Reply
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,014
Registered: ‎05-24-2016

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

[ Edited ]

@Pearlee ~ My memories are exactly what you mentioned!  I had a bittersweet feeling of buying school supplies.  Loved it because it was "new," kinda sad summer was over, and having to do homework.  Those fountain pens were so messy, but when the ink cartridges came into play, a bit better, unless you had a leaky pen!

I think children today feel the same about their new supplies, and "some" kids are excited for school to start.  

 

eta...My favorite part of "back to school" was getting new shoes!

i went to a parochial school, and it was either saddle shoes or (Weejun) penny loafers.  None of these were lookers, but I always loved shoes, still do!

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

I remember getting brand new Pee chees.......do they still sell those today?

Highlighted
Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,838
Registered: ‎10-03-2011

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

[ Edited ]

I STILL love shopping for school supplies!  I can't resist those 10 cent spiral notebooks!  I always stock up as I use them often, just to have at my desk for notes, lists, writing out plans.  Yeah, it's probably old school, but that's fine with me.  This is always a good time to go freshen things for the desk up and get the tape dispenser refills, correction tape, Sharpies, new pens, pencils, etc. 

When I was in school, we didn't have backpacks either, we just carried our books loose, but they all had bookcovers.  I think we had a cigar box in our classroom desks that held our crayons, pencils, pink erasers, etc.  Besides the musilage glue, there was something called Pogo Paste.  The container was like a plastic jar with a well down the center which held a little brush that was used to apply the paste.  You never knew what color your brush was until you opened the jar; blue green, red, yellow.  The paste itself had a slight minty smell, and of course, most kids in the primary grades had to sample it.  LOL

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,460
Registered: ‎05-12-2012

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies


@SeaMaiden wrote:

I remember getting brand new Pee chees.......do they still sell those today?


what the heck was a Pee Chee?!

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,334
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

[ Edited ]

I loved back to school time then and still do.  Paper, pencils and crayons were supplied by the school throughout elementary and junior high school.  Anything in addition to that, we had to buy ourselves.  I remember Grampa's old cigar box that I used as my pencil box.  I remember learning cursive writing in 2nd grade, and in 3rd grade printing was no longer allowed.  I remember when we were finally allowed to write in ink in the 5th grade, and that was also the first year we were allowed to have markers instead of crayons.  My mom wouldn't splurge for the Magic Markers.  I got some generic markers and the colors were all a little "off."  When I went into 6th grade, the new exciting thing was to have a Trapper Keeper.  Again, Mom couldn't and/or wouldn't splurge on it, so I got a cheap one with house plants printed all over it.  I saved my money for a real Trapper Keeper.   

 

We spent the two weeks before school hoping there was enough money to get new clothes.  Mom and Dad always came through at the last minute.  We went shopping for two pairs of pants or jeans, two shirts, socks, underwear and a pair of shoes.  That was it for new clothes for the remainder of the school year.  Everything else was either hand-me-downs or bought second-hand.  The best part about school starting was not having to be in our 2+ acre garden by 7:30 a.m. to either pull weeds or pick vegetables.  Summer vacation was definitely not vacation!

 

We would watch out the window and see when the bus stopped at the neighbor's house down the road, and that was our cue to head outside.  To this day, there's nothing better than the smell of a new box of Crayolas or the smell of diesel fuel from the school bus. HeartHeartHeart

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,328
Registered: ‎08-20-2012

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

[ Edited ]

       I don't remember buying my school supplies so much, but I have real strong memories of buying for my children.  Always with the "list" of supplies in hand, we'd end up at a Kmart or WalMart or office supply store.  Kids always looking to get the newest, most popular colors in backpacks, folders, notebooks and pens. And all those boxes of Kleenex for the classrooms - such special memories!!  

       And then, the first day of school pictures with the kids standing in front of the house... some faces happy and some not so happy!!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,702
Registered: ‎08-22-2013

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

When I went to elementary school the supplies were provided by the school. Of course my Mom would buy us a book bag and I remember in high school, I had some kind of thick rubber type band with a clasp that I used to hold my books together and a zippered pencil case.. Back in the 50' and 60's they paid teacher's next to nothing, so the students could never count on them to provide anything other than their expertise. I remember the teachers had a closet with all kinds of school supplies, even for special projects.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,392
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

My Mother and Dad made me reuse my looseleaf notebooks. I hated that. We could not use spiral notebooks I assume because it made a mess with the little bits of paper. I liked the zippered pencil bag the most. I also had to reuse my crayons and never got a fancy box with a built in sharpener. My parents both worked but as depression children  we did not waste. I wanted Keds for gym but got Skips from Mongomery Ward. We hung them on our desk chairs. No lockers, a cloak room in the back of the room.

 

Churches collect very specific items including backpacks for  local kids that supposedly need them. I am donating this year to mission work. A lady in our church made bags and they aren't so particular like pens and pencils have to be in a whole package. I am going to wait for our sales tax free weekend.  One retired teacher went to Poland in the 80s summers to teach English. She said they used every bit if paper and pencils. I used to get pencils for her I picked up free to take overseas.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Loved everything new and shiny and whole! The smell of crayons and those pencil boxes we used to get made of paper board! 

 

 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,596
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies


@SeaMaiden wrote:

I remember getting brand new Pee chees.......do they still sell those today?


@SeaMaiden

What are Pee chees?  I'm wondering if it's regional , or if we went to school in different decades, because I've never heard of them. 

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett