Figure 1.-Here we have a cabinet card portrait of an unidentified American class portrait. It is undated, but the mount helps date it to the 1900s decade, but there is no indication as to location. Many of the new cabinet card mount that appeared at the turn of the 20 century did not have studio information. The children look like First Graders.

Most American children began school at age 6 years with 1st grade. Younger boys just beginning school wore quite a variety of outfit, even outfits with Little Lord Fauntleroy touches. This style was going out of fashion in the 1900s, but we still see some in the early-1900s. First graders areoften destinctive because mom commonly chose their cltohing without any input from the boys. But at school hey began to get comments from the other children as well as hgey saw gow the her children were dressing annd they soon began to want to dress like the oher children, especially the older children. Mom's varies on how they reacted to this. At the time, children had less to say aboot their clothing than modern childen. But the prealence of ready-made clothing set some parmeters on what children wore. We see many younger boys wearing button-on outfits like the boy on the previous page. Blouses with large collars were also common. Sailor suits were a popular choice. Most younger and even teennagers knee pants with long stockings, usually black. The younger children might not wear long stockings, but the older boys mostly did. The major exception is boys going barefoot which was very common, especially inrural aeas. and a majority of Americans in the 1900s decade still lived in rural areas. First day portraits were not as common in America as in Germany. Some age/grade levels are difficult to spt unless they are identified. First graders are fairly easy because they are the youngest regular grade level.

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Created: 8:48 AM 4/19/2026
Last updated: 8:49 AM 4/19/2026