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intheflow

(30,239 posts)

89. The entire playground,

Mon May 4, 2026, 03:31 PM

May 4

made of metal, set over pavement, no shade to speak of. As if getting burned from the the hot metal and occasional road rash from crashing onto the pavement while vying for space on the monkey bars wasn't bad enough, we also had "merry-go-round" that either sucked kids underneath them or made kids puke from spinning immediately after lunch. Fun times!

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debm55 Niagara nitpicked

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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 May 4 OP

The mimeograph machine. cloudbase May 4 #1

And the smell of freshly mimeographed pages Redleg May 4 #34

Vivid purple ink on stark white paper. CrispyQ May 4 #49

Mimeographed pages smelled, um, inky Brother Buzz May 4 #115

Fast Times At Ridgemont High "Paper Sniff Scene" Niagara May 4 #116

Yes, I remember that. and the kids would sniff it. Thank you cloudbase.❤️ debm55 May 4 #37

I can still remember the smell. 3catwoman3 May 4 #62

Pencil Sharpener? AZJonnie May 4 #2

Yes, AZJonnie, The little individual ones and the ones bolted to teache's desk. It had Boston printed on it. Thank you debm55 May 4 #7

Still Common ProfessorGAC May 4 #76

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

Chalk board Bluestocking May 4 #3

Thank you very much, Bluestocking. for sharing. I can see. Do you remember taking the erasers outside and hitting them debm55 May 4 #8

We had a room with an eraser vacuum Soul_of_Wit May 4 #42

I remember that when I started teaching. It was in the teacher's "supply room" Thank you Soul _ of_Wit debm55 May 4 #54

I went to public school, no eraser vacuum. Bluestocking May 4 #91

Thank you for sharing , Bluestocking. We used to bang them against the school building as it was yellow brick. debm55 May 4 #93

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

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

Still In Some Schools ProfessorGAC May 4 #78

Chalk allergy Maninacan May 4 #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 May 4 #106

The set of encyclopedias and the dictionary karynnj May 4 #4

Yes. I remember the encyclopedias and the individual ones and the one that was huge. Thank you, karynnj debm55 May 4 #9

Analog CRT television. House of Roberts May 4 #5

Thank you very much, House of Roberts and the large analog wall clock. debm55 May 4 #11

Television? What's that? StoolPigeon May 4 #32

We had to watch a lot of the NASA launches and recoveries. House of Roberts May 4 #41

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

Black and white, watching Apollo astronauts (n/m) Soul_of_Wit May 4 #39

My school had a screen for old fashioned films and projectors. wnylib May 4 #107

Thank you very much for sharing. We had a similar setup debm55 May 4 #109

Safety patrol Bmoboy May 4 #6

HAHAHAHAHAH. I remember the Safety patrol. Bmoboy, I hope you didn't get to badly hurt from the bike. debm55 May 4 #12

Getting out of school a few minutes early, for the win (n/m) Soul_of_Wit May 4 #36

HAHAHHAHhAhaha, Very true, Soul_of_Wit. debm55 May 4 #40

I was made "Captain" of the safety patrol. That meant I had safety patrol rsdsharp May 4 #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 May 4 #51

Yeah, the captain's Sam Brown belt had a gold badge. rsdsharp May 4 #87

HAHAHHAHAHHAHAH. debm55 May 4 #90

I was a patrol, too. Was not hit by any cars or bikes, thank goodness. wnylib May 4 #108

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

Inkwells nitpicked May 4 #10

Yes , nitpicked , we had them too but never used them for ink. Used to put that little pack of Kleenex in there. debm55 May 4 #13

Yes and we actually used them wanderer54 Wednesday #184

PEE CHEE folder debm55 May 4 #14

YES!!!!! some_of_us_are_sane May 4 #142

hahaha.thank you debm55 May 4 #144

Busing to aid desegregation jgo May 4 #15

Thank you very much for sharing that milestone with us, jgo. debm55 May 4 #24

being taught civics crud May 4 #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 May 4 #22

Civics is still taught to some degree. Wiz Imp May 4 #50

Every School In Illinois Does ProfessorGAC May 4 #79

Blackboard with chalk, a pencil sharpener with a crank, Ocelot II May 4 #17

Thank you very much, Ocelot II. What a great selection. I do remember them all debm55 May 4 #19

Big maps on the rollers you pull down.... lastlib May 4 #18

Yes, I remember those. Thank you for sharing, lastlib. debm55 May 4 #20

Mercator maps that distort the size of countries closer to the poles, Ocelot II May 4 #21

HAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHA. That is very funny Ocelot II debm55 May 4 #23

