Many people ask the question: “Who came up with this form anyway?” Really, who? Peter I dressed the students of the navigator school, created in 1701, identically.

And at the Institute of Noble Maidens, created by Catherine II, on ordinary days, each age was assigned to wear its own dress color: for pupils 6-9 years old - brown (coffee), 9-12 years old - blue, 12-15 years old - gray and 15- 18 years old - white. The students' ceremonial dresses were made of silk, and on ordinary days the girls wore dresses made of camelot, specially ordered from England. There is a legend that the empress herself came up with the costumes for the students.

They were actively involved in the creation of uniforms for students in the 19th century. 1834 - a law was passed approving the general system of all civilian uniforms in the empire. This system included gymnasium and student uniforms. The style of the school uniform for boys changed along with the style of the private dress in 1855, 1868, 1896 and 1913.

1896 - regulations on gymnasium uniforms for girls were approved.

Until 1917, the school uniform (the uniform of gymnasium students) was a class sign, since only children of rich parents studied at the gymnasium. The uniform was worn not only in the gymnasium, but also on the street, at home, during celebrations and holidays. She was a source of pride. Boys were then required to wear military-style uniforms, and girls wore dark, formal dresses with pleated knee-length skirts.

1918 - gymnasium uniform pre-revolutionary Russia was recognized as a bourgeois relic and cancelled.

From the point of view of the “class struggle”, the old uniform was considered a symbol of belonging to the upper classes (there was even a contemptuous nickname for a sentimental girl - “schoolgirl”). But this refusal of form also had another, more understandable, underlying reason - poverty. Students went to school in what their parents could provide them with, and the state at that moment was actively fighting devastation, class enemies and remnants of the past.

However, over time, when the era of experiments gave way to other realities, it was decided to return to the former image - to brown formal dresses, aprons, student jackets and turn-down collars.

Now “loose clothing” began to be associated with bourgeois unbridledness, and it was decided to declare all the daring experimenters of the 1920s “pests” and “enemies of the people.”

1949 - it was decided to return to the former image: the boys were dressed in military tunics with a stand-up collar, the girls had a classic brown dress with collars and cuffs. Wearing a collar and cuffs was mandatory. In addition to this, girls could wear black or brown (everyday) or white (dress) bows. Bows of other colors were not allowed according to the rules.

1962 - The boys were dressed in gray wool suits with four buttons.

1973 - A new uniform for boys was introduced. Blue suit made of wool blend, decorated with an emblem and aluminum buttons. The cut of the jackets was reminiscent of classic denim jackets (the so-called denim fashion was gaining momentum in the world) with shoulder straps and chest pockets with brace-shaped flaps. On the side of the sleeve was sewn a soft plastic emblem with a drawn open textbook and a rising sun - a symbol of enlightenment. For high school boys, the jacket was replaced with a trouser suit. The color of the fabric was still blue. The emblem on the sleeve was also blue. This emblem, in addition to the sun and an open book, contained a stylized image of an atom.

In 1984, the three-piece suit was introduced for girls. of blue color, consisting of an A-line skirt with pleats at the front, a jacket with patch pockets and a vest. The skirt could be worn with either a jacket or a vest, or the whole suit at once. In 1988, the wearing of blue trousers in winter was allowed for Leningrad, regions of Siberia and the Far North.

1988 - some schools were allowed, as an experiment, to abandon the compulsory wearing of school uniforms.

1992 - abolition of school uniforms in schools of the Russian Federation. Since 1999, some constituent entities of the Russian Federation have accepted local regulations on the introduction of compulsory school uniforms.

The largest European country in which there is a school uniform is Great Britain. In many of its former colonies the uniform was not abolished after independence, for example in India, Ireland, Australia, Singapore and South Africa. England is a country of conservatives, school uniforms there are always close to classic style clothes. For a long time it included outerwear, shoes and even socks. Each prestigious school has its own logo, so students are required to come to classes with a “branded” tie. Schoolchildren love to wear a uniform, most of them are proud of it.

In France, a uniform school uniform existed from 1927-1968.

Germany does not have a uniform school uniform, although there is debate about introducing one.

In the USA and Canada, many private schools have school uniforms. There is no uniform in public schools, although some schools have a dress code. In the USA, each school decides for itself what items students are allowed to wear. As a rule, tops that reveal the midriff, as well as low-fitting trousers, are prohibited in schools. Jeans, wide trousers with many pockets, T-shirts with graphics - this is what students in American schools prefer. However, in the United States, it is quite common for schoolchildren dressed in baggy clothes to bring firearms into class. A strict school uniform with a tight-fitting silhouette would not make it possible to hide a pistol unnoticed.

In Cuba, uniforms are required for all students.

For most middle and high schools in Japan, school uniforms are mandatory. Each school has its own, but in reality there are not many options. Usually this is a white shirt and dark jacket and trousers for boys and a white shirt and dark jacket and skirt for girls, or “sailor fuku” - “sailor suit”. The uniform usually comes with a large bag or briefcase. Pupils primary classes, as a rule, dress in ordinary children's clothing. In Japan, they released jackets for students, equipped with a built-in GPS satellite navigation system. It allows parents to track the location of their children through their personal computers. The system has an important addition: if the child is threatened by someone or something, he can send an alarm to the security service by simply pressing a button.

It is curious that in the United States, an attempt to improve the safety of schoolchildren using electronics failed.

School uniforms in the modern world are used in two cases.

In the first case, individual schools and universities introduce it as a symbol of elitism, belonging to the upper stratum of society. This is usually done on the scale of one elite school and this uniform is usually very expensive, beautiful and really makes children stand out among their peers.

In the second case, when it is introduced as a universal element of school clothing throughout the country, they do this to equalize all children. These are either very poor countries (CAR, Kenya, Nigeria, etc.) or totalitarian ones (former USSR, Syria, North Korea, China, etc.). In this case, of course, the form is used throughout the country, but it is made from very cheap materials and looks... the same, which is what is required of it :-)

But this is in the modern world - in ancient times it was used only to emphasize the fact of belonging to a higher, educated layer.

Since ancient times.

The first schools appeared a long time ago, at the very dawn of human civilization. One can even say that schools were an indispensable attribute of civilization as such. And since the oldest civilization (that we know of) is Egyptian, the first schools, lessons, teachers and students were located right here, in the shadow of the famous pyramids and the Sphinx.

School tradition of ancient Egypt much deeper and richer than any school tradition, since it was formed and developed over several thousand years. Only noble Egyptian youths could study: the children of the pharaoh and his family, the children of priests and high-ranking officials, or only occasionally those who really wanted to study. There was no school uniform as such yet.

Studying in Ancient Egypt (top)

Schoolchildren and students of ancient Egypt kept their educational records on papyri, and upon entering and graduating from school (as in our time) they passed exams. Another integral attribute of education in an Egyptian school was the initiation of schoolchildren into theatrical religious mysteries. Probably initially only they were taught at school; this is evidenced by the fact that all schools were attached to churches.

