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75 School Things That Quietly Disappeared Over The Years (New Pics)
Certain parts of school never really change. Just about everyone can relate to watching the clock crawl toward recess or the final bell. But as analog clocks gradually gave way to digital ones in many classrooms, plenty of other familiar classroom sights quietly disappeared.
Many years ago, most classrooms had dusty chalkboards, whirring projectors, shelves of dog-eared books, and TV carts rolled in on those much-anticipated occasions when a lesson was replaced by a movie. Seeing these things in just about every classroom was once as inevitable as finding gum stuck beneath your flip-top desk—or getting homework.
As classrooms have evolved, these and many other classroom staples have become relics. And if the items in this list spark a wave of nostalgia, you might find yourself wondering when exactly you became one too.
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#1
Filling And Getting The Library Check Out Card Stamped
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#2
I Can Feel That Handle In My Fingers. What Do You Remember About This Pencil Sharpener
Manic Mama 2 months ago
I can hear the sound of it ... and school was a lot of decades ago. I guess some sounds just stick with you.
#3
I’m So Old Watching A Film As A Kid In School Required One Of These Relics, I Can Still Hear The Clack Clack As The Film Went Thru The Sprocket
Bored Jellyfish 2 months ago
We saw a lot of National Geographic movies on these projectors. I still remember the theme song.
#4
What Kids Really Did In School
#5
Kids Have Safety Scissors Now
#6
The Teacher's Pull Down Maps
Jeff Boarman 2 months ago
And if it was down when you came into the classroom, there was usually a quiz on the blackboard (ya, I am older than whiteboards in classrooms) behind it.
#7
Pencils With Cartridges
#8
Present!!!
Elladine DesIsles 2 months ago
I can tell from the names that this is from my parents' generation. All of the Michaels and Dianes.
#9
Don't See Many Of These Anymore
#10
Old Elementary School
#11
Anyone Have Any Memories Of The "Overhead" In School?
#12
Kids Today Won't Understand
Jeremiah PandaFrog 2 months ago
Digging a hole all the way through felt like such an accomplishment.
#13
Just Restored 1978 Ibm 15”selectric II With Dual Pitch, Now A Real Gem😊
#14
These Scissors That Just Bent The Construction Paper
#15
We Had To Chew These And Everyone Knew Who Didn't Brush Their Teeth
Bram Buring 2 months ago
And Dr Spenser, the dentist in town, was there to observe. He was a great guy, but knew this was a great way to attract business. Hated them, personally.
#16
Card Catalog - When I Was In School And Needed Google. My Only Option Was To Go To The Library
#17
Kids Today Won't Understand
bobbycurtis 2 months ago
Keeping the book cover nice and neat? NO WAY - making artwork out of it was of prime importance!
#18
Having To Do Write Offs In School
#19
Elementary School Paper
#20
What Is This Big Round Well-Type Thing In The Middle Of The Women’s Restroom? It’s In An Older Bathroom And It Doesn’t Seem To Have Any Water Running To Or From It…just A Big Cylinder With A Drain In It
twohedwlf:
It's a sink. For washing your hands. You step on the ring to start the water.
Drywall Eater 2 months ago
I had one of these sinks in my woodshop class and whenever a student asked our teacher how to turn the water on he would say it's voice activated and that you had to yell "WATER" really loud for it to turn on
#21
A Ball On A Rope
2WheelTravlr 2 months ago
All the rope burns around my wrist attested to the fact that this was absolutely worth waiting in line for.
#22
The Teacher's Grade Book
#23
Door To Door Salesperson
Jeremiah PandaFrog 2 months ago
I can’t believe they trusted us kids with the worlds FINEST chocolate
#24
Smacking Chalkboard Erasers Together
#25
Did Anyone Else Have To Take A Nap In Kindergarten And First Grade?
#26
90s High School Science Classroom
#27
Who Remembers Using The Mimeograph Machine And The Smell?
#28
Classroom Glue Dabber
#29
The School TV Cart - What Video Comes To Mind First?
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 2 months ago
Ironically these are after my time. We had the movies with reels.
#30
It Was On The School Cafeteria Menu Every Friday
#31
This Was The Type Of School Desk I Had In Elementary School
PandaGoPanda 2 months ago
Our primary school desks in the 1980s were like this but double seaters, with (long disused) inkwells. Probably made 60-100 years earlier.
#32
This Powdered Hand Soap
#33
Old Elementary School
#34
Remember This Calculator From Middle School?
#36
When You See This, You Think Of What?
#37
In The 1950s, Schoolchildren Practiced Duck And Cover Drills In Their Classrooms To Learn How To Protect Themselves In The Event Of A Nuclear Attack
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 months ago
Because everyone knows that assuming this position will make you live through a giant mushroom cloud explosion. They never addressed what we were meant to do having survived with few adults because so many of our parents didn’t have desks nearby to hide under
#38
I Finally Found A Real Permanent Marker
#39
Do You Remember What These Were Used For? (Hint- We Had Them In The Classroom)
#40
Remember These?
