Figure 1.--This sschool portrait is unadted, but the mount clearly dates it to the 1900s decade. There is mo studio imprint or other accompaning information. Ot looks to us like a small high school. They are shown in what blooks like the auditorium room. The younger children would be about 14-years old. Most of the children would be 14-19 years old. The first American high schools were small because so few childen attended them. in the 19th and early-20th centuries. This was a large cabimnet card, 8" x 10".

Most American children began school at age 6 years. There were some kindergartens for 5 year olds, butb not verybmany. We see also see some younger boys at regular primaries, especially in rural areas where teachers might allow younger brothers and susters to tag along with older siblings. Younger boys just beginning school wore quite a variety of outfit, even outfits with Little Lord Fauntleroy touches. This style was going out of fashion in the 1900s, but we still see some in the early-1900s. We see many younger boys wearing button-on outfits like the boy on the previous page. Blouses with large collars were also common. Sailor suits were a popular choice. Most younger and even tnagers knee pants with long stockings, usally black. We begin to see knickjers at the end of the decade, also worn with long stockings. Many American schools were eiight year elementary schools--1st-8th grade. Most children dud not go beyond these 8 years. Secondary schools meaning high schools existed, This was a 4 year porogram for both 9th-12th grade. Here we see what looks like a small high svhool with the 9-12 th gradev students. It was mostly middle-class children that attended the highh schools m. Attendance was incresing, but was still a minority of children. First day portraits were not as common in America as in Germany, but a wealth of school photography provides derailed information on how chikldren dressed for school in the 1900s decade. As most schools were coeducational we have an extendsive record for both boys and girls.

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Created: 4:16 AM 4/5/2022
Last updated: 4:16 AM 4/5/2022