From Egypt we move on to the ancient east - the so-called Mesopotamia (the Tigris and Euphrates rivers). Almost There were schools in every city of Mesopotamia, organized at temples, and already by the 3rd millennium BC. e. the number of schools in Mesopotamia was significant.

In Sumerian the school was called “edubba” - “house of tablets” - and was intended primarily for the training of scribes. In the process of teaching writing, clay tablets were used, on which students wrote with a pointed stick (style). Basically, the schools were small, numbering 20-30 students, with one teacher who created model tablets, the children copied them and memorized them. The teaching method was based on repeated repetition. In large “edubbas” (they were called “houses of knowledge”) there were several teachers of writing, counting, drawing, many rooms for classes and storage of tablets.

Special There were no school uniforms in Mesopotamia, but the children dressed much like future scribes and always carried with them a couple of tablets and a writing stick.

In the school of ancient Sumer

By the 1st millennium BC. e. The Sumerian ideal of education is emerging, including a high level of mastery of writing, drafting documents, the art of singing and music, the ability to make reasonable decisions, knowledge of magical rituals, information from geography and biology, and mathematical calculations.

From Egypt and Mesopotamia, civilization, and with it the school, migrated to Greece. The beginnings of school uniforms come from ancient times. Among the ancient Greeks Already in very early times, great attention was paid to the education of children. The Greeks sought to raise an intellectual and healthy person, well-developed physically, to combine the beauty of the body and moral virtues. Already by the 5th century. BC. There were no illiterate people among the free Athenians. And learning from home moved to schools.

The first known school in ancient Greece was created by the famous philosopher and scientist Pythagoras and named after him - the Pythagorean school.

School of Pythagoras

In his youth, Pythagoras traveled a lot in search of wisdom and knowledge, in particular he was in Egypt, and not only visited, but studied in the Egyptian temple. He was a diligent student and successfully exported what he learned in Egypt to Greece, creating his own Pythagorean school in the Egyptian manner. Well, then such a necessary social institution as the school spread throughout Greece.

After seven years, the boys were transferred from the hands of their mother and nurse to the care of their father and a slave-teacher (translated from Greek, the word “teacher” means “accompanying the child”), who oversaw the boy’s upbringing and accompanied him to school.

At school the form of clothing was a short chiton and light armor with artistic decoration and chlamys- this is a piece of dense fabric thrown over the shoulders and fastened at the shoulder and chest. For centuries, this uniform remained the unchanged model for boys in training.

From the age of 16-18, boys could continue their education in gymnasiums, schools of rhetoricians and philosophers.

Girls learned to read and write under the supervision of their mother, and gradually became familiar with women's domestic work: needlework, spinning, and weaving. They certainly had to be able to sing and dance in order to participate in ritual holidays in the future. They also became acquainted with literature. It is known that already in the 7th century. BC. in some areas of Greece there were girls' schools where girls studied music, poetry, singing and dancing. One of these schools (according to legend) was led by the famous poetess Sappho. Her poems contain lyrical tender lines dedicated to students brought up in an atmosphere of grace and beauty.

In different cities of Greece, training took place differently. In Sparta, where upbringing was exclusively a matter of the state, study and education were built with the goal of raising, first of all, a warrior and the mother of a warrior. For 13 years - from 7 to 20 - the boys were in state camps, constantly exercising physically. Girls also paid a lot of attention to sports and competed equally with boys in competitions.

The rigidity and severity of the Spartan methods of education made them household names (hence the expression “Spartan conditions”, i.e. very harsh), and if endurance, firmness and brevity (Laconia = Sparta) have earned the praise and approval of descendants for centuries, then cruelty and excessive enthusiasm military training to the detriment of mental and artistic development was already condemned by the contemporaries of the Spartans, the inhabitants of other city-polises, where the ideal of “kalocagathia” reigned - beauty and goodness, fused together.

(click to enlarge)

Were in Ancient Greece and special school insignia. For example, in Aristotle’s Peripatetic school, founded by him in 334 BC, students and Aristotle himself wore ties tied with a special “oriental” knot and white togas thrown over the left shoulder.

Public school in Rome, open to everyone, appeared during the period of the empire, or more precisely, in the second half of the 1st century AD. However, there was no uniform; only clothes for gymnastic exercises were generally accepted. But if during classes it was discovered that a student’s clothes were unkempt, he was punished, and in case of repeated cases of sloppiness, he was expelled from school in disgrace.

At a Roman school

Like any children in any era, Roman children spent most of their time in various games. Children's favorite activities in Ancient Rome were not too different from the games of today's children: boys played with a ball, hide and seek and chase, and girls played with rag dolls. With the exception of children from patrician families, who could play in their own gardens, children mostly played in city squares and streets, in city parks.

In general, children were often given the opportunity to have fun: religious festivals, circus shows, military parades and the triumphs of various generals were excellent occasions to have fun. Already in those days, toy weapons were popular: swords, bows, wooden broadswords.

School in Ancient Rome

In Ancient India education was family-school in nature, and the role of the family was dominant. In India, a special caste system of social structure has developed. Up to the 5th century. BC e. During the Hindu period, education and training in ancient India was based on the idea that each person must develop his moral, physical and mental qualities in order to fit seamlessly into his caste.

Boys began their education at the age of 7-8, their initiation into disciples took place in the form of an upanayama ritual, but learning to read and count began several years before. After completing upanayama, training began with a teacher, whose relationship with the students developed according to the “father-children” model: the students lived in the teacher’s house, obeyed and revered him in everything.

All students were required to come to classes in certain clothing.- “dhoti kurta”. “Dhoti kurta” is a strip of fabric draped around the hips and legs, accompanied by a waist-length shirt, which differs among different castes in ornamentation, tailoring and material. Later, with the development of Buddhism and Hinduism in I-VI centuries The clothes for school have also changed. Students began to wear “kurta” and “pajami” - a long shirt and wide pants.

Education in ancient India

At the end of the 1st millennium BC. e. Buddhism arises in ancient India, which promotes the spread of education and coexists with Hinduism. During this period, the number of schools that opened at Buddhist monasteries, located throughout the territory of Ancient India, increased; at the same time, there was an elementary religious “school of the Vedas” and a secular school.

The success of Buddhist schools was explained by the absence of caste division, tolerance towards people of other faiths, and the combination of spiritual education with secular education. Buddhist teachers organized individual training, based on the results of constant observation of students; training and education were not authoritarian, but recommendatory in nature.

In the II-VI centuries. There was a revival of Hinduism, as a result of which education acquired a practical orientation. A two-stage education system emerged: primary schools (tol), where they taught counting, reading and writing in Sanskrit and local languages, and secondary schools (agrahar), whose curriculum included geography, mathematics, languages, healing, sculpture, painting, etc. d. Much attention was given to moral education.

