Most children didn't have shoes as it was.. they were expensive so my gramma used to tell me shoes on a child in a picture often meant a sign of wealth or they were wearing their Sundays best or none at all
A couple of years ago, my cousin sent me an old photo from around 1920 or our fathers and their sister. They were all dressed up but had no shoes on. They lived in rural Arkansas and guess that was pretty common at that time.
Yes, many of the rural school pics of the early 1900's in Arkansas had barefoot kids. Not all were barefoot. My grandmother was one of them when she was just a little thing. There were six kids at that time, and a sick and declining father. They made do, and counted their blessings. At times they dug up their meals, and not from the garden. They always had a home and they had a lot of love.
my dad, born in 1901, Pierz, Minnesota . . on a farm . . .said they were so poor he had to wear his sister's shoes to school . . .quit school very early, left the farm and rode the rails as a hobo probably about 1915 . . .
Back then my grandmother said I could not go out of the house without shoes or the neighbors would think we were poor. No matter if they were old, small or big or my brothers old shoes ... we HAD to wear them ... no bare feet EVER outside where people could see you.
Both children look very uncomfortable as if they both have been forced to stand for the photograph. The boy gives the impression that he wants to run off, and even though his legs show his wounds his clothes are not dirty. His hat looks a tad small. Is there a story behind this picture ... there should be ...
Maybe the shoes were a hand-me-down from him. I got plenty of hand-me-downs growing up and I was glad to get them. Also in summer time we always went barefooted unless we were going to town or church.
Also, boys were trained to catch fish and craw daddies in the creak, girls were trained from an early age to catch the eye of boys. Shoes still are a challenge to demographics in our rich by divided country -- as growing up each year required new ones. However, not being the oldest meant, there would fortunately be hand me downs. while it is not a solution, why cant we in addition to teaching the world "3 part harmony", teach them how to make shoes from used tires, etc, as they do in some countries, or gallons of sustainable/ edible algae....
Take a look at this shins, his ankles, the tops of his feet. That might be one reason he doesn't have on shoes & socks. I know, he's a boy, boy's will be boys, but there could be a reason why he has nothing on his feet.
When I was a kid, all I had to do was walk barefoot in the dewy grass & it was like I'd been eaten up with something or that I was allergic to something. They itched, oh boy did they itch. I'd scratch & the harder I scratched the better it felt until I broke the skin. Then it was like I was skinned alive. This would go all the way to my knees, all summer long. They couldn't afford shoes for us to wear out in the summer so I was doomed to go this route for years.
I truly enjoy reading every comment on this photo of my Great Aunt Eva & William Scott. I was blessed to have grown up knowing my sweet Aunt Elva she was a very religious woman who taught me a lot about the Love of Jesus. I am blessed to be a part of her legacy.
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