This is a photo of my mom at a young age, but boys used to be dressed the same way until a certain age. Recently in the lunchroom at school, a teacher was insisting that the dressing of boys in dresses had never been so.
A few of us were arguing vociferously, and she was not to be persuaded. Then I found this passage in Lord Hornblower, and boy, did I feel smart!!
"My beloved husband, the household here at Smallbridge is so much agog with all this news that our most important event bade fair to pass unnoticed. I refer to the breeching of Richard Arthur. He is in smallclothes now, and his petticoats are put away for ever. He is young for such a transformation, and Ramsbottom melted into tears at the passing of her baby; but if you could see him I think you would agree that he looks vastly well in his new clothes, at least until he can escape from supervision and induldge himself in his favourite recreation of digging holes in the ground in the shrubbery."
I find the terms "breeching" and "smallclothes" quite intriguing - maybe I will do some research.
5 comments:
I'm going to go ahead and guess that the teacher in question had a name that starts with "M" and rhymes with "Barsha"?
Actually it was a new teacher - the one to whom you refer - if she'd been in there - might have had some first hand knowledge!!
I am surprised that a teacher didn't know this bit of history.
So, is the teacher not very well read, or are all of us over read?
so it was a sort of breech birth?
I think we are just of a superior intelligence!! (to answer Karen's quesiton!!)
and I was waiting for the pun Bonny!!
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