In Ancient and Medieval China

The history of the Chinese school goes back to ancient times and is perhaps the first formalized learning process in history in such detail, so let’s look at the Chinese school in more detail.

According to legend, the first schools in China arose in the 3rd millennium BC. The first written evidence of the existence of schools in Ancient China is preserved in various inscriptions dating back to the ancient Shang (Yin) era (16-11 centuries BC).

Only the children of free and wealthy people studied in these schools. School education was based on respect for elders; the mentor was perceived as a second father. By this time, hieroglyphic writing already existed, which was owned, as a rule, by the so-called writing priests. The ability to use writing was inherited and spread extremely slowly throughout society. ABOUT There is no evidence of the presence of a school uniform at this time.

Confucius (551-479 BC) had the greatest influence on the development of upbringing, education and pedagogical thought in Ancient China. The pedagogical ideas of Confucius were based on his interpretation of issues of ethics and the foundations of government. The central element of his teaching was the thesis about proper education as an indispensable condition for the prosperity of the state.

In general, the Confucian approach to teaching is contained in a succinct formula: agreement between student and teacher, ease of learning, encouragement for independent reflection - this is what is called skillful leadership. Therefore, in Ancient China, great importance was attached to the independence of students in mastering knowledge, as well as to the teacher’s ability to teach his students to independently pose questions and find their solutions.

During the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), which ended the era Ancient China, Confucianism was declared the official ideology. During this period, education in China became quite widespread. The prestige of an educated person has grown noticeably, resulting in the emergence of a kind of cult of education. The school itself gradually turned into an integral part of state policy. It was during this period that a system of state examinations for holding bureaucratic positions arose, which opened the way to a bureaucratic career.

Already in the second half of the 1st millennium BC, during the short reign of the Qin dynasty (221-207 BC), a centralized state emerged in China, in which a number of reforms were carried out, in particular, simplification and unification of hieroglyphic writing, which was of great importance for the spread of literacy. For the first time in Chinese history, a centralized education system was created, which consisted of government and private schools. From then until the beginning of the 20th century. in China, these two types of traditional educational institutions continued to coexist.

Already during the reign of the Han dynasty in China, a three-tier school system began to form, consisting of primary, secondary and higher educational institutions. The first mentions of school uniforms date back to this time. Her appearance resembled the clothes of Buddhist monks.

In general, from that moment on, education began to become highly formalized. By the middle of the 1st millennium, important changes had occurred in the system of state examinations: everyone who had previously studied the Confucian classics, regardless of social status, was officially admitted to them. At the same time, the procedure for state exams was significantly complicated: instead of oral exams, written exams were introduced, which required a more thorough study of the Confucian canons.

During the Ming Dynasty in China, when writing examination essays for state exams, they began to require adherence to a template scholastic style, from which in no case could one deviate. Each essay was to consist of eight sections, with each of the four last sections should have consisted of two parts. Written according to this scheme, the work was an intricacy of hieroglyphs, in which only the form was valued. Each section of the essay had to be limited to a certain number of hieroglyphs: no less than 300 and no more than 700. When writing the essay, it was impossible to cover events and facts that took place after the Qin and Han dynasties, i.e. after 220 AD

In general, the school education system, inherited from antiquity and preserved in China until 1905, had the following form: teaching boys to read and write began at the age of 6-7 years in the government primary school for a moderate fee; as for the girls, they did not go to school and were raised in the family. Rich people preferred to educate their children privately: they either hired a teacher for their son or sent him to a private school.

This initial training usually lasted 7-8 years. During this time, students memorized up to 3 thousand of the most common hieroglyphs and received basic knowledge of arithmetic and Chinese history. Great importance In the process of elementary education, calligraphy was devoted - the art of beautifully writing hieroglyphs with a brush. For most children, this was where education ended. After completing the initial training, exams were taken.

Those who successfully passed them could continue their education at the second level, relatively speaking, in secondary school. Education at the second stage lasted 5-6 years. In the last years of study at the second stage, students learned stylistics and the ability to write poetry. In addition, attention was paid to the ability to interpret the texts of classical books and commentaries on them, and to write essays in a certain form. In the process of studying at the second stage, students took exams: monthly, quarterly and annual. Thus, in secondary school, the content was limited to a very narrow framework and was of a purely humanitarian nature. The study of secular sciences, with the exception of the basics of arithmetic, was not part of the content of education. Young people aged 18-19 could prepare to take state exams.

Japanese educational system noticeably different from its Chinese prototype. This is explained by two main reasons: firstly, the Chinese system of higher educational institutions by the time the Tang dynasty was established had gone through quite a long (more than seven centuries) path of being tested by time; secondly, in Japan the aristocratic traditions turned out to be much stronger than in China, which led to a greater role for “private schools” (shigaku).

This situation indicates fewer educational opportunities for people from the lower strata of Japanese society. Consequently, the Japanese education system was already initially structured in such a way as to be more consistent with local realities (and, of course, aristocratic traditions) and not allow representatives of non-aristocratic families into the ranks of the governing elite (exceptions were made only for a few immigrant families who were in court service).

Japanese school uniform one hundred years ago

Since the beginning of our era in Japan and to this day a special tradition has developed. Almost every school has its own uniform. Nowadays, the “sailor fuku” school uniform in Japan is almost always a sailor suit, a skirt and bows for girls. She has already become a kind of symbol. For modern Japanese girls, this is more than just a school uniform - it is a full-fledged clothing style. "Gakuran" is worn by boys in Japan - these are trousers and a dark-colored jacket with a stand-up collar. In different schools in Japan, the colors of the uniform are different and highlight the students.

Example of a modern Japanese uniform

A little to the side stands the institute of the school, which was among the ancient Aztecs. Aztec schools were public and were divided into two types: youth houses (telpuchcalli) and schools of nobles (calmecac). The first taught children from the age of 15, who belonged to ordinary citizens, artisans and farmers.

Accordingly, the subjects they studied in such schools were aimed at better practical mastery of the skills that were necessary for farming. A special place was given to military training, since in cases of war, commoners were recruited. Teachers (pipiltins - retired warriors) developed the basic skills of close combat (hand-to-hand, with a spear) and long-range combat (with weapons such as atlatl or bow), military tactics, maneuver and much more.

Aztec education

Schools for privileged children offered great opportunities for their students. They taught mathematics, astronomy, writing, politics, religion, literature and history. The teachers were sages (tlamatinime), who prepared future priests, dignitaries and military leaders. The Aztecs did not have any school uniforms.

During school, some girls also studied in special institutions that trained future priestesses. In addition to religion, they also taught other disciplines that contributed to the development of women's skills, which were useful during special religious rituals.

In general, it can be noted that the states of antiquity accumulated a wealth of experience in education and training, which influenced the subsequent development of school and pedagogy. In the era of ancient civilizations, the first schools arose, attempts were made to comprehend the purpose, objectives, content, forms and methods of educating and training younger generations.

