Figure 1.--We have not yet found information about Portuguese summer camps before World War II. This photograph shows a group of Portuguese boys during a seaside summer camp (colónia balnear) in Estoril, close to Lisbon. It is undated, but looks like imay have been taken in the 1950s. The sommer camp was organized by the newspaper 'O Seculo' as a charitavle effort for long income children. As a uniform, they wear checkered smocks over their own clothing. This is an unusual uniform for a summer camp, but probably relates to the use of smocks as a school uniform. Most of the boys wear short pants. The smocks and long pants do not seem very uitable for beach activities. The boys wear different sort of footwears, most are barefoot, nobody wear sandals. These free summer camps were attended by children of low-income families. Sandals were a summer garment mainly worn by middle and upper class children.

We have not been able to dind much historical information about Portuguese summer camps. The summer camp movement began in America and Germany in the late-19th century. It was first for well-to-do children. Gradually groups like the YMCA developed programs for low-income city kids to get them out in the fresh air and sunshine. Few countries have more fresh air and sunshine than Portugal as well as a long Atlantic coast. Portugal was, however, a very poor country and we have not found any informatiion about summer camps until fairly recent times. The Portuguese Boy Scout Movement was relatively small and we know know of no summer camps. Portugal during the inter-war years developed a quasi-Fascist Government. One element of Fascism was attention to youth which led to large youth movements and summer camps. Germany already had many summer camps, although the NAZIs expanded the camp system. Musolini's Fascists basically created a large summer camp program. A nationalist youth group--the Mocidade Portuguesa (Portuguese Youth) was not formed until much later than most of the other Fascist youth movements (1936). It does not seem to have been a major effort. And we do not see a major summer camp effort like Germany nand Italy, but our information is very limited. We do see summer camps after World War II, although we still do mot have much information. The few images we have of Portuguese summer camp show boys wearing short pants. This was not only summer camp wear, but because short pants were so common among Portuguese boys by the mid-20th century. We see boys wearing smocks at one camp organized for boys from low-income families as a chgaritable eggort by a newspaper. We are not sure, however, how common this was. The situation is very different today. We see all kinds of summer camps operating in Portugal. We see summer camps for Portuhuese childrem like camps in other European countries and in America. Notably we also many modern camps for foreign youth to engage in various programs in Portugal and enjoy the seacoast and wonderful weather during the summer.

Historical Background

We have not been able to dind much historical information about Portuguese summer camps. The summer camp movement began in America and Germany in the late-19th century. It was first for well-to-do children. Gradually groups like the YMCA developed programs for low-income city kids to get them out in the fresh air and sunshine. Few countries have more fresh air and sunshine than Portugal as well as a long Atlantic coast. Portugal was, however, a very poor country and we have not found any informatiion about summer camps until fairly recent times.

Sponsoring Organizatioins

We do not yet have much information as to who is sponsoring summer camps in Portugal. The Portuguese Boy Scout Movement was relatively small and we know know of no summer camps. Portugal during the inter-war years developed a quasi-Fascist Government. One element of Fascism was attention to youth which led to large youth movements and summer camps. Germany already had many summer camps, although the NAZIs expanded the camp system. Mussolini's Fascists basically created a large summer camp program. A nationalist youth group--the Mocidade Portuguesa (Portuguese Youth) was not formed until much later than most of the other Fascist youth movements (1936).

Chronology

We do not have any information about Portuguese summer camps in the first half of the 20th century. There may have been sone, but we have not found any information on them. At best, it does not seem to have been a major effort. We do not see a major summer camp effort like Germany and Italy, but our information is very limited. We do see summer camps after World War II, although we still do not have much information. We do see some examples of summer camps after World War II. We are not sure how common thy were. But this is the first summer camps we see in Portugal. The situation is very different today. We see all kinds of summer camps operating in Portugal. We see summer camps for Portuguese childrem like camps in other European countries and in America. Notably we also many modern camps for foreign youth to engage in various programs in Portugal and enjoy the seacoast and wonderful weather during the summer.

Garments

We see many Portugues boys wearing long oants in the first half of the 20th century. This is an era in which many European boys wore short pants. There appears to have been a social class factor involved. We can tell that many of the children wearing long pants were from low-income families because they were commonly heavily patvched. Boiys from middle-class families more commonly wore short oants and other fashionable European styles. The few images we have of Portuguese summer camp come from the post-World War II period. We see mamy boys wearing short pants. This was not only summer camp wear, but because short pants were so common among Portuguese boys by the mid-20th century. We see boys wearing smocks at one camp organiozed for boys from low-income famolies as a charitable effort by a newspaper. We are not sure, however, how common this was.

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Created: 1:31 PM 10/21/20197
Last updated: 1:31 PM 10/21/2019