Individual Swiss State Schools: Primary School (1943-45)

Figure 1.--These Swiss boys were photographed about 1943-45. Notice the wide variety of smock colors and styles the boys are wearing. Some are wearing the full size traditional smock while others wear the sleevless pinafore or apron style.

At a Swiss primary school in a French caton about 1943-45 many, but not all of the children wore smocks. All the children at this school are boys. These boys are about 8-9 years. Boys at the school had to wear smocks to age 10, but some older boys wore them as well. Almost all the boys wear smocks, but there are a wide variety of smock styles, shoes, and socks. Al of the boys wear short pants, although that was not a school rule. Presumably the school requires the boys to wear smocks.

Type of School

This is a state primary school. From that school up to secondary school (age 12-19) the rule was boys only (or school for girls only). Only after that, entering university would find girls again! This segregation was abandoned around years 1960-65.

School Rules

Boys at the school had to wear smocks to age 10, but some older boys wore them as well. As far as clothes regulations are concerned, the only rule was compulsory smock (and generally good behaviour including cleanliness of clothes.) They were compulsory up to age 10, then worn by 30 percent of boys until end of primary school.

Clothing Styles

At a Swiss primary school in a French caton about 1943-45 many, but not all of the children wore smocks. All the children at this school are boys. These boys are about 8-9 years. Almost all the boys wear smocks, but there are a wide variety of smock styles, shoes, and socks. Al of the boys wear short pants, although that was not a school rule. Presumably the school requires the boys to wear smocks.

Headwear

HBC has no information on the caps and hats worn by these children.

Jackets

HBC has no information on the caps and hats worn by these children.

Ties

The boys on the whole are dressed rather cassually. Several of the boys, however, have buttoned their collars.

Smocks

All of the boys, except one, wears a smock. The boys wear quite a wide variety of smocks. The most popular type of smock is the simple pinafore/apron style. This style seems to have a front pocker, unlike most of the other styles. HBC believes that usually this style of simple smock was worn by boys who did not wear smocks at home. Almost all of the boys wear solid colored smocks, except for one boy who wears a gingam smock (I think red gingham) and another boys who wears a stripped smock. HBC is unsure as to just what colors the smocks are. Many boys wear the more traditional style of back-buttoning smocks. There are also a few side buttoning smocks. The boys here wear smocks of many colors. There are four black smocks and one black pinafore smocks. All pinafores have their big central pocket for the handkerchief and the usual small treasures of a youg boy. Other pinafore smocks for boys were usually blue. The other smocks, front or back buttoning, were mainly in different shades of blue. A few were grey, white, or pink. The guingham type was usually either red-pink/white or blue/white. I'm not sure what color of ginham the boy in this photograph was wearing.

Short pants

All of the boys at this school wear short pants. Our Swiss contributor tells HBC that shorts were not compulsory, but the boys parents had all selected them. HBC is not sure what these boys would have weorn dfuring the colder winter nonths.

Socks

The boys wear a variety of ankle and kneesocks. The boys wear both ankle and kneesocks. Quite a variety of kneesocks can be seen, from paterened argyles to grey and even white solid colors.One boy wears white kneesocks with single bar strap shoes.

Shoes and sandals

Many of the boys at this school wear sandals--all closed-toe sandals of various design. Several other boys wear English-style "T"-strap or double strap closed-toe sandals. Some boys also wear shoes. One boy wears white kneesocks with single bar strap shoes--presumably black. The boy in the ginham smock reports, "Depending on wheather, usually wore sandals and ankle socks from May to September, otherwise shoes with knee socks."

Exception

The boy without his smock is unexplained. Normally he certainly should have been wearing a smock because it was compulsory. Even more for the special occasion of the class picture where the boys should have been wearing their very best smocks. Our Swiss contributor, who is in the photograph, unfortunately does not remember why the one boy was not wearing his smock. He reports, "I can only presume the boy did some crazy game resulting in such a dirty smock that it was better to take it off for picture!" It is interesting, however, that without his smock that he was still put in the front row. HBC has developed some informatiion about smock regulation and enforcement

Created: December 17, 2000
Last updated: December 187, 2000