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French School Trend Chronology: Late 19th Century


Figure 1.--This 1897 portrait shows the boys at a small rural primary school. Notice that smocks are worn by mostly the younger boys. Two boy in front have rather fancy smocks. Many boys have shaved heads. A few boys wear bows. We see only one older boy in the back row wearing a smock. None of the smocks appear to be belted. To learn more about the school, click on the image. 

The major event affecting French education schoolwear was the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). The Emperor Napoleon III's disastrous loss in the war cost him the crown and paved the way for the Second Republic. The northern provinces of Alsace Loaraine were lost to the Germans. The decision to require French boys and girls to wear school smocks was a decision implemented by French authorities during the 1870s. The smock was in keeping with the Republican sensibilities of the day. I'm not sure if this increased the number of schools that had military uniforms. One French contributor to HBC reports that the catistrophic defeat by the Germans fomented a desire for revenge. He reports this explains why military touches, like a waist belt was often added to school smocks and worn over the smock with no apparent utilitarian purpose. HBC has noted French schoolboys in military style uniforms at the turn of the 20th century. We do not that a substantial number of boys in French schools in the late 19th century had shaved heads or very close hair cuts. The Third Republic did further promote public education and increasing numbers of French children attended school. We have few images from the 1870s and 80s in our archives. Images we have collected from the 1890s show great variations from school to school, showing that there were no nation-wide regulations being enforced. Some images show large numbers of boys wearing smocks, while other images show only a few younger boys wearing them. Quite a few boys wear outfits with some sailor styling. HBC is still confused as to what the regulations were and when they went into effect.

Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War is the 1870-71, conflict between France and Prussia that permitted the unification of a united Germany under the Prussian kingdom, overwealming the more liberal traditions of some other German states. The War was largely provoked by Chancellor Otto von Bismarck (the Iron Chancellor) as part of his carefully crafted plan to unify German under Prussian leadership. This result was a huge, poweful state imbued with Prussian militarism and with the power to aggressively persue the new Germany's imperial ambitions. This fundmentally changed the European power ballance. The resulting defeat of Louis Napoleon by the Prussians in 1870 brought the Third Republic to power in 1871. One of the reforms they introduced were smocks for schoolboys, part of the new Republican ideal to reduce the influence of class and privlidge. The two northeastern provinces of France, Alsace-Loraine, were ceded to Germany in the Treaty of Frankfurt. These were both border provinces and there were already large numbers of German-speakers in both provinces, especially Alsace. The population was, however, largely French orientened--even some of the German families. The loss to France was so heart-felt in France that it almost made another war inevitable. One impact on boys' clothing was that when the Third Republic in 1871 mandated smocks in French schools, Alsace-Loraine were no longer part of France.

Third Republic Educational Reforms

The Third Republic did further promote public education and increasing numbers of French children attended school. The Third Republic initiated major educational reforms. Guizot Law of 1833 had brought the first public schools. The Ferry laws significantly expanded the public school movement and made primary education compulsory and free for children from 6-13 uears of age. It also made public schools secular (1881-82). The Catholic church was excluded from public primary education. And unlike the Guizot Law, there was a major increaase in funding bringing public schools to all but the smalles villages. As a result, the vast number of boy of all classes began attending school. Thanks to a large budget, the number of elementary schools is growing rapidly in France, and more and more children are attending school. And the desire to prepare the youngest children for primary education and to aid working mothers led to the creation of pre-schools and kindergartens for children aged 2-5 years (1885). . More attention were given to recruitment and training of teachers. Teachers are increasingly competent and better. Teaching metods are imprived (especially the teaching of reading in the early years). While the military uniforms suggest that the schools were run like military schools and thus helped to militarize French society, we have liittle information on the actual nature of French education. Certainly the schools stressed patriotism and anti-German feeling. They must have also stressed the duty to reclaim the lost province of Alscace-Loraine. We do not know, however, to what extent the academic program and discipline instilled militarism in French youth. French academicians give increasing attentiin to childhood as a distincr phase in human development. More is learned about child care and pediactrics. Scholars debate educational methods and curiculum.

School Clothing

We have few images from the 1870s and 80s in our archives. Images we have collected from the 1890s show great variations from school to school, showing that there were no nation-wide regulations being enforced. Some images show large numbers of boys wearing smocks, while other images show only a few younger boys wearing them. Quite a few boys wear outfits with some sailor styling. HBC is still confused as to what the regulations were and when they went into effect.

School smocks

The decision to require French boys and girls to wear school smocks was a decision implemented by French authorities during the 1870s. The smock was in keeping with the Republican sensibilities of the day. A view of French schoolboys was painted by Marie Bashkirtseff in 1884 giving us a good idea of schoowear.

Military uniforms

I'm not sure if this increased the number of schools that had military uniforms. One French contributor to HBC reports that the catistrophic defeat by the Germans fomented a desire for revenge. He reports this explains why military touches, like a waist belt was often added to school smocks and worn over the smock with no apparent utilitarian purpose. HBC has noted French schoolboys in military style uniforms at the turn of the 20th century. We do not that a substantial number of boys in French schools in the late 19th century had shaved heads or very close hair cuts.

Clothing Catalogs and Fashion Magazines

French clothing catalogs and fashion magazines show that French school boys wore a wide variety of uniform styles. Almost always the unifirms have long pants. One catalog in 1899 shows the range of different styles worn.

Portraits

We have several portraits od French schoolboys taken in the 19th century. Unfortunately, most are not dated or identified. The first such portraits we have noted appear in the mid-19th century, although we are not positive when French school boys began wearing military uniforms. Some of these uniforms may have been for actual military schools, most were uniforms for regular secondary schools. Manyn different styles were involved. Apparently each school could select the style. We are nokt sure to what exyent there were Government regulations about these uniforms. The practice appears to have continued through World War I. Aftervthe War, military uniforms were dropped at most French schools, apparently a reaction to the horrs of war.






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Created: March 17, 2002
Last updated: 6:00 PM 9/8/2019