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

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

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

1960s Vintage Cheerleading Uniform.
Source: Etsy

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.

1950s Vintage Magazine: Flair Magazine 1950 College Review Issue.
Source: Etsy

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?” 

Flair Magazine 1950s College Review

Vintage Howdy Doody Time Teacher, 1950s Teaching Aid.

Vintage Howdy Doody Time Teacher, 1950s Teaching Aid.
Soure: Etsy

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

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

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:

Liz