Middle Ages

As for Europe, with the decline ancient culture There was also a decline in education, and the institution of school was completely leveled out. It’s not for nothing that these times were called the “Dark Ages.”.

However, in the early Middle Ages, schools of the ancient type dominated, training mainly the clergy. Later, schools of elementary education appeared (taught children seven to ten years old) and large schools (for children over ten years old).

In education and training in the Middle Ages, pagan, ancient and Christian traditions were intertwined. Church schools occupied a special place in the education system. Pedagogical thought was practically absent in the Middle Ages, replaced by the postulates of the church and religious education. There were two types of church educational institutions: cathedral (cathedral) and monastic schools.

The first trained clergy, but also prepared them for secular activities. They provided a broader education than monastery schools. The program of cathedral schools included reading, writing, grammar, counting, and church singing. During the late Middle Ages, some cathedral schools taught subjects of the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, dialectics) or information from the quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music). At the end of the 12th century. Cathedral schools were transformed into comprehensive schools and then into universities.

Monastic schools were divided into three main types: pastoral-monastic (prepared clergy for parish service), dormitory schools at monasteries (prepared boys to become monks) and schools for teaching literacy and church scripture for boys who did not intend to stay at the church or monastery. The studies were theological in nature with some secular elements. Cruel punishment of children was considered natural and godly. Holidays and physical education were virtually absent. The school uniform was naturally ordinary monastic clothing, however, there is no information about its mandatory nature.

Women's education remained strictly at home. The daughters of feudal lords were raised in the family under the supervision of mothers and special women. Girls were often taught reading and writing by chaplains and monks. The practice of sending girls from noble families to be raised in nunneries, where they taught Latin, introduced them to the Bible, and instilled noble manners, became widespread. Girls from unprivileged classes were at best taught housekeeping, needlework and the basics of the Bible.

IN later Middle Ages Guild and city schools became widespread. This was primarily due to the increased role of cities. Guild schools, supported by artisans, provided general education. City schools were born from guild and guild schools. They were not under the supervision of the church for long. The head of the institution was called the rector, and teachers very often had the status of “vagrants”. The fact is that the school hired a teacher for a certain period, so after some time he was forced to look for a new place. The program included the following subjects: Latin, arithmetic, office management, geometry, technology, natural sciences.

At the end of the XII - beginning of the XIII century. the first universities appeared. The word "university", derived from the Latin universities - "integrity", "totality", meant a corporation of teachers and students. The medieval university included the following faculties: law, medicine, theology, philosophy. However, training began with a special, preparatory faculty, where the famous “seven liberal arts” were taught. And since the Latin for art is “artes,” the faculty was called artistic. Teaching was in Latin.

The word "lecture" means reading. The medieval professor actually read the book, sometimes interrupting the lecture with explanations. Thousands of people flocked to cities where the famous scientist and professor came. In fact, this is how universities were formed. In the small town of Bologna, where at the turn of the XI-XII centuries. An expert on Roman law, Irnerius, appeared, and a school of legal knowledge arose, which turned into the University of Bologna. Similarly, another Italian city, Salerno, became famous as a major university center for medical science. The University of Paris, founded in the 12th century, was recognized as the main center of theology.

To become a university, an institution had to receive a papal bull (decree) of its creation. With such a bull, the Pope removed the school from the control of secular and local church authorities and legitimized the existence of the university. The rights of the educational institution were confirmed by privileges - special documents signed by popes or reigning persons. Privileges secured university autonomy (its own court, administration, as well as the right to grant academic degrees) and exempted students from military service. Professors, students and employees of the educational institution were subordinate not to the city authorities, but exclusively to the elected rector of the university and elected deans of faculties. If a student committed some kind of misconduct, the city authorities could only ask the university leaders to judge and punish the offender.

As a rule, a wonderful career awaited a university graduate. On the one hand, universities actively collaborated with the church. On the other hand, along with the gradual expansion of the administrative apparatus of various feudal lords and cities, the need for literate and educated people increased. Yesterday's students became scribes, notaries, judges, lawyers, and prosecutors.

The student population was very diverse - the majority came from noble townspeople, but even the children of peasants could receive a scholarship and education. There were many monks and clerics.

Dressed like a London schoolboy!

Uniform clothing for schoolchildren in Europe appeared in England for the first time since ancient times: in 1552, the Christ’s Hospital school was founded for orphans and children from poor families. For students, a costume was introduced consisting of a dark blue jacket with ankle-length tails, a vest, a leather belt and trousers just below the knees. The form has remained approximately in this form to this day, the only difference is that these days the students of Christ’s Hospital are no longer orphans, but the future economic and cultural elite of Great Britain.

This experience with the introduction of identical clothing for all students in the 18th century was useful to the principals of English schools. At that time, children from wealthy families went to school in expensive clothes and made fun of their modestly dressed classmates and teachers.

Portrait of Two Eton School Boys in Admontem Dress,
Eton Chapel Behind by Francis Alleyne, ca. 1774-1790

At the beginning of the 19th century, many English schools They introduce not only school uniforms, but also codes of conduct, violation of which can lead to the expulsion of the student. British boarding schools were the first to introduce uniforms, then they appeared in public schools, and in 1870 a decree was issued in Britain according to which the state guaranteed school education for every child and provision of uniforms. Private schools also introduced their own uniforms, not to ensure equality among students, but to emphasize their belonging to the elite. This is how the symbol of equality of all schoolchildren turns into an object of prestige.

At the same time, students from various private schools came up with a complex system of rules for “internal prestige”: how many buttons are fastened on a uniform blazer; at what angle is the hat worn; how the laces on the shoes are tied; whether a student carries a school bag, holding it by one handle or both... These symbols were invisible to outsiders, but the students understood each other’s place in the school hierarchy.

School uniforms were introduced in all colonies of the British Empire: in India and Australia, in New Zealand and South Africa, in the Caribbean islands. The uniform was the same for all colonies, but although suitable for the English climate, it caused inconvenience in hot countries.

Now every school in England decides for themselves whether to introduce a school uniform or not, and if so, what kind. Below is an example of a modern English form the most popular color scheme.

In Rus'

Vologda-Perm Chronicle about the school of Vladimir Svyatoslavich:
988. “The Great Prince Volodymer, having gathered 300 children, went away to teach literacy.” The history of Russian education begins with this message. During the reign of Prince Vladimir, only boys could study at school, and the first subject for their education was bookmaking.

Only a hundred years later, in May 1086, the very first women's school appeared in Rus', the founder of which was Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavovich. Moreover, his daughter, Anna Vsevolodovna, simultaneously headed the school and studied science. Only here could young girls from wealthy families learn to read and write and various crafts.

