Figure 1.--Thic CDV portrait has no accompnying information. But it is clearly a nirsery school. The ointed corners suggest it wa gsken in the 1860s or early-70s. The children are a mix of boys and girls who look to b about 3-4, even 5 years old. They all look to be wearing dresses, both boys and girls. (Hair paets are a string gender indicator.) Noitice the boy in the center bavk is the only child with front buttons. He may be wearing blouse, but it is unclear whht he is wering with his blouse.

School was a novel experiebce for most children around the world. Education spread in Europe, but with a few exceptions were fee paying institurins. England has a long hitory of schools dating back to the medieval era. Free public schools have a much more recent history. Wec find their origins in the German states (especially Prussia) and America (18th century)--an interestng origin. Public schools did not become wide spread until later (second half of the 19th century). England lagged behind the other major countries in public education until the Education Act (1870). This mandated free primary education for English children. The Act did not address nursery education for younger children. We first see nurseru dschools for younger pre-chool children in England (mid-19th century. The first nursery school we have found began (about 1854). The advent of the Industrial Revolution created a need for nursery schools. As people moved from the country side into the city, mothers many cases began to work. This created a need for childcare facilities. In the city families and friends were commonly less available. Some more were forced to lock little ones up while they were at work. Tragic incidents enbsued, but even when the children were not physicallky hsrmed, surely it was a traumatic experience. Nursery schools were not market driven. Well-to-do people cared for the children at home as the mothers did not work. The 19th century was an era of a range of social reform, beginniung most prominently with the Abolitionit movement, but also the problems that accompanied the industrial revolution. And a few determined women in British tows and cities took on this problem. They began creating places for the young children. Often they did not have much money. They might rent spaces, in some cases just a non-discriot room. Sometimes a house. In some cases a hoispital made space avilable. These facilities came to be called 'day nurseries'. The nursery was a place in the home that the children slept at night. These facilities took care of the children during the day, thus the term day nursery. This was an entirely new concept. Unlike schools, there was no established tradition of care. Jean Firmin Marbeau (1798-1875) was a philanthropist who pioneered the crèche movement in France. He opened the first creche in Paris (1844). This was all the English movement which founded the first day nurseries had to go on.

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Created: 8:53 PM 11/18/2018
Last updated: 8:53 PM 11/18/2018