And after you buy your kid good stuff he’s really proud of, on the first day of school the teacher confiscates it all and puts it in the community chest along with the cheap stuff other parents bought. “From each according to his ability. To each according to his needs.” (Karl Marx)
Even if Ben is older than I am (77), I doubt that paper and pencil were the only requirements back then. I had to have a loose-leaf binder and a pen along with the paper and pencil and also some indexed dividers so we could have one section for each of our classes. We also had to have a pencil box and a ruler as well. Then during the year, other items would also be required. I remember the first time we had art class and we had to get some water colors and a brush. There was a metal container that held 8 colors along with the brush. Then later, we were told to buy some tempera paints. Those came in little jars. Can’t remember if there was anything else in grammar school, but there probably was. By the time my kids started school, the list was much longer.
I saw my granddaughter’s list. Why are the teachers telling the kids what color notebooks they MUST use for their class? Are 6th graders too stupid to figure out which notebook is their math and which is their science unless the teacher tells them to open their red notebook? The list was ridiculously long and at least one of the colors was not found at Walmart but my granddaughter was totally freaked that she would be flunked if she showed up with a light blue notebook instead of a navy blue one.
When husband’s niece started kindergarten they received a list of what she needed. That was the kindergarten general list and wrong. One had to go online to see what her specific teacher wanted – neither sister in law or BIL used a computer then (and barely do now, nor does this niece who is 17 now) so husband had to look. She needed, among other things, 2 boxes of pencils. My reaction was send her with 2 or 3 pencils and replace as needed. The items had brands specified – so Buster Brown Shoes pencils would not be acceptable which is one of the types I had were. We later found that when the children come in the teacher takes all the supplies and stores them and then hands out what each child needs when they need it – to cover any children whose parents can’t afford it. This is in a community of major upscale houses that other than possibly children of servants if one has them, all the children parents can afford.
Otto Knowbetter over 4 years ago
And after you buy your kid good stuff he’s really proud of, on the first day of school the teacher confiscates it all and puts it in the community chest along with the cheap stuff other parents bought. “From each according to his ability. To each according to his needs.” (Karl Marx)
sfreader1 over 4 years ago
Even if Ben is older than I am (77), I doubt that paper and pencil were the only requirements back then. I had to have a loose-leaf binder and a pen along with the paper and pencil and also some indexed dividers so we could have one section for each of our classes. We also had to have a pencil box and a ruler as well. Then during the year, other items would also be required. I remember the first time we had art class and we had to get some water colors and a brush. There was a metal container that held 8 colors along with the brush. Then later, we were told to buy some tempera paints. Those came in little jars. Can’t remember if there was anything else in grammar school, but there probably was. By the time my kids started school, the list was much longer.
DM2860 over 4 years ago
I saw my granddaughter’s list. Why are the teachers telling the kids what color notebooks they MUST use for their class? Are 6th graders too stupid to figure out which notebook is their math and which is their science unless the teacher tells them to open their red notebook? The list was ridiculously long and at least one of the colors was not found at Walmart but my granddaughter was totally freaked that she would be flunked if she showed up with a light blue notebook instead of a navy blue one.
cuzinron47 over 4 years ago
He’s exaggerating as usual, all he needed was a chalk board at the little red school house.
gooddavid over 4 years ago
What I put on my supply list is “something to write with and something to write on”. It seems to work out pretty well for the classes I teach.
William A Short Premium Member over 4 years ago
They is?
mafastore over 4 years ago
When husband’s niece started kindergarten they received a list of what she needed. That was the kindergarten general list and wrong. One had to go online to see what her specific teacher wanted – neither sister in law or BIL used a computer then (and barely do now, nor does this niece who is 17 now) so husband had to look. She needed, among other things, 2 boxes of pencils. My reaction was send her with 2 or 3 pencils and replace as needed. The items had brands specified – so Buster Brown Shoes pencils would not be acceptable which is one of the types I had were. We later found that when the children come in the teacher takes all the supplies and stores them and then hands out what each child needs when they need it – to cover any children whose parents can’t afford it. This is in a community of major upscale houses that other than possibly children of servants if one has them, all the children parents can afford.