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Sorting out the laundry for a 100 or so children where eveyone wears the same uniform is quite a challenge. The sollution is that parents are susposed to sew labels on each garment. The tags went on each garment. Notice the label on the tie of the boy on the left here (figure 1). The most complicated item, however, was the hosiery. Most mums figured out how to do this so the labels did not show, but some mothers mamaged to sew them on so that they were very prominent. This of course affected how the boy looked even when he was careful with his appearance. Sometimes the labels showed because the boy was not careful about how he put on his socks, especially the turn-over-tops, but sometimes they showed even if the boy was careful. We suspected that this grated on some headmasters, but suspect that they generally did not raise the issue. Sewing on the labels was a major undertaking and few mums would be pleased to have to take the labels off and sew then back on again. After all most moms got it right, but the boys who mums did not really stuck out--especially when the boys dressed up for formal occassions.
Sorting out the laundry for a 100 or so children where eveyone wears the same uniform is quite a challenge. It would be complicated enough if the children were wearing their own destinctive clothes. But the children all wear the exact same garments. This creates a huge problem of sorting out what belongs to who. The sollution of course is that parents are susposed to sew labels on each garment.
The tags went on each garment. Wghebn you add up the number if differentvgarments from underwear on out, you ware talking about quite a number of garments. We are talking about soicks here, but every single garment required a label identifying its owner. Notice the label on the tie of the boy on the left here (figure 1).
The most complicated item to dew on the labels was was the hosiery. Most mums figured out how to do this so the labels did not show, but some mothers mamaged to sew them on so that they were very prominent. This of course affected how the boy looked even when he was careful with his appearance.
Sometimes the labels showed because the boy was not careful about how he put on his socks, especially the turn-over-tops, but sometimes they showed even if the boy was careful. We suspected that this grated on some headmasters, but suspect that they generally did not raise the issue. Fussing with the children is one thing. Taking on mums about labels was a losing proposition.
Sewing on the labels was a major undertaking and few mums would be pleased to have to take the labels off and sew then back on again. After all most moms got it right, but the boys who mums did not really stuck out--especially when the boys dressed up for formal occassions.
Almost all schools sent parents instructions about the uniform. Even day schools insisted on labels. Few schools, however, provided instructions on just where to place the labels. Mums thus were on their own.
The easiest to do were the turn-over-top socks. That was because if the labeks were properly placed and the boy was careful about getting dressed, they would not show, Of course not all moms got it quite right. And expecting boys to being careful with getting dressed is being rather unrealistic.
Plain knee socks or the sovcks which were not long enough to cuff like turn-over-top socks. Thus they did not have cuffs which could hide the labels. You might think tht mums would take the easy way out here and sew the labels on the inside of the socks. Many did, but we note quite a few mums who did not. Presumably mums would notice this when they saw the labels prominatly displayed on socks. Of course at boarding schools the mums did not see their sons every day like day school cildren. It realkly was rather unsightly if the socks were sewn on to the outside of the sock, but it did not seem to bother some mums.
