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Niagara

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85. A few things and items that I want to mention:

Mon May 4, 2026, 03:26 PM

Monday

I don't know if it's generational or pertaining to certain demographics. People in their 80's and 90's talk about grade schools that were numbered. Example: PS (Public School) #1 or PS (Public School)#45. When I went to grade school and my children went to grade school, the schools had names and were not numbered.

Metal lunch boxes discontinued by lunch box manufacturers and banned by schools, mainly due to kids beating each other up with metal lunch boxes. Not always the case, but generally.

Scratch and sniff stickers on perfect or nearly perfect quizes, tests and specific homework papers.

Paper grade cards in manilla envelopes that were used the entire school year. Today it's digital grades.

Do they still have music and art classes in grade school today? I don't know.

Also: Lunch Lady Peanut Butter/Chocolate Bars. They were the breakfast bomb at my grade school, I don't care what anyone else says about the the breakfast bars either. If anyone says "yuck/gross/barf" I'm just going to assume that person is insane.

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If a child went back to a grade school when you attended, what would they find odd or not even know what it was? ------- [View all] debm55 Monday OP

The mimeograph machine. cloudbase Monday #1

And the smell of freshly mimeographed pages Redleg Monday #34

Vivid purple ink on stark white paper. CrispyQ Monday #49

Mimeographed pages smelled, um, inky Brother Buzz Monday #115

Fast Times At Ridgemont High "Paper Sniff Scene" Niagara Monday #116

Yes, I remember that. and the kids would sniff it. Thank you cloudbase.❤️ debm55 Monday #37

I can still remember the smell. 3catwoman3 Monday #62

Pencil Sharpener? AZJonnie Monday #2

Yes, AZJonnie, The little individual ones and the ones bolted to teache's desk. It had Boston printed on it. Thank you debm55 Monday #7

Still Common ProfessorGAC Monday #76

Most are electronic now, instead of the hand cranked ones sakabatou Tuesday #152

Chalk board Bluestocking Monday #3

Thank you very much, Bluestocking. for sharing. I can see. Do you remember taking the erasers outside and hitting them debm55 Monday #8

We had a room with an eraser vacuum Soul_of_Wit Monday #42

I remember that when I started teaching. It was in the teacher's "supply room" Thank you Soul _ of_Wit debm55 Monday #54

I went to public school, no eraser vacuum. Bluestocking Monday #91

Thank you for sharing , Bluestocking. We used to bang them against the school building as it was yellow brick. debm55 Monday #93

For some reason this was considered ... reACTIONary Yesterday #171

My fifth grade teacher would frequently send me out to clean the erasers. hunter Tuesday #149

Still In Some Schools ProfessorGAC Monday #78

Chalk allergy Maninacan Monday #103

That is sad that the Art teacher would do that. I am sorry to hear that. There are so many media that the girl could of debm55 Monday #106

The set of encyclopedias and the dictionary karynnj Monday #4

Yes. I remember the encyclopedias and the individual ones and the one that was huge. Thank you, karynnj debm55 Monday #9

Analog CRT television. House of Roberts Monday #5

Thank you very much, House of Roberts and the large analog wall clock. debm55 Monday #11

Television? What's that? StoolPigeon Monday #32

We had to watch a lot of the NASA launches and recoveries. House of Roberts Monday #41

And "film strips." Of the... reACTIONary Yesterday #173

Black and white, watching Apollo astronauts (n/m) Soul_of_Wit Monday #39

My school had a screen for old fashioned films and projectors. wnylib Monday #107

Thank you very much for sharing. We had a similar setup debm55 Monday #109

Safety patrol Bmoboy Monday #6

HAHAHAHAHAH. I remember the Safety patrol. Bmoboy, I hope you didn't get to badly hurt from the bike. debm55 Monday #12

Getting out of school a few minutes early, for the win (n/m) Soul_of_Wit Monday #36

HAHAHHAHhAhaha, Very true, Soul_of_Wit. debm55 Monday #40

I was made "Captain" of the safety patrol. That meant I had safety patrol rsdsharp Monday #44

Oh my that is a bummer. rsdharp. Did you get any perks?? Our safety patrol got free tickets to an amusement park. You debm55 Monday #51