At the beginning of 1096, schools began to open throughout Rus'. The first schools began to appear in such major cities, like Murom, Vladimir and Polotsk, and were most often built at monasteries and churches. Thus, priests were considered the most educated people in Rus'.

Mostly at that time they wrote on birch bark, and in such “business correspondence” even references to primary education in Rus' were preserved:

...vologou sobi copi a ditmo por[t]i k...- - - - - - [d]aI literati outsiti...
[Buy yourself a Vologda, and go teach your child to read and write]
G 49. Charter No. 687 (strategy. 60s. 80s of the 14th century, Troitsk. M)

Moreover, thanks to one confused boy who lost all his birch bark at once, educational notes on birch bark were found. These are the famous birch bark letters of Onfim, a Novgorod boy of the 13th century, the author of birch bark letters and drawings, mainly of an educational nature. In total, 12 letters are written in Onfim's handwriting: No. 199-210 and 331, and in addition, he owns several birch bark drawings, not numbered as letters, since they do not contain text. The bulk of his letters and drawings were found on July 13-14, 1956.

Judging by the drawings, Onfim was 6-7 years old. Apparently, Onfim lost all his letters and drawings at the same time, which is why they were found together. The bulk of Onfim's documents are educational records. The letters performed by Onfim look quite clear, it doesn’t look like he is mastering them for the first time. V.L. Yanin suggests that his exercises are consolidating during the transition from the tsera (wax tablet) to birch bark, writing on which required effort. One of Onfim’s letters is the bottom of a birch bark tree, which was often given to children for exercise (similar letters from other nameless students have been found). Three times he writes out the complete alphabet, then after it there are words: ba va ga da zha for ka... be ve ge de zhe ke.. bi vi gi di zhi zi ki... This is a classic form of teaching literacy (“buki-az - ba "), known back in Ancient Greece and lasting until the 19th century.

Onfim's records are valuable evidence of primary education in Ancient Rus'. From a linguistic point of view, it is interesting that in the texts Onfim does not use the letters Ъ and ь (replacing them with O and E), although they are present in the alphabets he wrote out; Thus, when teaching the so-called “everyday system” of writing, the student also mastered the full inventory of the alphabet in order to quickly learn to read book texts.

Teachers of the X-XIII centuries. Due to the imperfection of teaching methods and individual work during classes with each student individually, he could not work with more than 6-8 students. The prince enrolled a large number of children into the school, so at first he was forced to distribute them among teachers. This division of students into groups was common in Western European schools at that time. The birch bark letters of the above-mentioned Novgorod schoolboy of the 13th century also testify to approximately the same number of students. Onfima. There is no question of any school uniform, as can be seen in the images of the students below.

Sergius of Radonezh at school.
Miniature from the front "Life" St. Sergius Radonezh". 16th century

Since the 15th century, educational institutions at monasteries ceased to be built, and private schools appeared, which at that time were called “masters of literacy.”

In the 16th century in Stoglav (collection of decisions " Stoglavy Cathedral") Chapter 25, you can read the following reference to schools in Rus':

About proteges who want to be deacons and priests, but they have little ability to read and write. And they were appointed as saints, contrary to the sacred rule. If you don’t build them, otherwise the holy churches will be without singing, and the Orthodox Christians will die without repentance. And the saint is elected according to the sacred rule to the priesthood for 30 years, and to the deaconate for 25 years. And if they knew how to read and write, so that they could support the Church of God and the children of their spiritual, Orthodox peasants, they could govern according to the sacred rule, but the saints torture them with great prohibition, because they know little about reading and writing. And they answer: “We, supposedly, learn from our fathers or from our masters, but there is nowhere else for us to study. As much as our fathers and masters can, that’s why they teach us.” But their fathers and their masters themselves therefore know little and do not know the power of the divine Scripture, and they have nowhere to study. And first of all, in the Russian kingdom in Moscow and in the great Novgorod and in other cities there were many schools that taught literacy and writing and singing and honor. And therefore, then there was a lot of literacy and writing and singing and honor. But the singers and chanters and good scribes were famous throughout the whole earth to this day.

Stoglav, chapter 26: ABOUT BOOK SCHOOLS AROUND THE CITY.
And we, according to the royal council, laid down this matter in the reigning city of Moscow and throughout the city by the same archpriest and the oldest priest and with all the priests and deacons, each in his city, with the blessing of his saint, elect good spiritual priests and deacons and deacons who are married and pious those who have the fear of God in their hearts, who are able to use others, and would be more literate and honorable and able to write. And among those priests and deacons and clerks, set up schools in the houses of the school, so that the priests and deacons and all the Orthodox Christians in each city would hand over their children to them for learning to read and write and for the teaching of book writing and church singing of the psalter and reading of the psalter. And those priests and deacons and clerks chosen would teach their disciples the fear of God and literacy and writing and singing and honor with all spiritual punishment, and most of all they would keep their disciples and keep them in all purity and protect them from all corruption, especially from the vile sin of Sodom and fornication and from all uncleanness, so that through your fermentation and teaching, they will come to an age worthy of being a priest. Yes, they would naturally punish their disciples in the holy churches of God and teach them the fear of God and all decency, psalmody and reading and singing and canarching according to the church rite. And you should teach your students how to read and write as much as you can yourself. And the power would be told to them in scripture according to the talent given to you by God, hiding nothing, so that your students learn all the books, which the conciliar holy church accepts, so that later and henceforth they can use not only themselves, but also others and teach the fear of God about all that is useful, they would also teach their students honor and singing and writing, as much as they themselves can, hiding nothing, but from God expecting bribes, and even here accepting gifts and honors from their parents according to their dignity.

And only at the beginning of the 17th century the study of sciences and arts in schools began in a new way. The Russian school of the 17th century was structured like this. The students all sat together, but the teacher gave each one his own task. I learned to read and write and finished school.

Russian school of the 17th century

The children wrote with quill pens on loose paper, on which the pen clung, leaving blots. The writing was sprinkled with fine sand to prevent the ink from spreading. They were punished for carelessness: they flogged them with rods, made them kneel in a corner on scattered peas, and the number of slaps on the back of the head was countless.

In the era of Peter 1, the first school in the city of Kyiv opened in systematic sciences, which the tsar himself called a new step in the education of every person. True, until now only children from noble families could get here, but more people wanted to send their children to study. In all schools in the 17th century, teachers taught subjects such as grammar and Latin.

It is with the era of Peter 1 that historians associate fundamental changes in the educational sphere. At this time, not only school institutions were opened, which were an order of magnitude higher than the very first schools, but also new schools and lyceums. The main and compulsory subjects for study are mathematics, navigation and medicine. However, school uniforms were never included in this reform.

This happened later - in 1834. Just this year a law was adopted that approved a separate type of civilian uniform. These included gymnasium and student uniforms.

The high school student's costume distinguished the teenager from those children who did not study, or could not afford to study. The uniform was worn not only in the gymnasium, but also on the street, at home, during celebrations and holidays. She was a source of pride. In all educational institutions, the uniform was of a military style: invariably caps, tunics and overcoats, which differed only in color, piping, buttons and emblems.

