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Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

I only remember needing paper, notebooks, steno pads, and pens for my high school classes.

By the time my girls started to school, I bought paper, pencils and notebooks whenever I found sales, but had to wait on a list of specifics from their teachers.

I continue to buy paper and pencils to help my teacher daughter, along with Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and Kleenex.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,598
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies


@SilleeMee wrote:

I went to the schools that were located on military posts. I was a military brat. They paid for everything. All we had to do is show up for class.

 

What I used to look forward to was the smell of those 'ditto copies' the teachers would hand out....lol! Woman Very Happy


@SilleeMee  I taught at a military base school, but it was adjacent to the base and was part of the county school system.  Picture a rectangular piece of land, with one corner cut out.  That corner was county property with the elementary school on it.  So just as with the other public schools, our students had to buy basic school supplies.  Of course I bought a lot of things we needed and the school supplied some extras.  Interesting to hear that it was so different for you, but that Air Force base was my only experience with teaching mililtary kids.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,040
Registered: ‎09-12-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Grade school in the 50s and high school in the 60s, and I don't ever remember getting a list of items that we had to buy. We knew we had to have some spiral notebooks, pencils and pens. If we needed something else for a particular class, then we were told what we needed on our first day. I went through grade school in a small midwest town and when my parents moved I graduated from high school with a class of 700. I was never, ever, required to buy all of the supplies that are required now. I live in a state that says lottery/gambling boats/taxes will fund our schools. That doesn't seem to be happening. For me, getting ready for grade school meant getting a couple of new outfits and a pair of shoes! In high school it meant spending my summer babysitting earnings on a few new sweaters, skirts and flats!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,820
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Yes, long time ago.  Buying an ink pen and ink!!  Loved the ruler /pencil boxes. Everything was so special.  Not a huge selection like today.  I remember saving to get a ponytail binder instead of that blue canvas thing.  That was also when we got new shoes, and a new fall outfit.  Nothing else until easter.  Lol

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,706
Registered: ‎01-02-2015

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

My son when he was a child for some odd reason loved office supplies ...

now his daughter is the same way ... she and I both love to go to Staples

for school supplies ... although last year more from Target ....

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

We didn't have to shop for school supplies except a loose leaf notebook and paper. Usually, since my Mom worked downtown she'd buy them & bring them home from work with her. Everything else was supplied by the school. We did shop for school clothes and shoes.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Yeah, I got my Pee Chee folders!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,232
Registered: ‎07-11-2010

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies


@hennypenny wrote:

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.

 


@hennypenny oh my, I remember my fountain pen with the peacock blue ink.--it was my favorite ink color, and I have used blue for fonts on the computer for years.....still have that pen!

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,262
Registered: ‎03-26-2017

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

I loved getting the list and going with my Dad to the drug/variety store to fill up the King Edward cigar box that topped the list and then re-arranging the contents several times before school started.

 

I loved the fat pencils in first grade (regular #2 in 2nd & beyond) and I remember that awful LePage’s paste.  The stiff plastic applicator (which was also a part of the lid) was immovable and just left blobs of paste. (Second grade we got to have the Elmer’s which always got clogged)

 

 

@Pearlee - I remember my older sisters having the messy glue you described. (I think it might have been LePage brand also.)

 

 

I hated the first time I had to erase something and ruin” my brand new Pink Pearl eraser. 

 

I was out sick a lot and often returned to things missing from

my desk - especially the glue and scissors. (Jeez did my Dad

get mad at having to buy 3 pairs of scissors for in 2nd grade!) 

 

I remember kids getting in trouble for bringing the 64-count Crayolas - the 16 ct size was on the list. I still love the smell of crayons. While some kids ate the Elmer’s glue or paper, I sniffed my crayons. 

 

I think we got a ballpoint pen in 3rd grade. The ink well remained empty, though long haired girls were subjected to boys pulling their hair through the ink well hole and then held with their other hand that was inside their desk. Ouch - it hurt!  

 

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 805
Registered: ‎06-25-2015

Re: Childhood Memories of Buying School Supplies

Like so many of you, I enjoyed picking out the new binder with dividers for all the subjects.  I was so organized to begin, but that soon fell apart!  It didn't take long for my desk cubicle to become a disaster either!