Figure 1.-- This is an American portrait. It is undated, but we would guess about 1910. It may have come from California. It looks like he was involved in public speaking. He looks to have just entered highschool. Notice the button up boots. Image courtesy of the CO collection. . |
Public speaking before World War II was much more important 6than the case today. Children would take classes in "speech". Participating in debates were very important bnd often staged in schools. Children would be expected to give recitations for family and visitors at home. This was especially true of middle and upperclass families. Perhaps this was more common in school because until after World War II, many children did not finish highschool. We are not sure that the American boy here is involved in public speaking or debate, but it certainly looks like it as he is standing there with a book on a podium (figure 1). Perhaps he had just finished junior high school.
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