The caps were usually light blue and with a black visor, and a crumpled cap with a broken visor was considered especially chic among boys... There was also a weekend or holiday uniform: a dark blue or dark gray uniform with a trimmed silver collar. An invariable attribute of high school students was a backpack. The style of the uniform changed several times, as did the fashion of the time.

At the same time, the development began and female education. Therefore, student uniforms were required for girls as well. The girls' uniform was approved a full 60 years later than the boys' uniform - in 1896, and... as a result, the first outfit for students appeared. It was a very strict and modest outfit. But the uniform for girls will delight us with familiar brown dresses and aprons - it was these suits that were the basis for the uniform of Soviet schools. And the same white collars, the same modesty of style.

But the color scheme was different for each educational institution: For example, from the memoirs of Valentina Savitskaya, a 1909 graduate of gymnasium No. 36, we know that the color of the fabric of the gymnasium students’ dresses was different, depending on age: for the younger ones it was dark blue, for For 12-14 year olds it’s almost sea green, while for graduates it’s brown.

However, soon after the revolution, as part of the fight against the legacy of the tsarist police regime in 1918 a decree was issued completely abolishing the wearing of school uniforms. The official explanations were as follows: the uniform demonstrates the student’s lack of freedom and humiliates him.

The period of “formlessness” lasted right up to 1949. School uniforms become mandatory again only after the Great Patriotic War, a unified school uniform is introduced in the USSR.

In 1962, the gymnasts were replaced by gray woolen suits with four buttons, but they did not lose their militarized appearance. Important accessories were a cap with a cockade and a belt with a badge. Hairstyles were strictly regulated - styled like in the army. But the girls' uniforms remained the same.

In 1973, a new school uniform reform took place. A new uniform for boys appeared: it was a blue suit made of wool blend, decorated with an emblem and five aluminum buttons, cuffs and the same two pockets with flaps on the chest.

But again, nothing changed for the girls, and then mothers-needlewomen sewed black aprons for their beauties from fine wool, and white aprons from silk and cambric, decorated with lace.

In the early 1980s, uniforms for high school students were introduced. (This uniform began to be worn in the eighth grade). Girls from first to seventh grade wore a brown dress, as in the previous period. Only it was not much higher than the knees. For boys, trousers and jacket were replaced with a trouser suit. The color of the fabric was still blue. The emblem on the sleeve was also blue. For girls, a blue three-piece suit was introduced in 1984, consisting of an A-line skirt with pleats at the front, a jacket with patch pockets and a vest. The skirt could be worn with either a jacket or a vest, or the whole suit at once. In 1988, the wearing of blue trousers in winter was allowed for Leningrad, regions of Siberia and the Far North.

Years pass, and in 1992, by decision of the Russian Government, with the introduction of a new Law on Education. The ban has been lifted, you can wear whatever you want, as long as your clothes are clean and tidy.

The official explanation is to bring the law in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that every child has the right to express his or her individuality as he pleases. School uniforms restrict freedom of expression and have therefore been abolished.

Although some nostalgia for the school uniform remains - at the last bell, graduates very often wear something reminiscent of a Soviet uniform.

So in our country they have reintroduced the form - welcome to the real world :-(

School uniforms in other countries differs from ours: in some places it is more strict, and in others it is very fashionable and unusual.

For example, in Japan schoolgirls sport sailor suits. Their uniform is the standard of teenage fashion for the whole world. Even outside of school, Japanese girls wear something that reminds them of their usual school uniform.

For most middle and high schools in Japan, school uniforms are mandatory. Each school has its own, but in reality there are not many options. Usually this is a white shirt and dark jacket and trousers for boys and a white shirt and dark jacket and skirt for girls, or a sailor fuku - “sailor suit”. The uniform usually comes with a large bag or briefcase. Primary schoolchildren, as a rule, dress in ordinary children's clothing.

IN THE USA Each school decides for itself what items students are allowed to wear. There is no uniform in public schools, although some schools have a dress code. As a rule, tops that reveal the midriff, as well as low-fitting trousers, are prohibited in schools. Jeans, wide trousers with many pockets, T-shirts with graphics - this is what students in American schools prefer.

In most European countries there is also no uniform form; everything is limited to a fairly strict style.

The largest European country with school uniforms is Great Britain. In many of its former colonies the uniform was not abolished after independence, for example in India, Ireland, Australia, Singapore and South Africa. However, in Great Britain and its former colonies, school uniforms are not compulsory; each school decides for itself. Each prestigious school has its own logo and students are required to come to classes with a “branded” tie.

In France, a uniform school uniform existed from 1927-1968. Canceled as a result of student protests in the 1960s. Some schools practice wearing a uniform with the permission of the parent committee.

There is no uniform school uniform in Germany. Some schools have introduced uniform school clothing, which is not a uniform, since students can participate in its development. What is characteristic is that even during the time of the Third Reich, schoolchildren did not have a single uniform - they came to classes in casual clothes, in the uniform of the Hitler Youth or other children's organizations.

In Belgium, only some Catholic schools and private schools founded by the British have school uniforms. Typical clothing is dark blue trousers and skirts, a white or light blue shirt and tie.

In Cuba, uniforms are mandatory for all students in schools and higher education institutions.

In Poland, the uniform has been completely abolished and its private introduction by individual schools is prohibited.

Turkey - a compulsory school uniform, each school has its own color, but the same style: for boys - a suit, for girls - a blouse, jumper and skirt, for everyone - a tie in the school colors. This emphasizes that everyone is equal, regardless of the social and financial status of their parents.

School uniforms in China are uniform. It's a baggy green and white tracksuit. It is usually a size or two too large and deprives its owners of any gender differences at all.

In North Korea, uniforms are also mandatory and also ugly.

So, schools have reached our time and become what we all know. I wonder what school will be like in the distant future?

School of the Year 2000 by submission French artist Marc Côté (1899). Knowledge is automatically pumped into students’ brains, or as people say: “You have the Internet, you don’t need intelligence.”

Schoolgirls. Kursk, 1908-1912.

A brief history of school uniforms in Russia
Institute of Noble Maidens

In 1764, Catherine II founded the "Educational Society of Noble Maidens", which later became known as the "Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens". The purpose of this educational institution, as stated in the decree, was “...to give the state educated women, good mothers, useful members of the family and society.”

Training and education proceeded “by age.” Girls of each age group wore dresses of a certain color: the youngest (5-7 years old) were coffee-colored, so they were called “coffee girls”, 8-10 years old - blue or blue, 11-13 years old - gray, older girls wore white dresses . The dresses were closed (“deaf”), one-color, of the simplest cut. They wore a white apron, a white cape and, sometimes, white sleeves. Girls received an advanced education for Europe: reading, languages, basic mathematics, physics, chemistry, dancing, knitting, manners, music.

