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Honored Contributor
Posts: 37,847
Registered: ‎06-11-2011

Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Although as a child I hated when summer ended and school was starting up again (even though I liked school), I absolutely loved going shopping for school supplies with my mom.  (Back when I was a kid, dads never did this - it was a "mom job.")

For one thing, it was "me time" alone with my mom, and for another, even back as a child I always enjoyed products such as paper, pens, pencils, etc. and still do to this day.  I love stationery and stamps, etc.    Gosh, early on I used pens that used ink and then - YAY - there were cartridge pens which weren't nearly as messy and were much more efficient than dipping pens in the ink.  Our little desks had ink wells for the ink and we'd all go home with ink on our fingers from using pens with ink.  We weren't supposed to use any ball point pens back then.

 

We didn't carry backpacks then and the school supplies were pretty darn basic: pens, No. 2 (only) pencils, ruler, three-ring notebook, a lock for a locker (in junior high/high school but not earlier), erasers, glue, a compass and not much more. 

Does anyone else remember that  - this was before Elmer's glue! - the glue came in a bottle with a rubber cap on the bottom that had a slit in the middle where the glue came out.  What awful packaging, and that slit in the middle always got stuck with glue, keeping the glue from coming out after several uses.

 

I still browse the school supplies and still enjoy it, although the array of supplies has gotten much more vast than the few simple things we needed. 

 

What are your childhood memories of going to buy school supplies?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,654
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

I did enjoy the school supply shopping.  Everything was so neat and clean, but that did not last long.  I remember the 1st time in grade school I got a huge thick Chief writing tablet.  I thought I was really something.

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,710
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Pretty much the same as you.

I remember going to buy my first fountain pen. I believe I was in fourth grade. I was so excited. I picked peacock ink. I still have my desk and it has peacock ink in the cubby holes. The pen had a lever to wick up the ink. My mother told me that was very modern.

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,012
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

@hennypenny  I loved that peacock blue ink and chose that one too.  I had the pen that took the cartridges of the ink.  Now I use ballpoint pens, but except for checks and  a couple of other things, I use ink colors other than blue or black.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,710
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

@Daysdee, I got my first cartridge pen in high school. It was sooo much easier.

I only use blue ink wont buy pens with black. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,180
Registered: ‎04-10-2012

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

I remember being excited to have new things to start the year with, but my intention to write neatly went out the door after the first paragraph...my penmanship was atrocious,and remains so to this day ! 😜

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,775
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

When I went to school the schools provided our supplies.

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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,162
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Ask me about state capitols --- my elementary ed pencil box had big stars and capitol names on each state and I adored it.

 

Remember Nifty notebooks that snapped open and shut? Teacher had to tell me to stop snapping it a couple of times. Loved it. 

 

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." Henry David Thoreau
Honored Contributor
Posts: 37,847
Registered: ‎06-11-2011

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

I hated when occasionally my finger would get in the way of the three-ring notebooks and the ring would "pinch" it -- that hurt!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,317
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Pee Chee folders
Trapper Keeper
Bic pens
Calculator
No 2 pencils