50 Vintage School Items That Prove We Peaked Decades Ago

While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out a conversation with David Grant, teacher and co-host ofInside Voices: A Teacher Podcast, who kindly agreed to share more nostalgic school items from the past.

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I can smell this image, as well as the pencils we were given to use

Lined paper from school, evoking old-school memories.

Old-school items in a nostalgic book fair setting with colorful displays and vintage book collections.

Old-school items: Wooden library card catalog, evoking memories of traditional research methods.

The introduction of technology into the classroom has been one of the most significant changes that pushed out many of the seemingly primitive teaching tools and methods on this list. Even though technology has done a lot to enhance learning and make it more efficient, it still feels bittersweet to remember the things in schools many of us grew up with.

That’s why we’re reminiscing about some of them with teacher and co-host ofInside Voices: A Teacher Podcast, David Grant.

Colorful paper chain links on a white background, representing old-school memories.

Vintage Boston pencil sharpener, an old-school item that sparks memories.

Hand holding a pencil supporting a ruler, showcasing old-school items and memories on a wooden desk.

Even though Grant misses having a chalkboard and cleaning it at the end of the day, he believes that the tools they now have at their disposal are much further advanced.“The tech we now use makes life easier and opens up new avenues of learning that weren’t accessible before. I think we also need to be preparing young people for life in the 21st century and an ill-equipped classroom is the first step to defeat this pursuit.”

Even though Grant misses having a chalkboard and cleaning it at the end of the day, he believes that the tools they now have at their disposal are much further advanced.

“The tech we now use makes life easier and opens up new avenues of learning that weren’t accessible before. I think we also need to be preparing young people for life in the 21st century and an ill-equipped classroom is the first step to defeat this pursuit.”

Overhead projector on a table, showcasing old-school items memories.

Old-school items include a CRT TV on a mobile cart with a DVD player, recalling classroom memories.

Old-school items: stack of books covered in brown paper, evoking childhood memories.

However, he doesn’t think that classrooms without the now-obsolete things are better per se. “I don’t think I had a bad education without new tech because the world didn’t have them and I wasn’t needing to be prepared to use them. I learned transferable skills, which have equipped me to learn how to use new tech later in life. However, a classroom without new technology today would potentially be a hindrance to 21st-century learners in ways it wasn’t for me 20 years ago,” he explained.

Worn pink eraser with pencil marks evokes old-school items memories.

Hand holding a vintage mechanical pencil, evoking old-school memories.

Library checkout card with handwritten notes, an iconic old-school item bringing back memories.

Old-school items memories of vintage pull-down classroom maps hanging on a wall.

Old-school mimeograph with printed sheets creating nostalgic memories.

Hand holding an old-school stencil ruler featuring letters, numbers, and shapes, evoking school memories.

Teachers Ashley Marquez of the Teach Create Motivate podcast and Fernanda Sandoval of the YouTube channel That One Happy Classroom also previously shared withBusiness Insiderthe things they noticed going obsolete in most classrooms.Just like Grant, the first thing of the past that Marquez mentions is chalkboards. “The only reason you may see chalk is during outdoor lessons with sidewalk chalk, but as far as chalkboards go, they’re really less common now,” she said. “Even small chalkboards that students used to have at their desks for quizzes or lessons have been replaced with whiteboards.”

Just like Grant, the first thing of the past that Marquez mentions is chalkboards. “The only reason you may see chalk is during outdoor lessons with sidewalk chalk, but as far as chalkboards go, they’re really less common now,” she said. “Even small chalkboards that students used to have at their desks for quizzes or lessons have been replaced with whiteboards.”

School cafeteria with empty tables and stage, evoking old-school items memories.

Snowy neighborhood street with the words “Old School."

Handwritten spreadsheet page, showcasing old-school items memories with numbers and notes in different ink colors.

Fortunately, the teachers’ punishment of writing lines (aka writing out ‘I will not sleep in class a hundred times) is also disappearing from classrooms, albeit not entirely. Many students, including Bart Simpson, think it to be completely pointless.In hindsight, it might have a counteractive effect too, like children learning to hate writing, which should actually be seen as a creative and enjoyable pastime. Even though I am no longer a student, I’m glad that this once-popular punishment is no longer widely used.

In hindsight, it might have a counteractive effect too, like children learning to hate writing, which should actually be seen as a creative and enjoyable pastime. Even though I am no longer a student, I’m glad that this once-popular punishment is no longer widely used.

Student holding a makeshift sword made from old-school markers in a classroom setting.

Old-school step stool evoking memories, placed on a tile floor near a wooden cabinet.

Colorful old-school modeling clay in yellow containers, lids open, evokes memories of creative play.

Speaking of writing, Marquez says that some schools no longer teach cursive if it’s not a mandatory part of their curriculum. She explains that it’s due to the increasing demands on teachers to meet school and state standards. “I try to make time for teaching cursive, but it’s definitely not taught in every classroom like it was when I was a student,” she said. “I don’t put a ton of emphasis on it, but I do think it’s important to learn if I’m able to fit it in the day.”

Old-school science lab with wooden cabinets and black countertops, evoking memories of past classroom settings.

Paper cutter from old-school memories, featuring a wooden base and a black lever arm.

I remember the fear and anxiety that came when you walked into my grade school gym to see the rope

Children watching a girl climb a rope in a school gym, evoking old-school memories.

Purple Trapper Keeper and pen evoke memories of old-school items.

Old-school items memories with a jungle diorama featuring toy animals, a pink cake centerpiece, and a colorful rope swing.

Finger pressing button on a vintage math multiplication machine; evokes old-school item memories.

Lastly, even classmates’birthdaysand the treats that come with them are a bit more different these days. “In a lot of schools, parents now have to do a lot more before bringing in cupcakes or other snacks for a birthday. It’s a whole process," Sandoval said. “They can only bring in store-bought foods and have to check with the school to ensure nobody in the class is allergic to any of the ingredients.”

If you’ve watched someone open one of these markers and immediately smelled its intense aroma

Old-school item: A Sanford King Size permanent marker with a striped design on the body.

Old-school item, a vintage metal and wood school desk, evoking memories of classroom days.

A hand holding a chocolate malt ice cream cup, reminiscent of old-school items memories.

Repeated handwriting on paper, “I will not talk in class,” evokes old-school items memories.

Old-school item: a library book log with student names and years of use.

Children playing outside a school while two people stand on the rooftop, evoking old-school memories.

Old-school memories with a tetherball in a playground setting against a brick wall.

A finger pointing at textured wall blocks, reminiscent of old-school memories.

Colorful parachute spread out in a gym, evoking old-school memories.

Came across this old sink that I haven’t seen since I was in grade school in 1990. I know these were popular in the 80s…. Maybe 70s?

Old-school wash station in a public restroom, reminiscent of past decades, sparking memories.

Rectangle school pizza evokes old-school items memories with its nostalgic shape and cheesy topping.

Old-school Lion King geometry set case with colorful design, bringing back memories.

Old-school report card showcasing grades in various subjects, evoking memories of school days and personal growth evaluations.

Library card with stamped dates, showcasing old-school items memories from book checkouts in the 1980s and 1990s.

Collection of classic Judy Blume books, evoking old-school memories.

March 2003 school lunch menu, evoking old-school memories with classic meals listed before Spring Break.