French Boys Clothes: Alain Paul's Schools, 1940s and 50s


Figure 1.--.

Unlike my brother who lived at home, I did not attend a regular primary school. Instead my uncle had me tutored in his house. A few other children were tutored with me. The result was very good. I got an exceptionally good education. I still have some of my school-work. Normaly school was compulsory. Home schooling was not as common as it is today. Once or more per year an inspector came from an academy to assess our academic progress. A note from one of these visits in 1949 read, "Alain Paul prèsente un niveau scolaire acceptable. Il s'exprime bien. Il comprend et parle couramment espagnol." I was 6 years old at the time. As an older boy I attended a private Catholic secondary school.

My Education

I have had not had an exceptional education. Perhaps it is better to say that I did not have an ordinary education. I am thus probably not a typical representative of a French boy growing up at the time. This was especially true when I was young and being tutored. After I moved back home with my parents and started school, my experiences were more ordinary.

Tutoring

Unlike my brother who lived at home, I did not attend a regular school. Instead my uncle had me tutored in his house. A few other children were tutored with me. The result was very good. I got an exceptionally good education. I still have some of my school-work. Normaly school was compulsory. Home schooling was not as common as it is today. I was a bit of a prodigy boy ! French boys began school at 6 after January of the school year. I ws born at the nd of the year. Actually I begam at 5 years. The school was at home, but it was compulsory to study the official program. All children start with the CP. I was able to read quite easily the German and I begam to write. All other boy would have been able to do the alike in same circonstances. I perfectly remember once or twice during the year, a woman of the Academy came to assess our work. She was a bit surprised when my family spoke to me in German and my Nany herself spoke to me in Spanish ! To day still I have got the note-book where a such inscription is written. A note from one of these visits in 1949 read, "Alain Paul prèsente un niveau scolaire acceptable. Il s'exprime bien. Il comprend et parle couramment espagnol." I was 6 years old at the time. Actually it was the cirumstances and the job Fati (my uncle had). Also I was a very well-behaved boy and thus an easy boy to bring up.

Austrain school

I did go to school for a time in Austria during the early 1950s. This was a few years after World War II. No one showed any bad feeling against him. The Austria people were so affraid of the Soviet occupation forces that the Allied presence was welcomed. In the school my classmates knew that I was french, but I was treated just like them. I remember a friend was interrested in the French language. I saw again in 1967 and was very happy, but he had forgoten all his French.

Languages

If I have spoken Spanish very early, it was because my uncle's maid didn't speak French even after living in France for may years. Later I refused to answer in Spanish. The origin of my mother's and uncle's family is from Alsace, so the both spoke fluent German. It is the reason why I speak German well. I do not speak English as well because I only studied it in school. About Germany and Austria I feel very close to these volks. When I was a little boy, my mother and granmother told us some tales in this language or chants. Later when I was 3 years old; my uncle's maid became my nanny. She spoke poor French and asa result usually soke to me in Soanish so quickly I begab understanding Spanish. For some reason I remember that I did not like to answer her in Spanish. I do not know why. I did recite my prayers in Spanish. I have never mixed the three languages . When I was teenager I thought more easily in German than French, but not now as well. What is curious is that I have a slight Austrian accent in German and my Austrian friend a German one! In Spanish I have the Castillan accent which is heard on television. In french I have no accent.

Catholic Secondary School

Many affluent parents avoided the state schools. They chose private Catholic schools because of the higher standards and better discipline. I attended a Paris catholic secondary school beginning in 1956. It was the Ecole St Joseph église de Pantin. They had all sorts of boys. Some were poor, but most came from afluent or at least families living in cimfortable circumstances. The school selected their students from the applications submitted by parents. There was a fee to enter. The disciple was stricter than at a state school. There was more work than at a state school. There was no compulsory uniform. Non of the boys wore smocks, but some of us beginning boys still wore short pants. All the boys dressed neatly. It was compulsory to have clean shoes and clothes and to keep your hair combed.

My first year in secondary school was a bit difficult for me. My parents helped me get into the school because my [acces lever?] was insufficient for a such school At the time, students could choose English or German as a foreign language. My Parents choose German for me. I don't remenber why. As I already knew some German this was very easy for me, but I had to work hard in my other subjects. Later I was one of the best of my class.

Later Life

In 1958 I was admitted as major at "Chambre du Commerce et de l'Indrustrie de Paris" and 1963 at the French Air Force Academy.

My Brother

My brother in the 1950s attended a small private Catholic school in a wealthy district of Paris (17 ème). They had only 4 or 5 classes and ulike my school, a compulsory uniform for all. Most private schools did not require uniforms, but a few did. His school used a private hotel. He wore grey wool short pants with a white shirt without tie, and black leather shoes. He wore ankle socks all round the years except in winter when he wore knee socks. There was no tie and no cap. The collar was worn open. I think the short pants were a Daycron blend rather than pure wool, but I am not sure. He also had a grey cardigan sweater. The boys could choose between short or long pants. Most boys wore a blue coat and he also had one. The coat was, however, not compulsory. The school insisted on a uniform until about 1970. Many French schools which had maintained uniforms changed the schools regulations at his time--one of the consequences of the 1968 Paris school riots.


Aalain








HBC





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Created: December 30, 2001
Last updated: December 24, 2003