Figure 1.--This is a school portrait from Constantine in colonial Algeria taken in 1936-37. Note both Algerian and French headwear. Quite a few boys wearet berets and several boys wear fezes. One boy looks to wearing a Caucasian cossak hat. In later images the Algerian styles like the fez were never worn, probably reflecting French attitudes during the war for independence. Notice the French boys in front all wear short pants, including one boy in a smock. (The boy in the smock looks to be wearing long stockings thst have been turned down.) At the extreme right, however, the Algerian boy in a fez wears long pants. We are not sure how the French and Algerian boys viewed each others clothing.

HBC does not yet have detailed information on Algerian schools. Most of our informaion on Algeria comes from the colonial era. France was the colonial power. The French introduced the first schools in Algeria. Until the arrival of the French, education in Algeria was very limited. There was some limited education conducted through the mosques, but the curriculum was largely limited to reading Arabic and memorization of Koranic texts. Education in French controlled Algeria followed trends in metroploitan France. Thus secular schools were opened with high European standards. These schools were open to Algerians, but many Algerian parents were suspicious of what was being taught. Thus few Algerians away from the coastal cities attended the French schools. This was especilly true for Algerian girls. Algerians fought a long and brutal war during the 1950s and early 60s, at times looking more like a civil war, to achieve independence. We have acquired some images from European schools that existed in the country before independence. The school uniform styles reflect the clothing worn by contemporary European boys. We believe at one time smocks were widely worn in Algerian schools, but have few details on modern Algerian schools.

Chronology

The only schools in Algeria for centuries were schools associated with mosques. Only boys could be educated and the numbers taught in the Islamic schools were very small. This was the case into the 19th century. It is part of the reason the Arab world was so backward, essentially caught in time, unchnged for centures. France was the colonial power. The French introduced the first secular schools in Algeria. Until the arrival of the French, education in Algeria as very limited. There was some limited education conducted through the mosques, but the curriculum was largely limited to reading Arabic and memorization of Koranic tects. Education in French controlled Algeria followed trends in metroploitan France. Thus secular schools were opened with high European standards. These schools were open to Algerians, but many Algerian parents were suspicious of what was being taught. Thus few Algerians away from the coasyal cities attended the French schools. This was especilly true for Algerian girls. Algerians fought a long and brutal war during the 1950s and early-60s, at times looking more like a civil war, to achieve independence. We have not yet been able to acquire much information on schools in independent Algeria.

Educational Standards

Garments

We believe at one time smocks were widely worn in Algerian schools. School portraits show children wearing smocks in many schools, but usually only axfewcof the children. Our infornmation is, however, still very limited. We have few details on modern Algerian schools.

Individual Schools

We do not yet have a lot of information on individul Algeriann schools. We do note one unidentified school, perhaps in Algiers during 1951.

Sources

Ehert, Christopher. The Civilizations of Africa: a History to 1800 (University of Virginia Press, 2002).

Ruedy, John. Modern Algeria: The Origins and Development of a Nation (Bloomington: Indiana University Press: 2005).

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