Figure 1.--Many English schools had rules about when boys could wear short pants. It is not always apparent what those rules were.

The controversy over pants styles was also a major issue. American schools for years banned jeans. Curiously while British boys in the 1970s at some schools were arguing to be allowed to wear long pants, some American boys were asking for the right to wear shorts. Schools have had various ways of assessing the proper length or who could wear longs. In most cases it was by grade or form, but in some cases by age or even height. Schools and students have also disagreed over the length of the short pants. Schools have had rules in some cases prohibiting to long or to short shorts or other details such as material.

Long Pants

Boys in the 19th century commonly went to school in long pants until the 1870s when kneepants became the standard dress for boys. In England knickers were widely worn until after the turn of the century when boys began wearing short pants. About this time American boys began wearing knickers. Long pants were not worn by American schoolboys until the 1920s when highschool boys began wearing them. Primary boys mostly wore knickers until World War II (1939-45) when more and more boys began wearing long pants. There were no school rules on the pants, it was simply up to the parents. Many schools in the 1950s began adopting school rules, mostly requiring bouys to wear long pamts. In Europe, long pants did not become widesopread until the 1969s, although many Britsh schools still insisted on shorts into the 1980s. School rules were often enforced in England, but less commonly on the Continent.

Short Pants

Pants were a hotly debated issue in the 1960s and 70s. Ameican boys wanted permission to wear jeans rather than more formal slacks. English boys wanted to wear long pants. Many schools, both state and private schools, had regulations requiring boys to wear short pants. Regulations varied, however, from school to school. Subsequently boys began to complain about school regulations requiring them to wear long pants during the hot summer weather. One American reports, "I live in Texas and we start school mid-August when the temperature is 100°+. The school board just banned shorts at the high school. The high school is composed of 10 buildings that are not connected by any hallways in any sort. So, you're walking around outside in dress shirts and full-length slacks/jeans in 100°+ weather. See where the problem comes in? Of course, this is the same school district that is promising to teach a secular bible study class, so, you know.

Created: April 16, 2000
Last updated: June 7, 2001