I See Them From Time To Time ProfessorGAC May 4 #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 May 4 #25

Yes to both, LogDog75, I do remember that the teacher gave a student and they would rewind the opposite way, HAHAHAHAHH debm55 May 4 #26

Ink well at the top of the desk... MiHale May 4 #27

Thank you very much for sharing with us.MiHale. debm55 May 4 #29

Paste (not glue) Silver Gaia May 4 #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 May 4 #31

We each had to have our own jar of paste. Silver Gaia May 4 #96

Thank you for your answer.😊 debm55 May 4 #98

In high school we had Americanism vs. Communism iwillalwayswonderwhy May 4 #30

Thank you very much, iwillalwayswonderwhy. . My class was just American government. debm55 May 4 #33

don't they still have that in Florida? DBoon May 4 #113

Phonics Redleg May 4 #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 May 4 #58

My father taught me phonics at home before wnylib May 4 #110

Oh thank you so much, wnylib. Didn't they have a little yellow kitten name. Puff? Anyone know or remember? debm55 May 4 #127

Puff sounds familiar but I am not sure. wnylib May 4 #131

Well, my old school had a constant-flow urinal in the boy's room... malthaussen May 4 #38

HAHHAHHAHAHAHHA. Thank you very much , Mal. for sharing. That is funny. debm55 May 4 #59

First things popped into my mind: Polly Hennessey May 4 #43

I often wonder what boys do now to court girls... malthaussen May 4 #45

You can still carry a backpack, but girls still have cooties (n/m) Soul_of_Wit May 4 #48

Thank you very much for sharing , Polly Hennessey. I remember those. debm55 May 4 #60

Pencils Are VERY Common ProfessorGAC May 4 #81

We had a round communal sink to wash our hands in the boys' room Soul_of_Wit May 4 #46

That's different. Thank you for sharing, Soul _of_Wit debm55 May 4 #68

The jungle gym, swings, & giant strides were all installed on a cement base. CrispyQ May 4 #47

Recess! TBF May 4 #57

Are you kidding me? They've done away with recess? CrispyQ May 4 #66

For my kids it was just the lunch recess - TBF May 4 #72

My school didn't have any equipment.except, balls, jump ropes. But my public playground had one on cement.. Thank you debm55 May 4 #74

Atomic bomb drills Tiny Tabby May 4 #52

Thank you very much for sharing. Tiny Tabby . We went into the hallway, knelt with hands covering eyes. We were safe debm55 May 4 #75

Lunch w/teacher - TBF May 4 #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 May 4 #88

The communal ink bottle for fillin fountain pens, those pens TexLaProgressive May 4 #55

Thank you very much, TexLaProgressive for sharing with us. debm55 May 4 #97

There's more TexLaProgressive May 4 #101

Thank you, TexLaProgressive. debm55 May 4 #105

Paddles The Madcap May 4 #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 May 4 #99

Yes, I was going to say Corporal Punishment as well genxlib May 4 #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 May 4 #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 May 4 #67

Library Card Catalog JoseBalow May 4 #63

Oh yes, I remember those in Jr and Sr High. Thank you very much for sharing, JoseBalow. debm55 May 4 #100

Oh, THOSE ones sakabatou Tuesday #151

Film strips, with the dry, pedantic voices of the narrators. 3catwoman3 May 4 #64

Yes. OldBaldy1701E May 4 #70

Agree. Thank you very much. 3catwoman3. for sharing with us. debm55 May 4 #102

A strange circular device, mounted high on one wall of each room, marked around RockRaven May 4 #65

Sorry , RockRaven, I don't recall seeing one in my classroom. Maybe someone can help you. debm55 May 4 #69

And we waited very impatiently every day..... lastlib May 4 #86

didn't they call that a "clock"? DBoon May 4 #114

You got me,HAHHAHHHAHAHAHHHAHH, debm55 May 4 #121

Although they still get used in some schools... OldBaldy1701E May 4 #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 May 4 #73

If they went back to MY grade shool? johnp3907 May 4 #77

That's funny. thank you johnp3907 debm55 May 4 #111

Teachers in suits and dresses instead of jeans and tee-shirts. LoisB May 4 #82

Thank you very much for sharing with us, Lois B debm55 May 4 #122

While Some Things Selected Above... ProfessorGAC May 4 #83

Thank you ProfessorGAC. I haven't taught for 9 years. debm55 May 4 #95

The school I went to was built in the late 1900s rurallib May 4 #84

Thank you very much, ruralib. The school sounds beautiful. debm55 May 4 #123

A few things and items that I want to mention: Niagara May 4 #85

Thank you very much for your selection, Niagara. I remember the foil stars. Early in my teaching career. I used scratch debm55 May 4 #94

