Figure 1.--The portrait was taken during the 1936-37 school year, probably spring 1937. While a rural town school and not large, it was not a one-room school. It was probably had four rooms for grades 1-8. The background shows the town rather than the school. Note the Civil War cannon at the left. Virtually every small town in America had a Civil War cannon in the town square. We see 31 children and their teacher.

Here we see a portrait of the 3rd-and 4th grade at elementary school at Garfield, Washington. Garfield was a small town in southeastern Washington, a farming community. It was a very new town, named after President Garfield, who was assasinated (1881). It is set in the Palouse Hills. The town is surrounded by wheat fields. The children would be mostly 8-9 years old. The portrait was taken during the 1936-37 school year, probably spring 1937. While a rural town school and not large, it was not a one-room school. It was probably had four rooms for grades 1-8. The background shows the town rather than the school. Note the Civil War cannon at the left. Virtually every small town in America had a Civil War cannon in the town square. We see 31 children and their teacher. Which would mean there were no more than 120 children at the school. The girls wear dresses. One girl wears a sweater and skirt. Two girls wear sailor dresses. By this time only very young boys wore sailor suits. Almost all of the boys wear collared shirts. As this was was a farming community about half the boys wear overalls, almost all dark-blue denim. One boy wears light colored striped overalls. The 1930s would be the last decade that large numbers of boys wore overalls to school, especially after the early-40s. Two boys wear suspenders. Two other boys wear knickers and patterned knee socks. One boy wears bib-front shorts. And several boys wear long pants. including some with very wide legs. The only reason that more boys are not wearing knickers was that this was a farming community.

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Created: 3:46 PM 7/4/2024
Last updated: 3:46 PM 7/4/2024