they had been dropped at many schools.
State primary schools, even those with uniforms, often did not have blazers. Many other schools did have blazers. Boys at many schools wore just their jumpers and not their blazers during the school day. Here regulations varied from school to school. Many prep schools had the boys put away their blazers. Secondary schools were more likely to leave it up to the individual boy. During the warm summer term boys just would wear their shirts with or without ties. At many schools wearing the jumper or not was up to the individual boy. There were more commonly rules about the blazer. Many schools required ties, but some did not require them during the warm summer term. Again regulations varied from school to school. Most boarding schools had the boys wear the regular school uniform after classes in the evening. At some boarding schools the children could change out of their uniforms after classes, but this was not the most common convention. Most schools had boys wear a jumper, tie, shirt, grey shorts, grey kneesocks, and shoes or sandals, but there were many variations. One popular variation was a corduroy uniform with a lumber-jacket and cord shorts.
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Some class room activities like art or science might require some sort of protective gear.
Some schools had special playwear so boys would not get their uniforms dirty when playing outdoors in their free time. Here boiler suits and wellies were commonly used.
Some secondary schools had Cadet units. Let us not assume that military training for boys is peculiar to the old Soviet Bloc countries. The idea of preparing school children for war may in fact be the British cadet program, although HBC does not have avery complete understanding of the program yet. The English program does appear to have been functioning in England during World War I (1914-18), just when the prigram began I do not yet know. Presumably it was the genesis for cadet program in colonial countries like Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. One British contributor reports, "I was trained at school from the age of 13 in military skills, including combat training, firing automatic weapons etc. although not compulsory, pressure was applied by the school to conform and few demurred. This was in Britain in the mid 1970s and is still going on."
All British schools, especially the private schools, are known for their active sports program. School sports in Scotland are very similar to school sports in England. Many schools had a general gym uniform used for a wide variety of sports and athletics. Most schools had a gym uniform for a variety of acttivities. In addition to the the gym uniform, there were also sports uniforms for rugby, football, and cricket. The private schools had elaborate sports uniforms. This was true of both the public and prparatoy schools. Part of the ehos of the public school was an emphasis on sport and even boys of limited ability were encouraged to participate. Sports were not as emphasized in state school, but we note that even state primary schools had some sports teams. We are not sure how common this was. We notice boys doing gymnastics in 1961. The white boxer shorts that the gymnastics used were also commonly used for a gum uniform.
School sports are perhaps the most widely known non-academic school activities. Schools sponsor, however, a wide range of other activities, including basketry, carpentry, chess, choir, computers, cooking, debate, dramatics, electronics, fishing, model building, music, railroading, rilfelry, and much more. The activities offer depend in part on the type of school. Some of these activities are associated with the academic program. Other activies are extra-curricular activities which are given varying degrees of emphasis at different schools. Some of these events required some specialized gear. The boys for others more associated with classroom activities commonly just wore their everyday school uniform. Some classess such as sciuence or art may require some sirt of smock or protective clothing.
Many schools sponsored youth group units. The most common were Boy Scout Cub Packs or Scout Troops. Some schools, especially Church schools, may have also sponsored other groups such ads the Boys' Brigade or the Church Lads. These groups, however were more commonly sponsored by Churches than schools. We notice some of these units were particularly well uniformed.
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