Unidentified Ohio Primary School: Kindergarden Class (1935-36)


Figure 1.-- Kindergardeners began at age 5 years. The class at this unidentified Ohio primary school here was very small, probably because only a few parents signed up. The First Grade class would have been much larger. We are not sure why the children are mostly boys. The boys all wear short pants. One boy wears long stockings even though the weather seems warm.

Kindergardens appeared in America during the late-19th century. It was one of the reformns promoted by the Progressive Movement. Only a few schools established Kindergardens during the early-20th century. Here we see a Kindergarden class at an unidentified Ohio primary school in 1935-36. At the time school throughout the United States primarily began with the First Grade for 6-year olds. Kindergardens were not yet very common amd many schools did not have them. Almost all Kingergardens were a class organized at existing pimasry schools. They were optional for those that did. Also many Kindergardens had half day programs or sometimes alternating days. Ohio passed the School Foundation Program Law in 1935. This provided state funding for public kindergardens. Schools were promised $22.50 for each child enrolled. In addition, the state first set training standards for kindergarten teachers at that time. The children began at age 5 years. The class here was very small, probably because only a few parents signed up. The First Grade class would have been much larger. We are not sure why the children are mostly boys. She seems to fit right in though. Notice the hairbow and smock-like dress. The boys all wear short pants. Older boys wore both knickers and long pants. One boy wears long stockings even though the weather seems warm. Long stockings were declining in popularity during the 1930s, but during the wunter probably more children would have worn long stockings. Note that the boy wearing long stockings is also the only boy wearing old-fashioned high-top shoes. A reader writes, "I notice that four out of the six boys are wearing butoib-pn short pants suits (shorts than button on to their blouse). Three of those boys are wearing belts that conceal the buttons. Since the buttons held the short pants to the shirt, the belt had to be a convention to make the child feel more mature (at least that is the only reason I can think of at the moment)." I think our reader is correct. With a button-on suit, a belt would be purely decorative.

American Kindergardens

Kindergardens appeared in America during the late-19th century. It was one of the reformns promoted by the Progressive Movement. Only a few schools established Kindergardens during the early-20th century. Here we see a Kindergarden class at an unidentified Ohio primary school in 1935-36. At the time school throughout the United States primarily began with the First Grade for 6-year olds. Kindergardens were not yet very common amd many schools did not have them. Almost all Kingergardens were a class organized at existing pimasry schools. They were optional for those that did. Also many Kindergardens had half day programs or sometimes alternating days. Ohio passed the School Foundation Program Law in 1935. This provided state funding for public kindergardens. Schools were promised $22.50 for each child enrolled. In addition, the state first set training standards for kindergarten teachers at that time.

Class

The children began at age 5 years. The class here was very small, probably because only a few parents signed up. The First Grade class would have been much larger. We are not sure why the children are mostly boys. She seems to fit right in though. Notice the hairbow and smock-like dress.

Clothing

The boys all wear short pants. Older boys wore both knickers and long pants. One boy wears long stockings even though the weather seems warm. Long stockings were declining in popularity during the 1930s, but during the wunter probably more children would have worn long stockings. Note that the boy wearing long stockings is also the only boy wearing old-fashioned high-top shoes. Actually, mother probably sent the boy ast the right o school in long stockings, but he has rolled them down. A reader writes, " I think he has rolled down his long stockings. When you see rolled sockings on boys, either below the knee or all the way down to the ankle, it is pretty safe to assume that long stockings are involved. We don't see boys rolling down knee socks as a rule. Of course there could be exceptions, but in this case the size of roll makes long stockings very likely. I recall that when I was a boy and wearing long stockings with shorts, there were a few boys who unfastened their supporters and rolled their stockings down although they knew their parents would not have approved. Some German boys did the same thing, as we know from their personal reports. One reason for rolling long stockings all the way down to the ankle was that they would not stay up as knee socks without the aid of round garters, and boys who wore supporters did not of course have round garters on." Also the solid color suggests long stockings. Knee socks were often loud patterns. Another reader writes, "I notice that four out of the six boys are wearing butoib-pn short pants suits (shorts than button on to their blouse). Three of those boys are wearing belts that conceal the buttons. Since the buttons held the short pants to the shirt, the belt had to be a convention to make the child feel more mature (at least that is the only reason I can think of at the moment)." I think our reader is correct. With a button-on suit, a belt would be purely decorative.









HBC-SU







Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Return to the Main American 1940s page]
[Return to the 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 Related HBC Pages
[Return to the Main country page]
[Sailor suits ] [Button-on styling] [Short pants] [Kneesocks] [Long stockings]
[Ankle socks]



Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Country School Pages
[Return to the Main U.S. individual school 1940s page]
[Return to the Main U.S. individual school 20th century chronology page]
[Return to the Main U.S. Catholic school page]
[Return to the Main National School Uniform Page]
[Australia] [England] [France] [Germany]
[Ireland] [Italy] [Japan] [New Zealand] [Poland] [Singapore] [Scotland]
[Singapore] [United Stsates]



Navigate the HBC School Section:
[About Us]
[Activities] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries] [Debate] [Economics] [Garment] [Gender] [Hair] [History] [Home trends] [Literary characters]
[School types] [Significance] [Transport and travel [Uniform regulations] [Year level] [Other topics]
[Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]






Created: 7:50 AM 3/25/2010
Last updated: 4:01 PM 3/25/2010