Modern Historical Origins

The History of School Uniforms

School uniforms in America, until recently, have generally been associated with high-cost exclusive schools for the well to do. Even in England where most children wear uniforms to school, elaborate school uniforms were mostly associated with what many Brits considered to be hoity-toity elite preparatory and public (i.e. private secondary) schools for the rich. The historical origin of uniforms, however, is quite different. Uniforms were first instituted in 16th Century England at the charity schools for poor children. It was not until the 19th Century that the great English public schools began instituting uniforms and even later for them to be widely accepted at state schools – especially state elementary schools.

Ancient Civilizations

While the focus of HBC is on the modern era. HBC plans to also collect information on ancient civilizations. Schools in Europe or relatively modern developments as during the medevil era writing and academic education was lost except for a small number, mostly mooks. Schools were, however, common in many ancient civilizations. While some information is available on these schools, there is little to suggest that they wore destinctive uniforms. HBC has, however, only collected a limited amount of information on the topic.

Arabs

The Arabs armed with Ilam burst out of the Arabian desert in the 7th century and by the 8th century had founded a powerful empire centered on Baghdad. The Arabs then spread Islam through North Africa and into Spain. Centers of leaning called "medersas" or Islamic schools were established throughout the Arab world. They were inspired by the schools established in Baghdad. The first medersas were founded by the Marinid sultans, during the 14th century.

Europe

Middle ages

After the fall of Rome, formal schooling in the West disappeared. The rare vestages of school were the song schools of the cathedrals and monestaries. The boys chosen at first were taught to prepare them for holy orders. We have only limited information about the clothing for these early choristers. Formaly schooling in Europe outside of church schools were rare in Europe until about the 10th century. Thenumber of children attending schools was very limited for several more centuries. There were similarities in the development of schools throught Europe, but the pattern varied significantly in many areas. We have little information at this time about clothing at these early schools. There does appear to have been some uniformity in the clothing worn by the choristers in the early song schools. This appears to have been less common in the secullar schols which slowly developed during the secomd millenium.

Early modern era

We have very limited information on schoolwear in Europe during the early modern era. One fascinating view is Jan Steen's Dutch depiction of "The Village School" painted about 1665. We have few indications that uniforms were commonly worn. One of the few exceptions thatvw have noted are English charity schools. School uniforms in England wer for many years associated with children from ealthy families attending exclusive private schools. In fact it was the children attnding charity schools that first ore uniforms, in part to set them apart and to clothe them as cheaply as possible. These historic costumes are still worn by boys at some of Englan's famed hospital schools. We are not fimilar to similar developments on the Cintinent, but our informaion is still very limited.

Modern Historical Origins

Many believe that school uniforms are a superficial aspect of a school. Superficial or not, school uniform is part of the history of British education. The reason that Britain's great public schools began instituting uniforms was much the same reason that educators in America's dreadfull urban schools have begun to require uniforms. The English public school in the 18th and early 19th century had become anarchic, dangerous places in which boys from aristocrats and wealthy families as they wished and played voluntary games in whatever worn and battered gear was to hand. Interestingly many of our most popular modern sports (rugby, soccer, football, cricket, and baseball) originated in the informal, off rough and caotic play of English school boys. Conditions were so bad that many parents refused to send their boys and instead had them educated at home until they were ready for university. The uniformity in clothing was one of the measures designed to replace caos with disciplined order. Along with compulsory games, stricter supervision of the pupils' lives and morals, and a broadening of the classical curriculum, school uniform was an essential characteristic of the reformed public schools that emerged by the late 19th Century as some of the most effective and prestgious schools in Europe.

Figure 2.--During the school day British boys generally wear their jumpers (sweaters) rather than their blazers.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1069