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Some boys still wore knickers to school at the beginning of the 1940s, but they very rapidly going out of styles. We see boys wearing them with ankle socks rather than knee socks. Mostly we see dark banded ankle socks. Both boys and girls wore them. After the onset of the War (December 1941) the became increasingly rare, but did not entirely disappear. We still see younger boys wearing short pants. This varied regionally. Shorts were most common in southern states with warmer climate. There were also social class differences. Shorts were more common with more affluent families. We begin to see the differential between city and rural schools disappearing. The 1940s include the World War II years (1941-45). In many countries clothes and fashions were affected by the War, not so much in America where rationing was minimal. The War may have played a role in the disappearance of knickers. And rubber was no longer available for sneakers. After World War II we largely see city and rural kids dressing alike. Many rural parents go jobs in the cities. School districts around the country were closing small rural schools and busing rural children into consolidated schools located in towns. We no longer see many boys wearing overalls ion the 40s. Short pants gradually became less common even for younger boys. I began school in Washington, D.C. (1949) and recall wearing jeans to school. I don't recall boys wearing shorts. We all wore leather shoes to school. We had Keds to wear for play, but for some reason not to school. The girls wore a range of shoes, oxfords like the boys, but also strap shoes and sandals. Boys did not wear sandals, especially to school. I recall my brother when he entered high school a year later wasn't allowed to wear jeans. They were allowed in primary (elementary) schools, but not many secondary schools. All the boys in my elementary (primary) school wore long pants. Not everyone wore jeans, but it was very common. There were jeans with flannel lining for fall and winter wear. The girls all wore dresses, no long or short pants. While I don't recall seeing short pants at my school, the photograph record shows that at many schools some younger boys did wear shorts. This varied from school to school, primarily on a chronological and regional basis. For some reason we do not fully understand, we see many more boys wearing shorts in the early 1940s, but fewer in the later-40s. And we see more boys wearing shorts in the South as wall as California. This was both play and casual shorts as well as short pants suits, very few boys by the time were wearing suits to school.
There were some major chronological changes during the the 1940s decade at both primary and secondary schools. Some were related to the outbreak of World war II (1939) and American entry into the War (1941). At the turn of the 1940s, many primary boys were wearing short pants, especially the younger boys. We also see some knickers. By the end of the decade both short pants and knickers were rare and most boys, even the younger boys were wearing long pants. The decline of knickers was understandable, it was an observable trend in the 1930s. We are less sure as to why short pants declined in popularity. The trends toward casual clothing at school continued in the 1940s. And jeans by this time were becoming very common in primary schools, but not in the secondary schools (high school). More children continued to enroll in high schools. While increasingly popular in primary schools, jeans were not allowed in many high schools. While I don't recall seeing short pants at my school, the photograph record shows that at many schools some younger boys did wear shorts. This varied from school to school, primarily on a chronological and regional basis. For some reason we do not fully understand, we see many more boys wearing shorts in the early 1940s, but fewer in the later-40s. And we see more boys wearing shorts in the South as wall as California. This was both play and casual shorts as well as short pants suits, very few boys by the time were wearing suits to school. Quite a few boys have suspenders. The girls mostly wear dresses, a few wear suspender skirts. One seems to be wearing pants, at the time rather rare.
Some boys still wore knickers to school at the beginning of the 1940s, but they very rapidly going out of styles. We see boys wearing them with ankle socks rather than knee socks. Knee socks were going out of style for boys. Mostly we see dark banded ankle socks. Both boys and girls wore them. After the onset of the War (December 1941) knickers became increasingly rare, but did not entirely disappear. Short pants gradually became less common even for younger boys. I began school in Washington, D.C. (1949) and recall wearing jeans to school. I don't recall boys wearing shorts. We all wore leather shoes to school. We had Keds to wear for play, but for some reason not to school. The girls wore a range of shoes, oxfords like the boys, but also strap shoes and sandals. Boys did not wear sandals, especially to school. I recall my brother when he entered high school a year later wasn't allowed to wear jeans. They were allowed in primary (elementary) schools, but not many secondary schools. All the boys in my elementary (primary) school wore long pants. Not everyone wore jeans, but it was very common. There were jeans with flannel lining for fall and winter wear. The girls all wore dresses, no long or short pants.
We still see younger boys wearing short pants. This varied regionally. Shorts were most common in southern states with warmer climate.
There were also social class differences. Shorts were more common with more affluent families.
We begin to see the differential between city and rural schools disappearing. After World War II we largely see city and rural kids dressing alike. Many rural parents go jobs in the cities. School districts around the country were closing small rural schools and busing rural children into consolidated schools located in towns. We no longer see many boys wearing overalls ion the 40s.
The 1940s include the World War II years (1941-45). Americans were determined to stay out of World War II as it developed in Europe and Asia (1937-39). But as Trotsky explained, "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." Isolationists refused to understand the danger or make preparations. Fortunately, President Rooisevelt understood the danger and began to prepare. Ultimately, the Japanese carrirr attack on Pearl Harbor thrust a stunned America into the War (1941).
American schools were unaffcted by the War until the Japanese attack. In many countries clothes and fashions were affected by the War, not so much in America where rationing was minimal. The War may have played a role in the disappearance of knickers. And rubber was no longer available for sneakers, but unlike other countruies there was an industrial expansion that ended the Depression and American families were geberally better off during the War. Many young men went into the military,. but those that did not go into the services had their pick of well paing jobs with war industries. And many mothers entered the work force. The Depression was finally over. School children durung the war were well fed and clothed. The dric=ve fir war bonds was a major effirt. At school, chikldren boufgt war stamos with their nickels and dimes.
The Cold War really began with the Bolshjevik Revolution in Russia (1917). Most Americans were unaware of what as happening in the Soviet Union. Even the horific Soviet engineered famine in Ukraine was not widely reported. But the Shiw Trials were. Stalin joned with Hitler to launch World War II by invading Poland (1939). Stalin also wanted to join the Axis. He only changed sides when Hitler hurled the German fiorces into the Soviet Union (1941). Attitudes toward the Sioviet Uniin changed as the Red Army played a central role in destroying the NAZI regime. Manby Americans began thinking of the Soviets as an ally. This changed dramatically as Stalin imposed NKVD police ductatiorships on occupied Eastern European countries. This and the Berlin Blockade changed American attitudes (1948). Mos authors date the Cold War from the Berlin Blokade. The Sivuiets tsted theuir first atomic bomb (1948). School children wiould soon begin doing Duck and Cover drills (1952).
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