Yeah, the captain's Sam Brown belt had a gold badge. rsdsharp Monday #87

HAHAHHAHAHHAHAH. debm55 Monday #90

I was a patrol, too. Was not hit by any cars or bikes, thank goodness. wnylib Monday #108

We still have those, just not in that uniform sakabatou Tuesday #153

Inkwells nitpicked Monday #10

Yes , nitpicked , we had them too but never used them for ink. Used to put that little pack of Kleenex in there. debm55 Monday #13

Yes and we actually used them wanderer54 Yesterday #184

PEE CHEE folder debm55 Monday #14

YES!!!!! some_of_us_are_sane Monday #142

hahaha.thank you debm55 Monday #144

Busing to aid desegregation jgo Monday #15

Thank you very much for sharing that milestone with us, jgo. debm55 Monday #24

being taught civics crud Monday #16

I had civics in 9th grade. In grade school. we had PA History in 4th grade. High school was Government. Don't know it is debm55 Monday #22

Civics is still taught to some degree. Wiz Imp Monday #50

Every School In Illinois Does ProfessorGAC Monday #79

Blackboard with chalk, a pencil sharpener with a crank, Ocelot II Monday #17

Thank you very much, Ocelot II. What a great selection. I do remember them all debm55 Monday #19

Big maps on the rollers you pull down.... lastlib Monday #18

Yes, I remember those. Thank you for sharing, lastlib. debm55 Monday #20

Mercator maps that distort the size of countries closer to the poles, Ocelot II Monday #21

HAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHA. That is very funny Ocelot II debm55 Monday #23

I See Them From Time To Time ProfessorGAC Monday #80

Oh, yeah, by the time I was in elementary, it was replaced with Russia (URSSR was gone by '92 maps) sakabatou Tuesday #154

Seeng a film projector and pull down screen LogDog75 Monday #25

Yes to both, LogDog75, I do remember that the teacher gave a student and they would rewind the opposite way, HAHAHAHAHH debm55 Monday #26

Ink well at the top of the desk... MiHale Monday #27

Thank you very much for sharing with us.MiHale. debm55 Monday #29

Paste (not glue) Silver Gaia Monday #28

Yes! No Elmers. You had to put a small piece of paper and she would go around and put some of your paper. It was never debm55 Monday #31

We each had to have our own jar of paste. Silver Gaia Monday #96

Thank you for your answer.😊 debm55 Monday #98

In high school we had Americanism vs. Communism iwillalwayswonderwhy Monday #30

Thank you very much, iwillalwayswonderwhy. . My class was just American government. debm55 Monday #33

don't they still have that in Florida? DBoon Monday #113

Phonics Redleg Monday #35

I remember the last year for me taking Phonics was when I was in Second Grade. It was taught as a separate class. Now debm55 Monday #58

My father taught me phonics at home before wnylib Monday #110

Oh thank you so much, wnylib. Didn't they have a little yellow kitten name. Puff? Anyone know or remember? debm55 Monday #127

Puff sounds familiar but I am not sure. wnylib Monday #131

Well, my old school had a constant-flow urinal in the boy's room... malthaussen Monday #38

HAHHAHHAHAHAHHA. Thank you very much , Mal. for sharing. That is funny. debm55 Monday #59

First things popped into my mind: Polly Hennessey Monday #43

I often wonder what boys do now to court girls... malthaussen Monday #45

You can still carry a backpack, but girls still have cooties (n/m) Soul_of_Wit Monday #48

Thank you very much for sharing , Polly Hennessey. I remember those. debm55 Monday #60

Pencils Are VERY Common ProfessorGAC Monday #81

We had a round communal sink to wash our hands in the boys' room Soul_of_Wit Monday #46

That's different. Thank you for sharing, Soul _of_Wit debm55 Monday #68

The jungle gym, swings, & giant strides were all installed on a cement base. CrispyQ Monday #47

Recess! TBF Monday #57

Are you kidding me? They've done away with recess? CrispyQ Monday #66

For my kids it was just the lunch recess - TBF Monday #72

My school didn't have any equipment.except, balls, jump ropes. But my public playground had one on cement.. Thank you debm55 Monday #74