#41
Old Elementary School
#42
High School Yearbook (1982-1983), Important Events
Valerie G. 1 month ago
Awwww, I remember 1982 because of E.T. I saw it two nights in a row. This is the only movie I ever paid twice to see in a theater. I remember hearing from the row behind me "Daddy, Daddy, why are you crying? Daddy !!!!"
#43
Did Anyone Else Have A Stage In The Cafeteria Of Their School?
Elladine DesIsles 2 months ago
It's the cafetorium. Not to be mistaken with its close cousin, the gymnatorium.
#44
Removing The Balls From A Computer Mouse At Home Or School
#45
Children Walking To School, Vermont, USA (1950)
#46
School Girls Practise Childcare Using A Doll, 1935
#47
Old School Cool... The Smoking Lounge At My Highschool, Circa 1985
#48
I Remember It Well. Last Day Of The School Year
#49
Found This Gem Today In My Stash
#50
It's 1971and I Finally Got A Good Report Card To Give To Mom
Eugene the Jeep 2 months ago
Really kicked it up a notch in June. The thought of summer break was a great motivator.
#51
Children On Their Way To School With Their Lunchboxes And Books During The Dust Bowl In The 1930s, Wearing Cloth Coverings And Goggles To Protect Themselves From The Heavy Dust
#52
A Forgotten Age Of Open Air Classrooms In The Netherlarnds, 1957
Debby Keir 2 months ago
We had open air lessons in summer (when not raining, of course) - doesn't everyone?
#53
Pics My Daughter Sent Me From School Today
#55
Found At A School Gym
#56
Wrapping Cold Cans
#57
Did You Take Drivers Ed?
#58
Did You Have One?
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 2 months ago
Ours were a little larger and blue. I think the sliding top colour was yellow?
#59
Old Elementary School
Sarah Suelzle 1 month ago
Amateurs!! Now if you had those continuous cloth dispensers...your immune system will survive the Plague!!
#60
Old Elementary School
marianne eliza 2 months ago
Cafeteria tables and benches stowed to clear the floor space for cleaning or some other activity.
#61
I’ve Heard They No Longer Play With The Parachutes At School, But I Loved Parachute Day In The Gym
#62
Schoolgirls Pedalling Home To Change Their Clothes Because Tight-Fitting Slacks, Pedal-Pushers And Shorts Had Been Banned From Their West Berlin School, 1953
#63
Getting In Trouble In High School In 1995
Reddus Heddus 1 month ago
Love how oddly specific the first one is for length of the interview at 7 minutes
#64
What Were You Taught In School That Is Now Considered Obsolete And Or Incorrect? I Myself Loved Home Economics And It’s Probably The Only Thing I Learned In School That I Actually Use Today. It’s Practical Life Skills Like Cooking, Cleaning, Budgeting, Etc…
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 months ago
I honestly don’t hate the idea of a class that teaches all of these things. I also don’t object to it being mandatory. With the caveat that every student, regardless of gender or orientation, is required to pass this. Too many people becoming adults without the slightest clue how to function like one. Myself included. It took a few false starts.
#65
Old Elementary School
#66
The Computer Lab Was The Best Room In School
#67
These Boston Sharpeners Were All Over My School
#68
Old Elementary School
#69
Prior To Schools Removing All The Good Stuff, We Had Fruitopia Machines!
#70
Cold War Era Fallout Shelter In Waynoka, Ok USA
Geoffrey Scott 2 months ago
Evart Middle School today, at kitchen entrance. School completed 1923
#71
Folding Travel Scissors
#72
Martinville's Phonautograph - Pitman's New Era
#73
Old Elementary School
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
We had wooden benches, often with concrete legs, these look like the ones schools have now
#74
Make Sure You Bring A Quarter Or Two To School
#75
Bagged School Milk
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What do you think ?
marianne eliza 2 months ago
I sometimes think the past is a more comfortable place than the future.
Steve H 2 months ago
Of course it is. You survived the past, and the future is unknown
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TheGreaterDebater 2 months ago
Unrelated, but seriously bp!? Premium required for dark mode? I just wanted to read this post without k*****g my eyes at midnight!
Did I say that out loud? 2 months ago
Some interesting ones, but, going through the English state system in the 70s and 80s most of these were irrelevant to me.
marianne eliza 2 months ago
I sometimes think the past is a more comfortable place than the future.
Steve H 2 months ago
Of course it is. You survived the past, and the future is unknown
Load More Replies... TheGreaterDebater 2 months ago
Unrelated, but seriously bp!? Premium required for dark mode? I just wanted to read this post without k*****g my eyes at midnight!
Did I say that out loud? 2 months ago
Some interesting ones, but, going through the English state system in the 70s and 80s most of these were irrelevant to me.
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