In the Vintage Back-to-School Mood
Hi everyone! I recently bought a teacher’s bell at an estate sale and it gave me an idea for a new post, one about school-related collectibles. As soon as I laid eyes on that bell, I could hear it ringing in my head, and I pictured Sister Francesca, our principal, standing on the edge of the play ground ringing it. “Time to tear yourself away from the swings and come back inside,” said the bell. Each teacher (we had a mix of nuns and lay teachers) had the same bell at the ready, and it would be rung for various reasons throughout the day. Some of the other items in today’s post remind me of my school days, but none so much as that bell.
I’d date it to about the 60’s or 70’s, about the same time I attended St. Augustine’s elementary school. [Available here.]
This chalkboard (one of two) also has a 60’s-70’s vibe, wouldn’t you say? Love the “Pupil Chalk Board” written in the lower left corner. Do you remember being called a pupil? It’s not one of those lovely words that rolls off your tongue, like meadow or butterfly. Never liked that word, but I love this chalkboard. Great for a home-schooler. [Available here.]
I remember Boston brand pencil sharpeners in my classrooms. My children, who both attended parochial school, had similar sharpeners in their classrooms. [Sold on Etsy, $14.99]
What classroom doesn’t have a globe in it? This super cool, vintage-y one sits atop a shelf in my family room, along with another, smaller one. I have not found that globes sell well in my shop, so I only buy them if I want to use them myself.
Need help dating your globe? Try the Dating World Globes page.
In addition to or instead of a globe, you might have had an atlas in your classroom growing up. Pages from this vintage one, with the great pink maps, are available in my shop by state, country, and continent. Just let me know what you’re looking for. Someone just bought New York and New Jersey, but I have many more. [Available here.]
None of us are old enough to remember a book of this age, but it might have been used in a classroom in the late 19th century. [Available here]
Teachers need supplies, too. I’ve found vintage ledger paper great for scrapbooking and other crafts, and both scissors and staplers (isn’t she a beauty) are quite collectible. I accidentally started a scissor collection myself.
The top pair of scissors are marked “Duro Chrome, U.S.A.” The striped package contains a ream of vintage paper. I’m so in love with it, I’ve not decided what to do with yet. Underneath is another package of paper.
Every classroom needs some science supplies, microscopes, for instance. [Sold at my antique booth for $25.00]
And how about a model of the human body? [Sold on Etsy for $22.99]
And some safety specs for those chemistry experiments. [Sold on Etsy for $24.99]
I learned typing in the twelfth grade and have been forever thankful. The machine I learned on wasn’t that much newer than this beauty you see here. I’d like to sell her, but my sweet daughter won’t let me. She loves it.
Check out The Classic Typewriter Page for loads of great info.
Perhaps the typewriter you learned on looks more like this 1950’s era machine. [Sold in my antique booth for $38.00] Both of my kids can type fairly quickly, but neither of them does it “right.” So much has changed since I went to school…
Thanks so much for stopping by to take a gander at my school supplies–
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This sure takes me back to my school days, Diana.It also is a tell, tell sign of my age!
Ha, ha! I’m right there with you 🙂
Suddenly I am feeling my age.
I definitely remember some of theses items. I think my husband still has the ‘Visible Man’ and a typewriter similar to your find. A question though, about the stapler. Is it a stapler or an embosser? The rounded edge looks like one we used to have to mark books with a monogram.
I enjoy your blog, and look forward to your newest ‘old’ finds.
Ha ha! I looked back at the photo and I think you’re right about the stapler/embosser. I took the photo quite a while ago and packed up the items and haven’t seen them since, so I forgot. Thanks for pointing that out, Eileen 🙂 SO glad you’re enjoying my blog (you made my day!).
Love all these reminders of school days.i remember learning to type in 12th grade. Still doing it the “right” way at 77. Smiles
🙂
I took typing in high school. We used big clunky things that I hated. I never did learn to do it the “right” way. I love school supplies!!!!!
LOL. I know, aren’t they great?!!
Hello, Diana! Long time no see! I’ve been away from the blogging world but easing back into it and I thought I’d drop by and say hello. Your site looks fantastic! You’ve been tweaking! I remember a long time back we were comparing notes about selling on Etsy (you were doing great, I was doing zilch). I gave eBay a try starting about a year ago. Did really great for a while, now has really slowed down. I was thinking of just creating my own store on my blog when my 1-year subscription to the eBay store runs out. I see you’ve somehow done that here. Looks really nice, thanks for the inspiration. Anyway, I hope you have been doing well.
Hi Dawn! So great to hear from you–thanks for the sweet comments 🙂 I eased out of my Etsy store when I moved into a “real” store last March, and then in December I opened the shop on my blog. Now that I’ve got all that working, I’m thinking about re-oping my Etsy shop, too! Let me know if I can be of any help–
Even though I retired from teaching over ten years ago, all the back-to-school wonderfulness still makes my heart beat a litte faster! I especially love old notebooks and have several in my collection.
I guess to a certain extent, once a teacher, always a teacher 🙂 I bet you were a great one, Mary Ann!
I love all of the back-to-school goodies, too, Diana…that anatomy model is awesome!
Thanks, Linda 🙂 I guess he’s called the “Visible Man.” Kinda clever, right?
Great memories! My Mom was a 3rd grade lay teacher in the Catholic school in our parish where us kids attended and I got to clean her huge chalkboards after school, go outside and ‘clap’ the erasers. Another great memory was the smell of the ink in the mimograph machine……loved to help her make copies in the office. Sometimes I pretended it was my classroom because she let me do bulletin boards etc. Thanks for the memories!
Sounds like you had a wonderful experience, Susan. Yes I remember cleaning chalkboards (the spray cleaner had a lovely minty smell that I loved) and “clapping” in the erasers. My father made me a bulletin board when I was young and I would pretend I was a teacher and decorate it for my “students.” Sounds like we were cut from the same cloth!
Yes! Could only use the ‘spray’ on Friday’s for a weekly cleaning. My Mom’s room is still in tack, her blackboards and her closet which she had a key but is no longer a classroom..(building is still owned by the parish but rented out for the Special Needs Program in the County). I go in her room every so often and just stand there. Same bookcases and inlaid floor. It takes me back every time. My children know all about it and I’ve showed some of my grandchildren. Thank you for these memories I hold dear in my heart. 🙂
Such a fun post, Diana! That bell is the best 😉
Oh I love all the school supplies too, especially the maps. They are so interesting. And beautiful too. Love the old typewriters…really just all of it. Interesting your take on the word “pupil.” It has been a while since I’ve heard the term. I used to hate hearing the teacher call us “boys and girls.” It’s what we were!
Oh the memories of our school days. I loved looking at the old atlas, perhaps because I have one that is from the 50’s.
Oh, my goodness! I love each of your finds.
Thanks for sharing with SYC.
What fun finds! Liked the paper all wrapped up in stripes.
Love reading your knowledge just happened to run across you today and would love to continue learning.
thank you
You’re so very welcome Sue! Glad you’re enjoying the articles on my website 🙂