What would school children of today be stunned to learn about your school?

[Spinneret]

That there was no laptops

 

[barkley]

That there was no laptops

laptops ? nothing electronic for student use until maybe high school when the typing classes had a handful of electric typewriters and the business math class had some antique adding machines.

some striking differences-

no need for school supplies until jr. high b/c schools provided everything

only ONE meal option-and no accommodations for vegetarian/vegan/allergies

holidays WERE celebrated with pomp and flair-halloween parties/parades, christmas decorations all over/concerts/parties, valentines day parties, easter egg coloring/parties...

(for at least the first few years of my elementary school years) public school dress code forbade girls from wearing pants, boys dress code required collars on shirts (otherwise it was considered 'underwear').

 

[FreeTime]

Our teacher could paddle us.

 

[DVCjj]

Walt Disney went to my grammar school (Nixon - Chicago) before the family moved to Iowa.

His chair was always on display.

 

[AuntieMe3]

My third grade teacher used to smoke at the classroom back door.

 

[disneychrista]

In 6th grade our school got ONE computer. It would be rolled from classroom to classroom.

 

[barkley]

My third grade teacher used to smoke at the classroom back door.

we had a smoking section for students at my high school.

 

[design_mom]

There was no air conditioning… or computers

 

[luvnwdwgal]

Teachers could paddle kids and smoke in their lounge. Had no computers until I was in high school and they only had a couple in 1 classroom for a few select kids. The most famous thing that one of our local elementary schools was famous for is Norovirus. It was first identified at Bronson Elementary in 1968 in my hometown of Norwalk, Ohio. I was 6 years old and fortunately went to a different school but my best friend, whom I met when we were 12 and in junior high, was there.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I learned to type on a manual typewriter in high school and took shorthand. The nuns woukd not allow paten leather shoes becsuse they were shiny and boys might look up your skirt. And occasionally we would have to kneel in front of the nuns to make sure our skirts touched the ground. Of course we would roll them up again later.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

We had a Paddle Day, which took place in the school auditorium. All the kids who'd been sentenced to paddling had to go up on stage to be smacked on the butt with the paddle by the principal.

The teachers smoked in the teachers' lounge, yes. I used to hate having to deliver a message there because of the clouds of smoke.

There was no such thing as computers. We learned math using abacuses. I learned to count money using paper cutouts of pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters.

And here's the shocking one: Something was stolen once in one of my classes by a kid, and my entire class was strip searched one at a time by the principal. I had to strip down to my underwear in his office. I don't remember my mom and dad's reaction to this, but it certainly didn't make the news and it wasn't considered a violation of civil rights.

 

[firefly_ris]

Senior courtyard for lunch and smoking. No AC.

 

[GoingSince1990]

1. There was exactly one piece of technology in the whole school, which was the Radio. It was huge, had to be wheeled around on a trolley, and took about five minutes to warm up when turned on.
2. The nuns wore full habits and carried bamboo canes with which they would hit the students for breaking any rules. And irony of ironies, they called themselves the "Sisters of Mercy".
3. We had to wear shorts/skirts all year round. No long trousers.
4. Anytime you needed to go to the staff lounge for something, the smell of cigarette smoke upon the door being opened was absolutely overwhelming.
5. The headmistress (a nun) went to the church on Sunday to keep track of who went to Mass. Anyone who was absent was summoned up to the stage during the next weekly assembly, and if they did not have a good excuse for their nonattendance were caned on the spot in front of everyone.

 

[sheilafri]

In grade school girls had to wear dresses or skirts—no pants, shorts, etc. It was cold in winter, although I do remember wearing snow pants under my dress and taking them off at school. Thank you to my SIL who was instrumental in getting the dress code changed for our school district in the early 70s.

 

[TippyThomas]

We were only expected to go through to 8th grade. Many of us went further but the majority stopped at 8th grade. Heck, some stopped before that. If we wanted to go past 8th grade we had to go to public school to do so. Our school didn't teach beyond that level.

 

[mjkacmom]

Senior courtyard for lunch and smoking. No AC.

We had a senior courtyard but no smoking for students on school property, we had to go outside and cross the street. We still don’t have a/c in all classrooms.

 

[disneydreamer781]

My third grade teacher used to smoke at the classroom back door.

One of my high school teachers used to go to the back room to drink.

 

[MrsPete]

I can relate to many of these, and I'll add:

- The elementary school had two doors, and although it was painted over, we could see the words "White" and "Colored" in the brickwork over the two doors.
- If we got in trouble at school, we were also in trouble at home -- and our parents didn't accept any excuses.
- We got really excited when the teacher brought in a reel-to-reel film.
- We were assigned textbooks and actually read from them.
- We began our school day with a Bible reading and prayer -- even though it was technically illegal.

 

[Earningmywings]

My mom told me they had dentist day at school and you would walk from the school to the dentist a few blocks away in order of last name. There was no parental consent or notification and no chaperones to walk the students.

 

[Praying Colonel]

In HS teachers smoked in their lounge and students had a smoking area behind the bus pool.