Primary Document Analysis
My research paper looks to answer how compulsory schooling affected the home lives of rural families. This analysis will demonstrate how families were tunneled into accepting the Canadian identity through school requirements of dress code and behavior expectations. School was a priority and influenced the home life in many ways.
The photo being analyzed depicts a schoolyard full of children, evenly spaced, doing similar exercises. Though appearing to be from different ethnic backgrounds, all the children are dressed alike- girls are in skirts or dresses and boys are in pants with their shirts tucked in. The fact that all the children are from different backgrounds and are all at school looking proper implies that there is someone at home who made it happen. Its well known that mothers often played the role of preparing the children for the day- making sure everyone is bathed, dressed, fed and at school on time. Though the differences between each home are great, this photo implies that a line of similarity is seen within most homes as well. School requirements shifted the homes schedule and in turn created more similarities between people. The children are dressed properly and the similarity between each child shows a single identity that the school and perhaps community put on everyone. Attending a school with multiple ethnic backgrounds allows exposure to others customs and values, from the school these can be carried home and eventually differences decrease and seem less scary.
The clothes being worn in the photo suggest a mild temperature, this combined with the number of children in the school yard allows the viewer to imply these children are not required to help run the farm or complete domestic duties. Though schooling became mandatory in 1916, many children only attended periodically in relation to if they were needed to support the family’s economic wellbeing.
There are several difficulties in assessing this photo. One cannot judge the treatment each child received from this picture, so whether children from minority ethnic backgrounds were treated worse than Anglo Saxon children, or the children of the predominant ethnic background, cannot be determined. Treatment from teachers and other school children influences children’s attitudes regarding themselves and negative emotions towards their culture would substantially affect home life. Despite these difficulties, the photograph delivers a partial understanding to the environment which children in a rural town received education.
This document will aid in supporting my research proposal as it demonstrates a unity between everyone despite ethnic differences. This can be connected to the home because despite domestic differences, these children are getting a similar education, which will be carried from the school to the home.