Figure 1.--We see more boys going barefoot in the photographic record during the 20th than the 19th century. A factor here was the family snapshot which took photography outside the studio. This photoigrsaph is undated, but looks like it may have been taken in the 1920s.

Going barefott was still very common in the early 20th century for pre-teen boys. In fact we note more boys going barefoot in the early 20th century than in the 19th century. This probably relects the expanding use of photoraphy more than any change in the tendency of boys to go barefoot. Taking a portrait was beiong seen as less a formal occassion than earlier. The development of the Kodak Brownie and the amateur snapshot may have been factors. We have quite a few images on HBC of boys going barefoot in the 1900s--even when dressing up. A good example is John Conway in 1906. Going barefoot declined as America became more urban, especially after World War II. An American reader writes, "Something I think can be added to the discussion in the footwear section of why Americans stopped going barefoot in the summer is that in the summer paved roads and sidewalks can get too hot to walk comfortably on. When I was about 5, I once made the mistake of walking barefoot on a hot summer day on an asphault driveway and after a few painful steps quickly ran to the side of the driveway where I stepped on a bunch of plant burrs. I think that there was also a lot more concern now about picking up diseases like tetanus and ring worm."

The 1900s

Going barefoot was still very common in the early 20th century for pre-teen boys and many girls as well. In fact we note more boys photographed barefoot in the early-20th century than in the 19th century. This is of course bcauseof the Kodak Bronie which took photography out of the studio. Son we see children when not all dressed up for a formal portrait (1900). A good example is some unidentified Texas children about 1905. Thisdoes not mean that more boys actually when barefoot in the 1900s. In fact almost certainly this was not the case. America at the turn-of-the 20th century made the transition to a country where more thn half of the popultion lived in rural areas. And boys in cities were less likely to go barefoot than in rural areas. But for some reason we see see large numbers of studio portraits with barefoot children. Before and after, mother s usually dressed chikdren in shoes and stockings for formal portraits. We do not know why this convention suddenly developed. These portraits were especially common in the South and rural areas. This may relect the expanding use of photoraphy more than any change in the tendency of boys to go barefoot. Taking a portrait was being seen as less a formal occassion than earlier. The development of the Kodak Brownie and the amateur snapshot may have been factors in reducing the formality of the studiomportrait. We have quite a few images on HBC of boys going barefoot in the 1900s--even when dressing up. Another good example is John Conway in 1906. We also see Rubie and Raymond Gaston, probably about 1905. A good indicator is school portraits. Another good example is Tinsley Armstrong in the 1900s.

The 1910s

We continue to see large number of children going bsarefoot in the 1910s. And we also see boys appearing barefoot for relatively formal occassions, at least duting the early part of the decade. This is something we begin to see in the 1900s. We are not seeing that going barefoot was new, that was standard during the 19th century. What is new is having studio portraits taken while barefoot. That is something we do not see to any extent in the 19th century. We are not sure why we suddenly se it in the early-20th century. e do not think it reflects more children going brefoot. Perhaps more loe-cost studios opened. Perhps going barefott for some reason suddenly ws seen as less casul. We are justvunsure. Perhaps readers will have some insights here. We do note that this was ighly regionl, much more common in the South than other regions. It was not unknown in other regions, but much more pronounced in the South than other regions. Here climte was a factor as well a income, but even so not sometung we seein the 19th century. The Texas boy on the previous page wearing a sailor suit in 1910 is a good example. Notice the girls are wearing stockings and strap shoes. Girls also went barefoot, but not as commonly as boys, especually when dressung up. The Acord children here in Oklahoma about 1915 is another good example (figure 1). We see lots of images of girls going barefoot in family snapshots and school portraits. Girls going barefoot while dressing up while not uncommon, was much less common than was the case for boys. What is not clear to us is if going barefoot was more common, but for some reason simply appears in the photographic record at this time.

The 1920s

The 1930s

The 1940s

Going barefoot declined as America became more urban, especially after World War II. An American reader writes, "Something I think can be added to the discussion in the footwear section of why Americans stopped going barefoot in the summer is that in the summer paved roads and sidewalks can get too hot to walk comfortably on. When I was about 5, I once made the mistake of walking barefoot on a hot summer day on an asphault driveway and after a few painful steps quickly ran to the side of the driveway where I stepped on a bunch of plant burrs. I think that there was also a lot more concern now about picking up diseases like tetanus and ring worm." A good indicator is school portraits.

The 1950s