Figure 1.--This large format cabinet card portrait shows what looks like a class at the Lycée de Marsseille in 1909-10. There is no accompaning information. The meaning of the term Lycée as a type of school varied over time. We believe at the time this was a secondary school rather like a British grammar school. The school seems to have classes beginning with boys about 10-years old. About half of the boys wear sailor suits, but there was no required uniform. It is a reflection as to how popular the sailor suit was at the time. Only one boy seems to be wearing a smock. The boys as far as we can tell are all wearing knee pants, some with socks others with long stockings. All the boys wear sturdy high-top shoes. The boys are pictured with their teacher. The studio taking the portrait was J. Fabre.

Here we see some school portraits at the Lycée de Marsseille. Tht tells of course were the portaits were taken. And the portraits are dated. What we do not know is what kind of school it was. The meaning of the term Lycée as a type of school varied over time. We believe at the time this was a secondary school rather like a British grammar school. Private schools other than Cathoilic schools were not very common in France. The school seems to have classes beginning at least with boys about 9-years old, probably even younger boys. Unfortunately we have no information to establish just what kind of school this was. We think that it was a public, not a private school. This portraits here rather much cover the primary years. There may have also been secondary year classes at the school, but this we do not know yet.

1909-10 Class

This large format cabinet card portrait shows a class at the Lycée de Marsseille in 1909-10. There is no accompaning information. We are not sure what class this was. The boys look to be about 9-years old. About half of the boys wear sailor suits, but there was no required uniform. It is a reflection as to how popular the sailor suit was at the time. Only one boy seems to be wearing a smock. The boys as far as we can tell are all wearing knee pants, some with socks others with long stockings. Marsseille is located in southern France with a relatively warm climate. Even so, notice the number of boys wearing long stockings. They all wear high-top shjoes. The boys are pictured with their teacher who seems a bit standoffish from the group. The image is an excellent depiction of different sailor suit styles as we as other popular boy's styles in 1909-10. Also notice the wide variety of hair styles. The studio taking the portrait was J. Fabre. A reader writes, "What a picture. A very interesting group of mischievous boys. A very likeable group of boys. There personality oozes out despite it being a historic photograph. It is a very creative grouping. They are posed differently than the standard school portrait. A more artistic attempt to record a school group. In so doing the togetherness of the group is high lighted. Who is friends with whom ìs suggested by the postioning of the boys. It would seem to have been a very special group which jelled together. The teacher is swamped by the boys who are the more important subjects of the photograph. A very interesting photograph."

1913 Class

Here we see a little older class at the Lycée de Marsseille -- 5A2. This suggests that it was a large school with many classes. 5A2 presumnly means a 5th year class and the boys look to be about 11 years old. We see different hat styles including several sailor caps. Four of the boys wear sailor suits. The other boys mostly wear suit jackets boith lapel and collar buttoning jackets. Some of the outfits are difficult to make out. A few boys may be wearing variously styled sweaters. One boy wear what looks like n overcoat, but buttons at the collar. A couple boys may be wearing smocks. Some boys wear Eton-like collars. The boys are miostly wearing short pants, only one we can see with long stockings. One boy wears long pants with a sailor suit. We are not sure what he is holding. Footwear continues to be hightops. 3.

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Created: 2:38 AM 10/26/2018
Last updated: 2:23 AM 11/26/2018