Figure 1.--Here we see what most kid look forward all year long--the last day of school and the beginning of summer vacation. This looks like a suburban school in the 1950s. We are not sure just where the photograph was taken. |
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We note a wide range of activities and events at American school. Many are similar to other schools around the world. Other activities are quite destinctive to the United States. American children until recently for the most part did not wear school uniforms. Images of children goung and coming to school and in classes for the most part reflect popular styles and fashion conventions of the era. There were, however, some destinctive clothing for certain activities, especially gym in secondary schools.
A wide range of images show American boys coming to school in the morning and going home after school. Children both walked and took the bus. Many older children, especially after World War II had cars. The various images offer a view as to how children dressed at school over the years. Boys in the ealy 20th century wore suits to go to school. By the 1920s and 30s corduroy knickers wetre common. Boys in rural areas might wear overalls. In the image here we see primary boys and girls celebrating the last day of school and headed home (figure 1). Notice the boys wearing striped "T"-shirts and jeans. This was common school clothes at the times. Most high schools in the 1950s did not allow boys to dress in colarless shirts and jeans.
American classrooms both the children's clothing and yje classrooms themselves have changed significantly over time. We have begun to collect a range of classroom images. We note a Washington, D.C. school in the 1890s.
Access to books both for reading and research is a critical part of the educational process. Early schools had very limited libraries. The large urban schools gradually acquired better book collections. This was very difficult for small rural schools to do. One way of addressing this problem was book mobiles. Here rural students could get some access to books. By the 1920s, urban schools were beginning to develop reasonable libraries. The differences between rural and city schools began to disappear after World War II. Schools systems provided buses so that larger rural schools could be built. Most small one-room or two-room schools were closed. Today the library is a key pat of the school program. Often they are called media centers to relect the many other media besides books that are important in the modern school progeam.
Gym classes were held mostly in secondary schools. Primary schools had recess for the younger children, but gym was less common. Few primary schools had gymnasiums, locker rooms, and gym uniforms. They often did have multi-purpose rooms where a variety of activities were possible, but formal gym programs were not common. These programs were common in secondary schools. Most secondary schools had gym programs with required uniforms. Gym was given a greater emphasis in American than was common in most European countries, perhaps with the exception of Britain. These uniforms varied significantly over time. They were also varied by gender, although in recent years, perhaps since the 1980s, boys and girls uniforms have become more alike.
There was some provision for play at school at the elementary school level. This was primarily at recess, the most popular time of the day for most children. Ideas about recess have changed over time. Some schools had exercise and drill rather than free play. Gradually the children were allowed to play on their own outdoors. Favotite activities varied over time and depending oin the school facilities. Urban schools had play grounds, often paved areas which made for hard falls. Normally the boys and girls divided up as they had very different ideas about recreation. In recent years idead about political correctness have restriced school favorites like didge ball and tag. On rainy days the children had to make do in their classrooms. Here the teachers had to use a little imagination to provide interesting activities. We note the Johnston School in 1919.
A favorite among primary-age children is art class or arts and crafts activities. Here teachers conduct a wide range of activities, depending on theior interesta and school facilities and supplies. Popular activities include clay sculpting, colages, finger painting, painting, paper mache, print making, and much more. Many of these activities are messy and thus there was always the danger of the children messing up their clothes--especvially when painting. Some schools had the children wear smocks. An example here is the Tower Country Day School.
Music is an elective subject that schools have approached in a varirty of ways. It is often ignored or only given modest attention. Others schools give some attention to it. Music is probably a subject that has much more value to the educationl program than is generally recognized. At this time we do not have details on the history of music instruction in the schools. Hopefully HBC readers will be able to add some information on this. We have found some images depicting music in the schools.
Many schools did not have dance programs, but some did. This varied widely from school system to school system. We have very limited information at this time. Nor do we fully understand the chronological trends. Most school systems did provide lessons in social dancing beginning in junior high school. I do not recall dance classes in primary school in the United States during the 1950s, but American schools vary widely from school to school. We believe that some schools did have dance programs. Mot
commonly this was social dancing, but younger children may have done iterperative dance in some schools. I do remember dance lessons in junior hogh school. We did basic social dancing and square dancing in gym class.
School theatricals were another popular activity. We do not know the history of school theatricals, but believe they were important from an early point in the development of American schools. We are not sure when the first school theatricals appeared. We note theatricals in the late 19th century. This was the time when public schools in towns and cities became well established. We suspect that the British influence on American educatin shows in the importance given to school theatricals. These theatricals took various forms. There were formal plays. We suspect that Shakespeare's plays were very important here. Another format was pantomine freezes which were popular in the early 20th century. A good example here is the San Pedro Street Grammar School in 1925.
One important aspect of school life is health services. The crowed conditions and poor sanitation in American cities during the late 19th and early 20 century created a situation that was consusive for the spread of endemic disease. For many children the health services provided at scholol were some of the only medical attention they received. We have little information at this time about school health services. Such programs would have varied from state to state. Public health issues were addressed in the 20th century. The schools are used to ensure that children have received needed vacinations. The schools also detect instances of child abuse. The school health role continues to be an ongoing problem in the United States. America in the 21st century has no national health system, the only modern industrial country without one.
Not all children of course made it to school. Some children decided to play hookey. While away from school boys, and mosdt truants were boys, got up to all kinds of activitities. This was not a problem in the 19th century when school attendance until late in the 19th century was not manditory. With the 20th century, compulsory attendance law became increasingly strict. There were even truant officers to track down the micreants.
Fire is an ever present danger in croded buildings and of course children are a special concern. Thus care has to be taken so that the saff and the children know how to react in case of a fire. Schools regularly stage fire drills. Schools are required to conduct them. We have begun to collect some images here, but so far have very few actual images. After World War II, the Soviets developed an atomic bomb. Schools began conducting Civil Defence bomb drills.
Schools often celebrate major holidays. This has become a little complicated as American becomes more diverse and secular, but until recently all the major holidays were celebrated at school, bith Chrisian holidays and secular holidays. One popular event in the early 20th century was May Day. A good example of a May Day celebration comes from an Indianapolis school in 1929.
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