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Major changes were observable in American schoolwear during the 1930s. The most observable difference was that it was becoming much less common for primary-level boys to wear suits and ties to school, although there were some schools where suits were expected. and we still see some worn where they were not expected. Suits were worn at private schools or some primary schools in better neighborhoods. They were also still commonly worn secondary schools, especially by the older boys. Boys in primary school dressed in short pants or knickers, often with sweaters. Usually only the yojunger boys wore shorts although there were some regional differences. There were also social class diiferences. Boys in the South or from well-to-do families were more likely to wear short pants. There were also seasonal differences. One of the most popular style in the 1930s was corduroy knickers. Knickers were the dominant pants at the beginning of the decade, but steadily declined in popularity as the decade progressed. We see more and younger boys weaing long pants. One observable change was that long stockings declined in popularity. Most boys wearing knickers in the 1930s wore them with knee socks, often with loud patterns. Long pants gradually became more common during the 30s, even for younger boys. So we see many primary boys wearing long pants by the end of the decade. Girls continud to wear dresses or skirts with blouses. While we see fewer suits, children were expected to dress properly for school. Neither boys or girls wore jeans which were beginning to become popular as playwear, especially with boys as a result of movie westerns. Girls wear was strongly affected by Shirley Temple who grew up during the decade. America endured the Depression throughout the 1930s. Many children had only three sets of clothing. One for school, another for play, and an outfit for special occasions. The play outfit was commonly the old school outfit. Money was tight and many parents were hard-pressed to buy new clothes. Hand-me-downs were commonly worn. The Depression did affect schools in another way. More teenagers attended high school because jobs were so hard to find. There continued to be substantial differences between school wear in the city and rural areas. Many boys in rural areas and even some girls wore overalls to school. They also often cane to school barefoot in warm weather. This was most common in the South. Poorer children might wear clothes made from feed sacks or cut-down adult clothing. Flat caps were still worn in the early-30s, but quickly declined in popularity. For cold weather children wore wool coats. Headwear included stocking caps or felt caps with earflags and chinstraps--especially in the North. Boys were increasingly wearing sneakers for play. We rarely see boys wearing sandals to school like the ones worn in Europe. They were, however, popular for girls. Children did not commonly wear sneakers to school, although we see some poor children wearing them.
Major changes were observable in American schoolwear during the 1930s. The most observable difference was that schoolwear was becoming more informal. It was becoming much less common for primary-level boys to wear suits and ties to school, although there were some schools where suits were expected. And we still see some boys wearing suits where they were not expected. Suits were worn at private schools or some primary schools in better neighborhoods. They were also still commonly worn secondary schools, especially by the older boys. The youngest boys in primary school might dress in short pants. Most boys wore knickers and by the end of the decade long oants, often with sweaters when the weather turned cool. Usually only the yojunger boys wore shorts although there were some regional differences. There were also social class diiferences. Boys in the South or from well-to-do families were more likely to wear short pants. There were also seasonal differences. One of the most popular style in the 1930s was corduroy knickers. Knickers were the dominant pants at the beginning of the decade, but steadily declined in popularity as the decade progressed. We see more and younger boys weaing long pants. One observable change was that long stockings declined in popularity. Most boys wearing knickers in the 1930s wore them with knee socks, often with loud patterns. Long pants gradually became more common during the 30s, even for younger boys. So we see many primary boys wearing long pants by the end of the decade. Girls continud to wear dresses or skirts with blouses. While we see fewer suits, children were expected to dress properly for school. Neither boys or girls wore jeans which were beginning to become popular as playwear, especially with boys as a result of movie westerns. Girls wear was strongly affected by Shirley Temple who grew up during the decade. America endured the Depression throughout the 1930s. Many children had only three sets of clothing. One for school, another for play, and an outfit for special occasions. The play outfit was commonly the old school outfit. Money was tight and many parents were hard-pressed to buy new clothes. Hand-me-downs were commonly worn. There continued to be substantial differences between school wear in the city and rural areas. Many boys in rural areas and even some girls wore overalls to school. They also often cane to school barefoot in warm weather. This was most common in the South. Poorer children might wear clothes made from feed sacks or cut-down adult clothing. Flat caps were still worn in the early-30s, but quickly declined in popularity. For cold weather children wore wool coats. Headwear included stocking caps or felt caps with earflags and chinstraps--especially in the North. Boys were increasingly wearing sneakers for play. We rarely see boys wearing sandals to school like the ones worn in Europe. They were, however, popular for girls. Children did not commonly wear sneakers to school, although we see some poor children wearing them.
The Depression did affect schools in another way. More teenagers attended high school because jobs were so hard to find. Before the 1930s, most children ended their education with primary school. Middle-class children commonly went to secondary school, but it was not common among working-class and many rural families.
We note reports that in the prosperous 1920s there were a record number of schools and expanded construction of new schools. School construction slowed down notably in the 1930s Depression years.
