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United States -- individual schools in St. Joseph Missouri
U.S. School: Unknown School in St. Joseph (Missouri)
Figure 1.--Here we see a large class at unknown school in St. Jpseph, Missouri. The children look to be about 10-11 years old, meaning 5th grade. The boys are all wearing suits, both with and without neckwear. The huge floppyboes worn a decasde eraslier were going out of style. The suits are mostly knee pants suits. At the time knickers were replacing knee pants as standard wear for American boys. We think a few boys are wearing knickers--but this is a little difficult to make out. One boy sports a long pants suit. The girls mostly wera dresses, but we see blouses and skirts as well. The all wear long stockings. We had to crop off some of the girls, but you can see them by clicking here. .
We do not know the name of this primary school, but we know that it was located in St. Joseph, Missouri. St. Joseph is set on the Missour River and played and imprtant role in the settlement of the West. The city know as St. Joe was the jumping off point for the famed Pony Express and an important staging area for the Oregon Trail. Over time the city was largely eclipsed by much larger neraby Kananas City. Their school can be see in the background. It is a a substantial red brick building. We can not make out the slate board that one boy is holding, but the portrait is dated on the back is dated June 1909, meaning the 1908-09 school year. Some 40 children, more girls than boys are lined up in front. This appears to be one very large class because only one teacher is wih them. The children look to be about 10-11 years old, meaning 5th grade. The boys are all wearing suits, both with and without neckwear. The huge floppyboes worn a decasde eraslier were going out of style. Notice that the suits are mostly knee pants suits. This had been the case for several decades. At the time knickers were replacing knee pants as standard wear for American boys. We think a few boys are wearing knickers--but this is a little difficult to make out. One boy sports a long pants suit. The girls mostly wera dresses, but we see blouses and skirts as well. Notice how long stockings, especially black long sdtockings, were virtually universal for both boys and girls. .