Atomic bomb drills Tiny Tabby Monday #52

Thank you very much for sharing. Tiny Tabby . We went into the hallway, knelt with hands covering eyes. We were safe debm55 Monday #75

Lunch w/teacher - TBF Monday #53

Thank you very much TBF for sharing. As a child. I never ate lunch with my teachers. We didn't have lunch monitors debm55 Monday #88

The communal ink bottle for fillin fountain pens, those pens TexLaProgressive Monday #55

Thank you very much, TexLaProgressive for sharing with us. debm55 Monday #97

There's more TexLaProgressive Monday #101

Thank you, TexLaProgressive. debm55 Monday #105

Paddles The Madcap Monday #56

Thank you very much, Madcap. I am glad they are gone too. Was never struck by one. They would take boys and girls out in debm55 Monday #99

Yes, I was going to say Corporal Punishment as well genxlib Monday #104

That would be my answer too... Bayard Tuesday #159

The super dangerous playground that was all made out of steel and just in the middle of a bunch of asphalt. sboatcar Monday #61

Thank you, sboatcar. We didn't have a slide or that merry go round thing. But we did have the asphalt to play on. And debm55 Monday #67

Library Card Catalog JoseBalow Monday #63

Oh yes, I remember those in Jr and Sr High. Thank you very much for sharing, JoseBalow. debm55 Monday #100

Oh, THOSE ones sakabatou Tuesday #151

Film strips, with the dry, pedantic voices of the narrators. 3catwoman3 Monday #64

Yes. OldBaldy1701E Monday #70

Agree. Thank you very much. 3catwoman3. for sharing with us. debm55 Monday #102

A strange circular device, mounted high on one wall of each room, marked around RockRaven Monday #65

Sorry , RockRaven, I don't recall seeing one in my classroom. Maybe someone can help you. debm55 Monday #69

And we waited very impatiently every day..... lastlib Monday #86

didn't they call that a "clock"? DBoon Monday #114

You got me,HAHHAHHHAHAHAHHHAHH, debm55 Monday #121

Although they still get used in some schools... OldBaldy1701E Monday #71

Thank you so much, OldBaldy1701E. I remember an eighth grader would get out in the hall and ring the bell. It was kept debm55 Monday #73

If they went back to MY grade shool? johnp3907 Monday #77

That's funny. thank you johnp3907 debm55 Monday #111

Teachers in suits and dresses instead of jeans and tee-shirts. LoisB Monday #82

Thank you very much for sharing with us, Lois B debm55 Monday #122

While Some Things Selected Above... ProfessorGAC Monday #83

Thank you ProfessorGAC. I haven't taught for 9 years. debm55 Monday #95

The school I went to was built in the late 1900s rurallib Monday #84

Thank you very much, ruralib. The school sounds beautiful. debm55 Monday #123

A few things and items that I want to mention: Niagara Monday #85

Thank you very much for your selection, Niagara. I remember the foil stars. Early in my teaching career. I used scratch debm55 Monday #94

The entire playground, intheflow Monday #89

That is the one that we had at our local playground. I remember falling half way off after being spun by the older kids. debm55 Monday #92

I lost my balance on this thing once, fell, cracked my head open Niagara Monday #117

Oh I am so sorry. Niagara. debm55 Monday #124

Thank you, Deb Niagara Monday #132

Mrs. Mudd. Harker Monday #112

Who is Mrs. Mudd? Don't leave us hanging this way, Harker. debm55 Monday #125

She was a fourth grade teacher at my Illinois elementary school. Harker Monday #130

Very true. Lucky for you, Harker. debm55 Monday #136

Mimeograph machine and its identifying scent springs first to mind Golden Raisin Monday #118

Wow, he seemed like the teacher of the year. Thank you for sharing Golden Raisin. debm55 Monday #126

In elementary school mid morning we all got half pint of milk and a saltine cracker fargone Monday #119

Oh my, Thank you for sharing with us, fargone debm55 Monday #120

In 1963, that half-pint of milk only cost two cents. no_hypocrisy Monday #134

Yes, That was low for kid's milk.Thank you, no_hypocrisy. debm55 Monday #138

Duck and Cover sheshe2 Monday #128

I remember those drills and the ones in the hall. I will keep you in my prayers tonight, sheshe2. I have battled debm55 Monday #129