Alexandra Levshina. (Apparently, Zaira's role in tragedy of the same name Voltaire).

Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum

School uniforms in the Russian Empire were considered a matter of national importance. In 1834 it was approved general system all civilian uniforms in the Russian Empire, and boys, as well as all military or civilian employees, wore paramilitary uniforms. A uniform uniform, a uniform cap and a shirtfront are required. Outerwear was a paramilitary overcoat.

The most famous is the form of the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum - a privileged educational institution for children of nobles, from which Pushkin graduated. Children aged 10-12 years old were admitted to the lyceum, and high-ranking officials were trained from the students. The lyceum had a humanitarian and legal orientation. The level of education was equal to that of a university; graduates received civil ranks from the 14th to the 9th grade.

Volkhovsky V.D.

Summer boarding uniform

Boarding houses for girls - state and commercial - spread throughout Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Each educational institution adopted a uniform of its own color, but equally modest in appearance. Older girls were already taken out into the world, to balls and receptions, so that the young lady could find a “suitable match” and arrange her future life.

Since many girls lived in boarding houses permanently, during the summer they were allowed to change their everyday uniform to a lighter one - summer. Here are some of the summer boarding house options for walking. But even outside the educational institution, the girl had to look stern and touching - in a boater hat and a long dress.

Gymnasiums

The oldest Russian gymnasium is the Academic, founded in 1726. But the real heyday of gymnasiums dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, when the Ministry of Public Education was formed. Gymnasiums began to appear throughout the Russian Empire. The uniform of high school students consisted of a cap, overcoat, tunic, trousers and a ceremonial uniform. In winter, when it was cold, they wore headphones and a hood. Each educational institution had different colors, piping, buttons and emblems. Teachers and supervisors strictly monitored compliance with all rules for wearing a suit, which were spelled out in detail in the charter of educational institutions.
There were classical, real, commercial, and military gymnasiums. And women's.

Portrait of a high school student Kaidalov

The gymnasium uniform for girls was approved only 63 years after the men's. In state gymnasiums, pupils wore brown dresses with a high collar and aprons. Mandatory turn-down collar and straw hat. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 160 girls’ gymnasiums. Upon completion, girls were given a certificate to become a home teacher.

Soviet uniform

In 1918, the gymnasium uniform was recognized as a bourgeois relic and was abolished. But in 1948 they actually returned to their pre-revolutionary form. The new Soviet uniform appeared only in 1962. It was already more like civilian clothes - without tunics, caps, and belts. The uniform for girls repeated the uniform of the gymnasium, only it was much shorter. A black or white festive apron, lace collar, cuffs, white or black bows were required.

In the 70s, boys had a jacket tailored to look like denim, and older boys had a trouser suit. In the late 80s, school uniforms were in short supply; they were even sold with coupons. One of the reasons for the demand was its good quality and traditionally low price. Adults began to wear it as casual and work wear.

Compulsory school uniforms in Russia were officially abolished in 1992.

In addition:

The children of the Borovichi excise official Shileiko are a high school student and a student at a real school. (Photo from the archives of the Borovichi Museum of Local Lore).

Borovichi at the beginning of the last century could not boast big amount educational institutions. In the women's gymnasium (now the House of Education Workers), in the real school (secondary school No. 1), the number of students was small: they were filled mainly with children of wealthy parents who were able to pay for education. Primary education was provided mainly by parochial schools. True, they were then at almost every church in the city and district.
In the morning, lessons began with prayer. When the bell rang, the schoolgirls gathered in the hall and, after singing a prayer in chorus, went to their classes. In addition, a visit to the Trinity Cathedral (now the city House of Culture) was mandatory for girls. Every year it was necessary to submit a certificate that the students had undergone the rite of confession and holy communion.
In the girls' gymnasium the main emphasis was on Latin. Why they filled children's heads with a dead language, only the highest officials knew... However, French, German and Old Church Slavonic were also taught.
The schoolgirls wore brown woolen dresses, tailored to a strict uniform, and black aprons. Teachers wore uniforms at that time: men wore a jacket and a cap with a cockade, women wore a free-form blue woolen dress. The teaching profession was very respected; passers-by on the street pointed and whispered in admiration: “Look, here comes the teacher!”
The men's gymnasium was located in Novgorod. High school students could then study at universities or institutes, while high school students sat at home waiting for marriage. Only in rare cases did they go to serve in various state and control chambers or treasuries; there were practically no other ways.
The real school provided knowledge in mathematics, physics, and drawing, and graduates, as a rule, later became technicians, mechanics, and engineers. There was also a vocational school that trained turners, mechanics, and carpenters.
There was a theological school in Borovichi (in the building of the current vocational lyceum No. 8), where seminarians studied the Law of God.
And it’s also worth remembering that the curriculum of educational institutions has not changed for decades, as have textbooks. Therefore, high school students, as a rule, sold Kraevich’s Physics or Evtushevsky’s Arithmetic, which they no longer needed, to junior classes. Moreover, there were few bookstores then.
Mikhail VASILIEV.

How Soviet schoolchildren were dressed to the taste of Nicholas II and why the Bolsheviks abolished equalization

Now in Russia there are no uniform rules regarding school uniforms. Specific styles and the very fact of wearing a uniform are regulated by individual schools based on their ideas about discipline and beauty. But it was not always so. For the first time, compulsory school uniforms were introduced in the Russian Empire by Nicholas I, and since then they have changed several times depending on the preferences of one or another ruler.

Any clothing - from a restrictive pencil skirt and a formal suit to Hawaiian shirts and evening dresses - affects human behavior. A uniform form of clothing to indicate membership in a particular group was first used by members monastic orders. With the advent of standing armies in the 17th century, military personnel began wearing uniforms. The first experience of introducing school uniforms was made in the 16th century at the English charity school for children from poor families, Christ's Shelter, but this practice became widespread only 200 years later.

The first English school uniform, 16th century

The school uniform was supposed to have an additional disciplinary effect on students, accustoming children to the fact that they are in a special social space, where their own rules and regulations apply. In countries with different political systems, uniforms can have directly opposite functions: either to emphasize the elitism of students, or, conversely, to equalize children from families with different incomes. Over the two centuries of the existence of school uniforms in Russia, the same clothes performed all functions.

The prerequisites for the introduction of school uniforms in the Russian Empire arose at the beginning of the 19th century. The Ministry of Public Education (MPE), established by Alexander I, in 1804 adopted the “Charter of educational institutions subordinate to universities,” which divided the country into six educational districts with a university at its head. Gymnasium dresses were not officially regulated, but students of prestigious gymnasiums and boarding schools borrowed uniforms from students in their educational districts.