We still see many small, rural one-room schools in the 1920s. It was still the era of the one room school house. We begin to see school consolidation kick end during the 1930s. Depression era budgets were tight and consolidation was a wayh to save money. School systems began closing one-room schools in isolated areas and replace them with larger consolidated schools.
Larger schools mean more facilities, in both primary and secondary schools.
We see private school boys still wearing coats and ties, but this was no longer very common at public schools. Boys were dressing increasingly casually for school, especially by the end of the decade. Knickers were still quite common at the beginning of the decade, but much less so by the end. Some primary boys wore short pants, especially the younger boys. This varied a good bit regionally and by social class. Knee socks were becoming less common for boys. Overalls were still worn in fural areas. Almost all of the girls wear dresses, often will puffed sleeves. Some girls wears skirts with blouses that had puffed sleeves.. Some children still came to school barefoot.
Beginning with the rarliest years of the American republic. This began with the Northwest Ordiunance. Public education was a priority at time when few countries had public school systems. Despite this well-established histry, we find idealogues determined to undermine the nobility of the Unites States and th positive role of free market capitalism. We see nonsensical posts without a bit of evidence like this, "During the 1910s and 1920s education in the US was something that the American businesses rallied for. They wanted the government to encourage education, especially the high schools as all the skilled labor required for business came from the education system in the country run by the goverment. But the Great Depression in the 1930s changed the outlook completely. Businesses no longer needed more skilled people and instead were opposed to the government funding education as it required resources that were collected as taxes from the businesses. Businesses instead wanted tax breaks and were intent on reducing the money that went towards education. Schools were intended to be only for the elite as they would run the businesses and the labor had no need for skills that they gained at school. This led to the shutdown of schools on a large scale, especially those for the non-whites as education was no longer considered important for the work they were to do." Not only does the poster provode no evidencnce, but he simply lies about American education. Statistics compiled by the U.S. Federal Government, for exmple, show that non-white school enrollment was steadily rising throuughout the 1930s and by the end of the decade were closer to white levels thn any time in history. [NCES, p. 6.] And he gives a fall impressionabout taxes. Tax rates duing the New Deal were increased to unprecedented levels.
Most American schools in the 1930s were integrated as can be readily seen in school portraits such as the school here (figure 1). Schools in the South and a few other states like Kansas were segreagated with Black children attending separte schools. The suoreme Court had ruled that this was constitutioinal in Plessy vs. Fergusson (1896). The court ruling was based on aeparate, but equal doctrine. The segregated Black schools, however,were nything but equal. The facilities and per-pupil spening was grossly uequal. And the southern states were much slower tpo pass mandatory school attendance laws. Segregation was not a major issue in the 1930s. The major civil rights issue was a movement to stop lynching by passing a Federal Anti-Lynching law. Mrs. Roosevelt promoted the idea. President Rosevelt, dependant on southern Congressmen for hus New Deak program and later defene spending as NAZI Germany rearmed, held back from endorsing the legislation. Two very important trends, however, were at olay in the 30s that would undermine segregation. First, large numbers of rural southern Blcks were moving north to the industril cities of the Midweat and Northeat where they would attend integrated schools--the Great Migration. Second, President Roosevelt began appointing liberal-minded judges. A process that President Truman continued. Between them they would reshape the Federal judiciary which would strike down the Jim Crow segragtion system (1940s-60s). While school attenance data is readily available, what is not available is data on academic achievement. We know that Black segregated schools in the South were poorly funded and many Black childrn were able to complete their educatiins foir financial reasons. What we do not know is the academic level of the children coming out of those schools. We believe that few children finnushing 8th grade were functionally illiterate which is tragically the case og many Black children even graduafing from moden high schools (12th grade). We are not aware of a detailed academic study assessing academic achievemnt in segregatd and modern schools. Perhaps readers will be able to porovide some insights here.
There was still a huge differences in the 1930s betweem rural and urban schools. It might as well been a different country. This is clerly documented by the huge photographic record of school photography. You can always tell rural schols because of the number of boys wearing overalls. This was not the case in the 19th century. Overalls existed, but we do not see them being worn to school. Parents thought that children should dress up a bot for school. For reasons we do not fully understand, boys did not begin wearing overalls to school until the late-1900s. By the 1910s, oberalls were almost a uniform at rural chools or small town schools with lrge rural student bodies. Many of the children at these schools were not affected by the fashion trends of the the 1910s-early 40s. This changed very rapidly after World war II. We are not yet sure why. We suspect that the trend to close small rural schools and bussing the children to larger schools witurban children was a key factor as wll as rising farm income. The girls were different. They were much more affected by fashion trends. Some also wore overalls at least in the frm. Most girls were wore dresses to school. Here not obly were the conventions of the day at ply, but primAry age girls Tend to be more interested in fashion than boys at tht age. This all began in the late-1900s, but was still very much in evidence dring the 1930s. The Great Depression of the 1930s and impact on farm income only helped to perpetute this convention.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) . 120 Years of American Education; A Statistical Potrait (U.S. Department of Education. Office of Educational Research and Improivement: Washington, DC, 1993), 115p.
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