It is so crazy to imagine that in only a few days, our school staff will be back in the building planning for the coming school year. The first day of school is August 9 and it’s coming up fast!
As I get my own kiddos ready to return to the classroom, I’ve been thinking about the back to school routine here in Los Alamos when I grew up. You remember. Before Amazon. Before the “Big Smith’s”. Back when every school grade had the same school supply list and the variety of supplies to purchase was so limited that we were all carrying the same lunchbox…
School Lists
Of course, I can only speak for my own experience of school shopping here in Los Alamos. Everyone had their own routine and it certainly changed from decade to decade depending on a lot of things. I’ve had relatives who remember when school supply lists were posted on the front windows of their school along with class lists letting folks know who their next teacher would be. You had to copy these lists long hand, (because there were no hand held cameras back then), and then head off to whatever stores were available to buy supplies.
Most of what I remember involved a class list posted in the school window along with a copy of suggested supplies for each grade. But each student in the district received a very small welcome packet that had a school supply list included. One you had that list of supplies however, you were on your own to find what you needed.
Before Walmart
Some of my acquaintances several years, (in some cases decades), ahead of me, remember shopping at TG&Y back when it was where Ruby K’s is now. When I was young TG&Y was located where the Pajarito Brewpub is located now. I would get some new clothes and maybe a pair of shoes. Some of my friends made a big deal about shopping for a first day of school outfit or a special outfit for picture day. There’s more information about places we used to shop HERE.
Anthony’s could be counted on for some clothing and shoes as well. And there was Revco, a drug store, in case you wanted a slightly different looking pencil or pen. Aspen Copies used to be the Los Alamos Stationery Store. I’m not even sure my kids would know what stationery is these days. But a few folks would get very cool looking pens, pencils, and other office supplies there. The Stationery Store was also where we could pick up a piece of poster board if we needed it.
I’m certain that some folks went off the hill to K-Mart in Santa Fe for school supplies. And there were always a lot more options if your parents were willing to drive to Albuquerque. Clothes were sometimes purchased from the Sears Catalog and delivered to the catalog store which was once located in the vicinity of our current UPEX store. Walmart didn’t appear in Santa Fe until the nineties. If you school shopped in Santa Fe you were probably at the Villa Linda Mall, which used to have quite a few department stores like Mervyn’s, Dillard’s, Sears, and also Millers Outpost where most of us can probably remember purchasing our Levis.
First Day of School
When I was younger, there was no meet the teacher. Through a good portion of elementary school you lugged your school supplies to the classroom on the first day in your backpack and a series of paper or plastic grocery sacks. You didn’t meet your teacher or see your classroom until that first day. The first day of class was almost always on a Monday and you spent most of it talking about which days you had gym, art, and music class and sometimes teachers would write a schedule on the blackboard.
I didn’t think anything of the way we were essentially thrown into the “deep end of the pool” with this method of showing up on the first day with no previous knowledge of where I was going or what the classroom looked like. I have to say that I’ve loved going with my kiddos as they meet their teacher before the first day, set up their desk or locker, and then get a good idea of what the building layout is, or what to expect in the coming school year. We talk a lot more these days about setting kids up for success and keeping them prepared. That’s progress! But I also kind of enjoyed the excitement of getting to school and maybe not knowing exactly what to expect.
The Special Touches
What I can remember rather vividly was how cool it was to have at least one school supply that was different from everyone else’s. When stores didn’t carry a huge variety and there weren’t a lot of stores anyway, everyone had the same stuff. Pencils were almost always yellow, green, or red. Pens were identical. Everyone had the same crayons, or the same color of highlighter.
If you could get a “special” piece, it was generally a pencil someone had given you for a holiday, or even at church or a sports event. Or perhaps you’d found one of those ballpoint pens that wrote in ten colors depending on which button you pushed down. Even a lunchbox or backpack that your parents had bought while out of state was the coolest thing ever!
I have such amazing memories of going to school here in Los Alamos. As I said before, if you came before or after I did, there’s a good chance your experience was different in some way. I’d love to have folks share their memories of back to school! Make a comment below or post one on my Facebook page. I’d love to hear from you! And as always, when you’re buying or selling real estate in Los Alamos, give me a call. I’m your hometown real estate broker!
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