1950s Back to School Image of 2 boys with backpacks image via Getty Images

First up sorry for the radio silence lately, my husband and I purchased a house (a rental property to be exact) and we have been super busy working away on getting it ready for rental. This meant I had ZERO time for things on the internet (like my little old blog). BUT I’m back and I’m kicking off the first blog post of September with a roundup of all things to do with school, of course with my regular vintage spin.

Lets begin!

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Back To School We Go! Roundup of All Things “School”

1940s, 1950’s and 1960s

1940s Vintage Advertisement: 1947 Fresh Up with Seven Up Ad - 1940s Teenagers, Football Hero, Cheerleaders - Retro 7up Ad — 1947 7up Ad. Source: Etsy

1940s Vintage Photo of two men and 1 women in 1940s fashions posing together for a photo at Harris College, May 1943.

Further Reading: Vintage Student Life Photo 1920s-1950s

Rah Rah Go Happy! Adorable 1960’s Vintage Cheerleading Uniform from “Happy High School located in Happy, Texas – Home of the Cowboys”.

While Researching this post I stumbled upon a most amazing resource! North Carolina has a website where they have a collection of yearbooks from schools all over their state. Um COOL!!!

The collection was started because yearbooks provide a window into student life in North Carolina from the 1890s to the present. From sports teams to clubs, fashions to hairstyles, these volumes document the changing attitudes and culture of students year by year.

Here are some of the amazing photos that you can see on their site (stay tuned for a future “Vintage Photo Tuesday” Post).

Photo # 1: Home Economics Class, Durham High School, 1947.

Further Reading: Vintage Yearbooks (archived blog posts)

1940s Vintage Photo: Home Economics Class, Durham High School, 1947 — Source: North Carolina Digital Heritage Centre

Photo # 2: Cheerleaders, E.E. Smith Senior High School, 1948.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of Cheerleaders

1940s Vintage Photo: Cheerleaders, E.E. Smith Senior High School, 1948 Vintage Yearbook photos — Source: North Carolina Digital Heritage Centre

1950’s “Kids Back to School Fashion” being showcased at the Zoo.

Retro 1950’s Style School Girl Paper Doll Printable. You can buy this right now on Etsy and it’s just too cute!!!

Retro 1950's Style School Black Girl Paper Doll Printable

Source: Etsy

Prom Queen, date night and life in Highschool in the 1950s. Cool collection of photos of teenage life.

Vintage Photos of Teenage Life in the 1950s Backt to school Photos — Source: Etsy

Zayre Commercial “Before you go back to school” circa 1960s.

September 14, 1953. This black, white and red ad features “Little Lulu” comic strip characters touting the qualities of Kleenex. The ad has a head shot of Arthur Godfrey, host of a CBS daytime radio and TV program, with a quote bubble around the tagline: “It’s ‘Kleenex Tissue Time’ with school days here again!” (Via Etsy)

Vintage Kleenex Tissues Ad, It's Kleenex Tissue Time, Little Lulu by Marge Comics, Back to School, Original Advertising, 1953

Flair Magazine 1950 College Review Issue.

About the College Review (Via Etsy Seller ‘Betsyoldandnew‘).

The Flair Magazine August 1950 College Review Issue was one of only eleven issues of the magazine ever published as its lavish productions costs proved too great for it to continue. Editor Fleur Cowles, wife of publisher Gardener Cowles, was allowed to spare no expense in putting out her dream magazine, that was totally unique for its time, in which she would highlight her feature stories having considered “If a feature would be better in dimension than on flat pages, why not fold half-pages inside double-page spreads? If a feature was significant enough, why not bind it as ‘a little book’… giving it a special focus? If a feature was better ‘translated’ on textured paper, why use shiny paper? If a hand-set offset printing or hand-fed gravure suited a photographic essay better than letterpress, why not use it?”

Vintage Howdy Doody Time Teacher, 1950s Teaching Aid.

1969 Kids Vintage Fashion Ad Back to School Clothes at Montgomery Wards.

Hope you enjoyed a trip down back to school lane, have a wonderful week everyone!

Question time: What is your favourite memory from school? Share in the comments below.

Further Reading:

Vintage Advertising 1920s – 1960s (archived blog post)
Vintage Back to School posts

Liz

August is now gone and that means all the kiddies and older kids are back to school. Sigh..bye bye summer.

Going to school was always something I enjoyed and I have some pretty great memories during those years. I do though vividly remember my first dance of University, I was so nervous and excited all at the same time. I just left my small “ish” home town and had moved to the big City of Toronto to live. I had no idea what the future held but I knew that it was never going to be a dull movement, and boy has it not!

Now going with this theme of “Back to school” and since I’m a fan of the 1940s I thought I would like to do a post on what College life looked like during those years. First up I know it looked nothing like my early 2000’s university life, hahaha 🙂

So are you ready to take a class in “1940s Collegiate Style and Collegiate Life” with me as seen thru pictures?