The entire playground, intheflow May 4 #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 May 4 #92

I lost my balance on this thing once, fell, cracked my head open Niagara May 4 #117

Oh I am so sorry. Niagara. debm55 May 4 #124

Thank you, Deb Niagara May 4 #132

Mrs. Mudd. Harker May 4 #112

Who is Mrs. Mudd? Don't leave us hanging this way, Harker. debm55 May 4 #125

She was a fourth grade teacher at my Illinois elementary school. Harker May 4 #130

Very true. Lucky for you, Harker. debm55 May 4 #136

Mimeograph machine and its identifying scent springs first to mind Golden Raisin May 4 #118

Wow, he seemed like the teacher of the year. Thank you for sharing Golden Raisin. debm55 May 4 #126

In elementary school mid morning we all got half pint of milk and a saltine cracker fargone May 4 #119

Oh my, Thank you for sharing with us, fargone debm55 May 4 #120

In 1963, that half-pint of milk only cost two cents. no_hypocrisy May 4 #134

Yes, That was low for kid's milk.Thank you, no_hypocrisy. debm55 May 4 #138

Duck and Cover sheshe2 May 4 #128

I remember those drills and the ones in the hall. I will keep you in my prayers tonight, sheshe2. I have battled debm55 May 4 #129

Back at you, sweetie. sheshe2 May 4 #135

Nuns in habit where none of their hair showed and a ruler in their dominant hand. greatauntoftriplets May 4 #133

HAHAHAHHAHAHAH. Ours had the swinging long rosary. Sometimes innocent kids would be caught in the crossfire of the ruler debm55 May 4 #137

Ah yes, I forgot the swinging rosary. greatauntoftriplets May 4 #139

I attended and worked in a Catholic school.Many nuns wear modest but regular clothing; debm55 May 4 #141

The nuns in my high school order even wear pants! greatauntoftriplets May 4 #143

Love it. efhmc Tuesday #147

So did I. greatauntoftriplets Tuesday #148

Remember these? some_of_us_are_sane May 4 #140

Hahaha. Yes I remember Thanya. debm55 May 4 #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

Some of these area51 Saturday #208

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 Wednesday #167

No black students in their class. CTyankee Wednesday #168

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

I went to a nominally integrated school. Morbius Saturday #215

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

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

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

Coat racks no lockers in grade school debm55 Wednesday #175

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

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

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

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

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

Typewriters. OLDMDDEM Wednesday #178

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

Me too. OLDMDDEM Wednesday #183

Nuke drills Old-8643 Wednesday #185

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

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

Portable record players to play Chicken Fat aka Gym debm55 Wednesday #188

Yes! LudwigPastorius Saturday #211

I know. Thank you , LudwigPastorius. That was our gym class. debm55 Saturday #212

Girls wearing dresses. Boys wearing shirts, not Ts. nt Ilsa Wednesday #189

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

Math records jmowreader Thursday #190

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

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

Thank you very much, retread. I have mine too. debm55 Thursday #192

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

Kids WALKING to school u4ic Friday #196

Thank you very much for sharing, u4ic. Walked to school k-8, I agree with the pills. Yuk debm55 Friday #198

Cloak Room! some_of_us_are_sane Friday #197

HAHAHAHHAHHAHA, I remember that and it was called a cloak room.TY some_of_us_are_sane. I thought to myself "What's a debm55 Friday #199

"Cloak room" makes us sound like some_of_us_are_sane Friday #204

HAHAHAHAHhAHA. Hang up your cloaks in the cloak room debm55 Friday #205

Teachers changing classrooms but not students. debm55 Friday #200

Deb, my sister reminded me of one. Polly Hennessey Friday #201

Thank you and your sister very much for sharing with us. We did this in High School. Hated it. debm55 Friday #202

Very big radiators near the windows. In first grade you had to stand on a chair to look out the windows but be careful debm55 Friday #203

Teacher here prodigitalson Friday #206

HAHAHHAHAHAHHAH, Teacher here too. Taught for 42 years. Thank you very much, prodigitalson. debm55 Friday #207

The entire school gathering around a small black and white TV to watch a rocket launching an astronaut. NNadir Saturday #209

Yes, I remember that. Thank you NNadir. debm55 Saturday #213

Not sure about this one, maybe kids still use them, but... LudwigPastorius Saturday #210

Thank you, LudwigPastorius. I used that when I first started teaching. I don't believe they are still used. debm55 Saturday #214

The words "under God" was added to our daily oasis Sunday #216

Thank you very much, oasis.For sharing with us. debm55 Sunday #217