Gymnasium students of pre-revolutionary Russia, late XIX century

The mandatory uniform for all high school students was introduced by Emperor Nicholas I. According to the “Regulations on Civil Uniforms” dated February 27 (March 11), 1834, all students in educational institutions subordinate to the MNP were required to “have a uniform of dark green cloth with a dark blue cloth collar with gold or silver galloon buttonholes according to the districts. The cut of both the uniforms and the frock coats required for students and pupils should be the current one and they should wear dark green cloth caps with a band matching the color of the collar.” Instead of frock coats, boarders of three St. Petersburg gymnasiums were required to wear blue single-breasted jackets with a red stand-up collar and gilded buttons. The ceremonial uniforms, the details of which had the same color scheme, were decorated with gold braided buttonholes. Each of these educational institutions had its own color of piping on the cap: the First St. Petersburg Gymnasium was red, the Second was white, and the Third was blue.

Pre-revolutionary gymnasium uniform

The emperor's son Alexander II, as soon as he ascended the throne, rushed to change the clothes of the military and officials. The standards of school uniforms also changed, repeating the military style in everything. Since 1855, school frock coats and jackets acquired beveled stand-up collars, which were a distinctive feature of the Imperial Guard. At formal receptions, students wore single-breasted dark green caftans, similar to those worn by officials.

For a long time, the reformer could not decide what clothes the high school students should wear. The color of the uniforms, fittings and edgings were changed several times. In 1868, a dark blue single-breasted uniform with nine silver-plated buttons and a slanted collar with narrow silver braid became the standard. Along with the uniform they wore wide dark blue trousers and a cap of the same color with a leather visor and white piping. Belonging to an educational institution was now indicated by a code consisting of letters and numbers above the visor: “S. P.B. 1G.” - St. Petersburg First Gymnasium, “R. G." - Richelieu Gymnasium and so on. Because of the color of their school uniforms, schoolchildren were teased by their peers as “blue beef.”

Under Nicholas II, the uniform became somewhat more comfortable, and schoolchildren's wardrobes were replenished with tunics and tunics. In winter, schoolchildren wore light gray double-breasted coats with blue flaps and white piping on the collar, and if it became too cold, they wore black earmuffs. In the north-west of the Russian Empire, the color of student tunics was dark blue, in the south - gray. In the summer they dressed in Kolomyanka blouses like those worn by the cadets. Shirts and blouses were belted with a black lacquered belt with a buckle on which the gymnasium code was engraved. Black cloth trousers remained an invariable attribute of the costume at any time of the year.

Pupils of prestigious schools - gymnasiums, real and commercial schools - under Nicholas II continued to wear a ceremonial blue uniform. Students of industrial, city and religious schools, as well as agricultural and craft schools, dressed up in jackets and jackets for the holidays.

School uniforms for girls were established at the state level 60 years later than boys' uniforms. Catherine II founded the first in the Russian Empire educational institution for women - the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens - in 1764. The girls placed in the institute for many years found themselves isolated from the negative, in the opinion of the empress, influence of the ignorant environment. One of the tools for “ennobling” girls was uniforms, the color of which became lighter the closer the college girl was to completing her studies: in primary school the dresses were brown, then blue, then gray, and the graduates wore white.

Graduates of the Smolny Institute

Over the next century, many educational institutions for women emerged in the Russian Empire, including colleges, schools and gymnasiums. Following the example of Smolny, they introduced school uniforms, but they appearance depended only on the wishes of the management of the institutions. The gymnasium uniform for girls was approved in 1896. Unlike the pupils of Smolny, schoolgirls wore not colored silk, but brown woolen dresses, over which an apron was tied: black on weekdays, and white on holidays. The shades of brown varied from school to school, and some students wore checkered dresses to class.

After the revolution of 1917, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee adopted the decree “On a unified labor school,” which abolished the division of schools into different types schools and gymnasiums. The old uniform was abolished as a symbol of upper class membership and a relic of the bourgeois past. In addition, the state did not have the funds to provide uniforms to all children of the RSFSR. Schoolchildren went to school in what their parents could afford; some wore the clothes of their older brothers and sisters.

Women's school uniform, 1917

Since 1949, the USSR began the transition to universal seven-year education, along with which compulsory school uniforms returned. For boys, these were gray-blue tunics with plain trousers and caps with yellow piping and a leather strap. The gymnasts were belted with a black patent leather belt with a buckle. The girls returned to the same brown dresses, only their length became noticeably shorter. The new rules also affected hair styling: they should be braided and bows should be tied to match the color of the apron, in weekdays- black, on holidays - white. In general, the “totalitarian” Soviet school uniform was practically no different from the “elite” pre-revolutionary one.

School uniform of a first grader, 1955

Started during Khrushchev's thaw Demilitarization also affected schoolchildren’s clothing. In 1962, the tunic was replaced by a gray wool blend suit - trousers and a single-breasted jacket with plastic buttons, under which it was required to wear a white shirt. After 11 years, the suits became dark blue - the boys wore trousers with jackets that were similar in cut to the increasingly popular jeans.

First-graders of one of the schools in the Kyiv district of the capital, 1962

In the early 1980s, uniforms for high school students appeared. From the eighth grade, boys could wear a blue two-piece suit, girls - a three-piece suit, consisting of a skirt, vest and jacket. From first to seventh grade, schoolgirls continued to wear brown dresses with an apron - practically nothing has changed about them in 90 years.

High school uniform, 1979

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, school uniforms were abolished. The 1992 Education Law did not in any way regulate the procedure for introducing school uniforms, leaving this issue to the discretion of the educational institutions themselves. If a school wanted to establish requirements for student clothing, this standard should have been recorded in the charter or the corresponding local act.

In the fall of 2012, the director of one of the schools in the Stavropol Territory refused to allow several Muslim students wearing hijabs to attend lessons. According to the charter, it was possible to attend classes only in secular clothing. A few months later, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Federal Law “On Education in the Russian Federation.” From September 1, 2013, administrations of educational institutions can establish requirements for schoolchildren’s clothing “in accordance with standard requirements approved by authorized government bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.”

By school uniform we mean the uniform for students while they are at school. Now, as before, there are many arguments for and against wearing a school uniform . Let's take a look at how school uniforms developed in Russia.

You can even name the exact date of the introduction of school uniforms in Russia. This happened in 1834. It was in this year that a law was adopted that approved a separate type of civilian uniform. These included gymnasium and student uniforms. The suits that were intended for boys of that time were a peculiar combination of military and civilian men's dress. The boys wore these costumes not only during classes, but also after them. Throughout this time, the style of the gymnasium and student uniform changed only slightly.

In most European countries also do not have a single form, everything is limited to a fairly strict style. In many countries of the world, the question of school uniforms, like ours, remains open.

There is no consensus on the benefits or harms of mandatory uniform school clothing. The history of the creation of school uniforms and its development is contradictory, and does not answer the question: is it necessary? But one thing is for sure, school clothes should remain only school clothes.

based on materials from the site http://www.svk-klassiki.ru