|
None of the images we have show what the boys actually wore to their classes. Some photographs are rather formal suggesting they dressed up for them. Others or
informal suggesting that they were taken after classes. We do have one photgraph taken in the dining hall at lunch, suggesting that the boys just came from their classes. This photo shows WRA boys having lunch in the dining hall. This photo is dated 1934. Most seem to be wearing knickers--at least the boy with the tray and the boy seated at table with his back to the camera. Note that some boys are wearing suits while others wear pullover sweaters with shirts and ties. The two boys whose legs we can see both wear patterned knee socks. There are some interesting aspects about school life observable here. First, note the white table cloth and flowers. Clearly the ammenities were observed. Second, notice boys of different ages are sitting together. This would not happen by accident. There was somekind of assigned seating to put these boys together. Perhaps they are in the same boarding house. Three, apparently the younger boys took turns waiting on tables. Earlier many schools would have had hired help to wait on the tables. After World War I schools like this took more democratic appraoches which also were more ecnomical.
None of the images we have show what the boys actually wore to their classes. Some photographs are rather formal suggesting they dressed up for them. Others or informal suggesting that they were taken after classes. We believe that the cafeteria image here is probably a good reflection of classroom dress. Presumably the boys here came directly from their classrooms for lunch. The wear ties with either suit jackets or pull-over seaters. We note another photograph from a similar period of a boy working on a biology project. This probably also reflect normal classroom dress.
We do have one photgraph taken in the dinning hall at lunch, suggesting that the boys just came from their classes. This photo shows WRA boys having lunch in the dining hall. This photo is dated 1934. Most seem to be wearing knickers--at least the boy with the tray and the boy seated at table with his back to the camera. Note that some boys are wearing suits while others wear pullover sweaters with shirts and ties. The two boys whose legs we can see both wear patterned knee socks. There are some interesting aspects about school life observable here. First, note the white table cloth and flowers. Clearly the ammenities were observed. Second, notice boys of different ages are sitting together. This would not happen by accident. There was somekind of assigned seating to put these boys together. Perhaps they are in the same boarding house. Three, apparently the younger boys took turns waiting on tables. Earlier many schools would have had hired help to wait on the tables. After World War I schools like this took more democratic appraoches which also were more ecnomical. A former student tells us, "Yes, I can confirm as a graduate of the school that the dining room image (it wasn't exactly a cafeteria but had boy waiters much of the time)
does represent what the boys wore to class. This is a lunch-time image, I believe, so the boys would not have been able to change from what they had been wearing in class just before lunch. Ties were required for class in the 1930s although sweaters instead of jackets were allowed. Jackets and ties were required at dinner in the evening. Most of the boys wore knickers but not all of them. A few of the older boys wore long trousers. This was not a school rule, but it was a choice of the parents. Most boys came from affluent families who endorsed conservative standards in dress. This meant that most boys didn't get their long pants until about age 16 or 17. But of course there were a few exceptions.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
[The 1990s]
[The 2000s]
Navigate the Relate Boys Historical Clothing Style Pages
[First Communion]
[Confirmation]
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Kneepants]
[Knickers]
[Kneesocks]
[Long stockings]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Button-on clothing]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
[Bangs]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing School Uniform Pages
[Main WRA school page]
[Main National School Uniform Page]
[Australia]
[England]
[France]
[Germany]
[Ireland]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[New Zealand]
[Poland]
[Singapore]
[Scotland]
[Singapore]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