Back at you, sweetie. sheshe2 Monday #135

Nuns in habit where none of their hair showed and a ruler in their dominant hand. greatauntoftriplets Monday #133

HAHAHAHHAHAHAH. Ours had the swinging long rosary. Sometimes innocent kids would be caught in the crossfire of the ruler debm55 Monday #137

Ah yes, I forgot the swinging rosary. greatauntoftriplets Monday #139

I attended and worked in a Catholic school.Many nuns wear modest but regular clothing; debm55 Monday #141

The nuns in my high school order even wear pants! greatauntoftriplets Monday #143

Love it. efhmc Tuesday #147

So did I. greatauntoftriplets Tuesday #148

Remember these? some_of_us_are_sane Monday #140

Hahaha. Yes I remember Thanya. debm55 Monday #145

For piano class. Funny story I used to see the tinyist applegrove Tuesday #158

Thank you very much for sharing with us, applegrove. debm55 Tuesday #161

slide ruler debm55 Tuesday #146

Microfiche sakabatou Tuesday #150

Thank you very much. debm55 Tuesday #165

The monkey bars where you'd hang down from and hold chicken fights with an opponent. applegrove Tuesday #155

I went to grade school in the 60s before bussing and walked to school every day. everyonematters Tuesday #156

Thank you very much, everonematters. I was 5 when I walked both way( 10 blocks) by myself to and from kindergarten. I debm55 Tuesday #162

open lunch - children walking home for lunch Eugene Tuesday #157

Thank you very much, Eugene. I would go home occasionally. I would make my own lunch, and then walked back to school. debm55 Tuesday #163

Gum enid602 Tuesday #160

Thank you very much, enid602 , for sharing. debm55 Tuesday #164

Overhead Projectors FM123 Tuesday #166

Yes, they were pretty high tech, back in the day. Thank you very much, FM123 for sharing that memory. debm55 Yesterday #167

No black students in their class. CTyankee Yesterday #168

Thank you very much for sharing that with us, CTyankee. debm55 Yesterday #170

An ashtray full of buts... reACTIONary Yesterday #169

That is gross. But that thank you for sharing, reACTIONary. debm55 Yesterday #172

(cough) You're (cough, cough) Welcome. reACTIONary Yesterday #174

Coat racks no lockers in grade school debm55 Yesterday #175

How the third floor window got replaced from a rock several decades ago which... GreenWave Yesterday #176

HAHAHHAHhAHhAH. That's funny. That wasn't you, GreenWave, was it? debm55 Yesterday #179

No, all those body cells have been replaced by now! GreenWave Yesterday #180

Green absorbent stuff the nuns threw on the floor when someone threw up .. displacedvermoter Yesterday #177

HAHAHHAHAHHAHHHAHHAH, OMG, I remember that stuff. Thank you displacedvermoter. debm55 Yesterday #182

Typewriters. OLDMDDEM Yesterday #178

Thank you very much, OLDMDDEM. I had a typing class on a Royal typewriter. debm55 Yesterday #181

Me too. OLDMDDEM Yesterday #183

Nuke drills Old-8643 Yesterday #185

Thank you very much, Old-8643. We never did under the desk drills but we did the hall drills debm55 23 hrs ago #187

Punch cards. There was a class for this in High School debm55 Yesterday #186

Portable record players to play Chicken Fat aka Gym debm55 20 hrs ago #188

Girls wearing dresses. Boys wearing shirts, not Ts. nt Ilsa 15 hrs ago #189

Thank you very much. I remember those days, especially on winter morning walks to school, TY lisa debm55 4 hrs ago #194

Math records jmowreader 15 hrs ago #190

Thank you for sharing jwowreader. We didn't have in my school. That sounds messed up especially being part of your debm55 5 hrs ago #193

Vaccination lines. Not just polio shots. Still have my smallpox vaccination scar. retread 8 hrs ago #191

Thank you very much, retread. I have mine too. debm55 5 hrs ago #192

Metal containers in the bathroom stalls, that held individual pieces of Toilet paper that were like sandpaper. debm55 4 hrs ago #195