Vintage Photos of 1940s Collegiate Life

Time to move into your dorm (1940’s Photo). These lovely ladies look fresh-faced and ready to tackle the world. I love the luggage and hat box! And the dress with the Peter Pan collar is a very practical and pretty.

1940s photo of two young college girls in 1940s fashions moving into their dorm. They are holding suitcases and hat boxes. — Source: UMW Centennial

The caption for this 1940’s picture is: Class Officers in front of Gate at University of Mary Washington.

Saddle Shoes! Great skirts and jackets! Look at their hair?! Oh my this photo is simply and truly wonderful. 1940s Collegiate Style right here ladies and gentlemen.

1940s Vintage Photo of 4 women in 1940s hairstyles and 1940s fashion, they are the Class Officers in front of Gate at University of Mary Washington. — Source: UMW Centennial

Studying in the Dorm

Not much in way of great clothing look here, BUT did you notice all the great details in the room? First up, can you see the handsome serviceman on the bookshelf? I saw him instantly! How about that great clock? Do you think it’s Bakelite? I also adore the bread-spreads. Burberry has nothing on these beds.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of Dorm Life in the 1920s-1960s

1940s vintage photo of two young women in their college dorm studying. — Source: UWM Centennial

1940s vintage photo of women in a cooking class, making the perfect pie.

Maybe the ladies above were studying up on how to make the perfect pie as seen below? Mandatory for a woman in the 1940s to be able to do, I’m sure.

1940s vintage photo of women in college holding pies that they made in their baking class in college. — Source: UMW Centennial

Time to Join a Club!

Okay this picture has so many fantastic things happening. First up according to the caption on this picture this is “Campus Jane and Campus Joe, members of the University of Miami ‘M’ Club-1946″. Right there I’m in love, how cute is that?!

Next up, their style. When I think of 1940s collegiate style this is EXACTLY what I think of. Saddle shoes (I love my saddle shoes), his collegiate sweater with the M, her wool skirt with cardigan which is just wonderful. Never mind the woman behind them with that great figure and dress. I also think they are too adorable for words. No words!

Further Reading:

Back To School: Vintage School Clubs Part 2
School Clubs – Vintage Photos

1940s vintage photo of a young man and young woman in college both wearing saddle shoes and 1940s fashion. The caption of the photo says: Campus Jane and Campus Joe, members of the University of Miami 'M' Club-1946 — Source: University of Miami Libraries Digital

1940s photo of college women playing golf.

Like sports? How about joining the golf club? hahaha “Golf Club”!!! Okay I’m done making silly jokes 🙂

For a fan of vintage clothing this picture has so many amazing things happening in it, I don’t even know where to start? The skirts, tops, shoes, HAIR! So stylish and fantastic to look at and what great form they all have.

1940s vintage photo of young women in college in 1940s fashions and saddle shoes posing with their golf clubs for their Golf Club. — Source: UWM Centennial

Transportation to school

If you did not live in a dorm, how were some of the ways you got to school? Well in this fantastic photo the pretty girl with the great car seems to have her way all set. I’m not sure if the guys are interested in her or the car though?

Can you spot the fun beanie hat and those great shoes on the guys?

1940s vintage photo of a young woman in a 1940s car talking to a college man. — Source: University of Miami Libraries Digital

Or maybe you had to take the bus like these students at Duke University.

1940s vintage photo of a 1940s car and school bus with young women in 1940s fashions from Duke University waiting to take the bus. — Source: Duke Yearlook

Doing your part for the war effort

During the early part of the 1940s a big part of school activities was helping with the war effort. These pretty ladies are collecting scrap at Duke University to “Help rub out the axis with scrap rubber“.

1940s college students doing their part for the war effort — Source: Duke Yearlook

Learning First Ad, very important as you never knew when you might need it. Future nurses?

1940s vintage image of women doing first ad at their nursing college. — Source: Duke Yearlook

Letting off some steam

After a long day of school and studying (and helping with the war effort) it’s always fun to kick up your heels and listen to a good band, like at this welcome Party.

I love the beanies that the Freshman girls were probably expected to wear. I also see some great patterns on dresses.

Further Reading:

Student Life – Vintage Photos
Student Life Part 2 – Vintage Photos

1940s vintage photo of young college students watching a band play. They are all wearing beanies as they are freshmen students. — Source: UMW Centennial

How about a dance with your significant other on a Saturday night? These two couples look like they are having fun. I also adore the peplum dress that is longer in the front, I wonder what colour it was?

1940s vintage photo of two couples in college / university dancing together at a school dance. — Source: UMW Centennial

Maybe dancing was not your way of relaxing, so how about a swim with your college chums?

Students at the University of Miami in 1944 enjoying a day off from their studies.

And there you have it friends, a peak into 1940s collegiate life. I think they were wonderful photos, during a time that was not the easiest for many of these men and women. Don’t you agree?

Do you have good school memories? Or would you rather just forget they ever happened?

Further Reading: Vintage School posts from the 1920s-1960s (Archived posts)

Liz 🙂

Tag: 1940s back to school