Individual Italian Summer Camps: Colonia Estiva Acerno
Figure 1.-This photograph was taken during the 1930s during a summer camp in Acerno, about 90 km east of Naples. Despite the fact that Acerno is about 750 m above sea level in the Campania region of Southern Italy, the boys wear sailor style caps and rompers. At the time one of the goals of a summer camp was that the children stay in the sun most time of possible wearing as little clothing as possible. Fascist policy was to promote heliotherapy, both for health reasins and to toughen the boys. We are not sure what group sponsored this camp, but the teenage girl overseeing the boys wear a uniform with a Fascist look. THe boys wear a romper uniform. Given they they are dressed similarly, it is likely that the uniform was issued by the camp. Rompers were worn by boys at the time in Italy, but usually by younger boys.
This photograph was taken during the 1930s during a summer camp in Acerno, about 90 km east of Naples. Despite the fact that Acerno is about 750 m above sea level in the Campania region of Southern Italy, the boys wear sailor style caps and rompers. At the time one of the goals of a summer camp was that the children stay in the sun most time of possible wearing as little clothing as possible. Fascist policy was to promote heliotherapy, both for health reasins and to toughen the boys. We are not sure what group sponsored this camp, but the teenage girl overseeing the boys wear a uniform with a Fascist look. The boys wear a romper uniform. Given they they are dressed similarly, it is likely that the uniform was issued by the camp. Rompers were worn by boys at the time in Italy, but usually by younger boys.
