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116. Fast Times At Ridgemont High "Paper Sniff Scene"

Reply to Redleg (Reply #34)

Mon May 4, 2026, 05:34 PM

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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 21 hrs ago #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 20 hrs ago #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 20 hrs ago #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 22 hrs ago #167

No black students in their class. CTyankee 21 hrs ago #168

Thank you very much for sharing that with us, CTyankee. debm55 21 hrs ago #170

An ashtray full of buts... reACTIONary 21 hrs ago #169

That is gross. But that thank you for sharing, reACTIONary. debm55 20 hrs ago #172

(cough) You're (cough, cough) Welcome. reACTIONary 20 hrs ago #174

Coat racks no lockers in grade school debm55 20 hrs ago #175

How the third floor window got replaced from a rock several decades ago which... GreenWave 20 hrs ago #176

HAHAHHAHhAHhAH. That's funny. That wasn't you, GreenWave, was it? debm55 20 hrs ago #179

No, all those body cells have been replaced by now! GreenWave 20 hrs ago #180

Green absorbent stuff the nuns threw on the floor when someone threw up .. displacedvermoter 20 hrs ago #177

HAHAHHAHAHHAHHHAHHAH, OMG, I remember that stuff. Thank you displacedvermoter. debm55 20 hrs ago #182

Typewriters. OLDMDDEM 20 hrs ago #178

Thank you very much, OLDMDDEM. I had a typing class on a Royal typewriter. debm55 20 hrs ago #181

Me too. OLDMDDEM 20 hrs ago #183

Nuke drills Old-8643 19 hrs ago #185

Thank you very much, Old-8643. We never did under the desk drills but we did the hall drills debm55 16 hrs ago #187

Punch cards. There was a class for this in High School debm55 18 hrs ago #186

Portable record players to play Chicken Fat aka Gym debm55 12 hrs ago #188

Girls wearing dresses. Boys wearing shirts, not Ts. nt Ilsa 7 hrs ago #189

Math records jmowreader 7 hrs ago #190

Vaccination lines. Not just polio shots. Still have my smallpox vaccination scar. retread 1 hr ago #191