As we all remember (or maybe don’t), school was not just about books and tests it was also about all the fun activities you could do outside of your regular classes. For example, I was in Drama club when I was in high school. I was terrible but I loved being part of something that made me smile and was my choice to be involved in. I also enjoyed the dances because I love to dance and dress-up and I got to do both a few times a year. Win!

Today’s “Vintage Photo Tuesday” is all about this “life outside of the classroom” and features students from various levels of education and schools from the 1920’s-1950’s.

Let’s take a look!

vintage image of students at university of Chicago — Source: University of Chicago Archives

Vintage Photo’s of Student Life: 1920s-1950s

1940s Vintage Photo, October 1949: Paul Macdonald of Gananoque, Ont, 3rd year drawing and painting student, paints semi-abstract still life with fruit while 2nd year ceramics student Nancy Snider, of Islington, Ont, watches.

1940s vintage photo of students in art class studing a painting. October 1949: Paul Macdonald of Gananoque, Ont, 3rd year drawing and painting student, paints semi-abstract still life with fruit while 2nd year ceramics student Nancy Snider, of Islington, Ont, watches. — Source: Library & Archives Canada

Meeting of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Howard University-1946.

Source: Life Photo Collection

Boys and their portable radio-1948. Lineup outside the Athletic office for tickets for McGill football weekend.

1940s vintage image of 1948 image of young men with a portable radio in suits - Boys and their portable radio-1948. Lineup outside the Athletic office for tickets for McGill football weekend. — Source: University of Toronto Archives Image Bank

1950s vintage photo of Mae Wang, left, and Jeanne Chen enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on a lawn at Our Lady of the Lake University. The two attended the university thanks to a four-year scholarship through an overseas student service.

1950s vintage photo of two young women in traditional Chinese dresses on the lawn at a San Antonio College. Mae Wang, left, and Jeanne Chen enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on a lawn at Our Lady of the Lake University. The two attended the university thanks to a four-year scholarship through an overseas student service.

Source: sacurrent.com

A group of dancing Dentettes in rehearsal for the 1946-47 Dentatics musical review. While I’m not sure what a “Dentette” is at the University of Toronto, I do know it looks like they are having fun.

1940s image of young women in 1940s outfits doing a kickline pose for the camera. A group of dancing Dentettes in rehearsal for the 1946-47 Dentatics musical review. — Source: U of T Archives Image Bank

1950s vintage photo: University of Toronto-Alpha Phi Fraternity – members singing at the piano (1952).

1950s vintage photo: University of Toronto-Alpha Phi Fraternity - women members singing at the piano (1952) in 1950s fashions. — U of T Archives Image Bank

The Athletes Night Big Dance at University of Toronto-1952.

1950s vintage photo of a School Dance at University of Toronto Vintage Image from 1952-The Athletes Night Big Dance at University of Toronto — Source: U of T Archives Image Bank

Editorial staff of the “Hill Top”, the student paper at Howard University-1946.

Editorial staff of the "Hill Top", the student paper at Howard University. 1940s vintage photo of black students.

Source: Life Photo Collection

East York (Toronto) Student Panel-1949.

1940s vintage photo of the 1949 East York Toronto Student Panel — Source Toronto Archives

The Jordan River Revue was a musical variety show written, produced, directed and acted in by Indiana University Students (Source). Here is a group performing “Peas and Beans”, 1946.

1940s vintage photo of student life: Jordan River Revue, "Peas and Beans" ," The Jordan River Revue was a musical variety show written, produced, directed and acted in by Indiana University Students — Source: IU Archives

The Book Nook Commencement was a mock commencement ceremony that took place at the Book Nook, a popular student hangout in the 1920s located at Indiana and Kirkwood Avenue. A combination soda fountain and bookstore, the Book Nook was known for its music and the sometimes rowdy behavior of its customers. For many years the Book Nook played a significant role in Indiana University student culture (Source).

Notable IU alum musician and composer Hoagy Carmichael was a frequent patron (Seen below at the piano, 1939), and it is said he composed his most famous songs, Stardust, at one of the Book Nook booths.

Hoagy Carmichael at the Book Nook University of Indiana 1939 Vintage Image — Source: IU Archives

Dorm Life at the University of Chicago, 1950’s.

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

Hanging out in the dining hall with friends and cokes-1940’s University of Chicago.

Hanging out in the dining hall with friends and cokes-1940's vintage image of student life at the University of Chicago. — Source: University of Chicago Archives

I’m now going to end this week’s VPT with the most outstanding vintage student life image..ever! It is from the 1920’s at the University of Chicago. WOW! what style!

1920s vintage image of two women in 1920s fashions and young man in 1920s college fashion talking together outside of the University of Chicago — Source: University of Chicago Archives

I hope you enjoyed this week’s ‘Vintage Photo Tuesday’. Share your favourite image in the comments section below.

Further Reading:

Vintage Photos 1920s – 1960s (Archived Blog Posts)
Vintage School Posts 1920s – 1960s (Archived Posts)
Vintage Yearbook Posts 1920s-1960s (Archived Posts)

Have a super day friends!

Liz

Several posts ago, I started a series entitled ‘A Peak Into My Vintage Collection‘ where I showcased some of the items I currently collect. This week, I wanted to show off my photo album of ‘Adopted Vintage Photos’. Photos that I have found in various places (mostly from my beloved Gadabout Vintage) and have loved so much that I could not leave them behind to be lost forever, so I ‘adopted’ them.

Collection of vintage photos from the 1920s to the 1960s in a photo album.

Several of these photos you might have seen if you have been following my blog for sometime and many of them will be new to my new followers (Hi new readers!). Whatever the circumstance that finds you here, I hope you enjoy this post.

Vintage Photos 1930s – 1950s from The Vintage Inn’s Personal Collection

The first 2 images are my newest purchases to the “Family”.

1940s photo. I adore all the small details in photos, like in this image the champagne coupes on the table (New Years Eve Party maybe?) and how the lovely woman in the photo is the only one who notices the picture being taken. Fantastic 1940s hairstyles and fashions.

1940's vintage photo of couples at a fancy dinner in 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles.

1940s photo of a group of young college women in their best evening gowns and vintage hairstyles posing together. I think this is a college sorority.

Photos like the one below, are really wonderful tools to answers questions that pop up in the vintage clothing world. One in particular I see/hear frequently is, “Did women in the 1940’s actually wear flowers in their hair”? And the answer is “Yes”, as seen in the evidence below AND above.

Further Reading:

1940's vintage image of girls all dressed up for a dance

If you ever get a chance to visit Gadabout Vintage in Toronto, you will notice that the pictures are in drawers, upon drawers so finding a ‘full collection’ is not always an easy task. So it’s also a fantastic surprise when my individual photo purchases, come together as a collection when I arrive home. The below groups of 1940s images are examples of this.

Collection of 1940s photos of a very stylish family. The women’s 1940s fashions are pure inspiration as well as their hair. Our main “mom” seen in all the images is pure fashion goals.

1940's vintage images of stylish women with family posing together in their home and in front of their house. Fantastic 1940s hairstyles and 1940s fashoins.

New car purchase! A young married couple pose separately in front of their 1940s cars. Great 1940s style!

Further Reading:

Hanging out with the Car (vintage photos)
Vintage Photo Tuesday-‘Hanging Out With The Car’ PART 2

1940's vintage image of a couple with their car. Fantastic 1940s fashion inspiration for men and women.

1940s family photo. That black dress on our lovely lady in both photos is wearing is amazing!

Further Reading: 1940s Street Style (vintage photos)

1940's vintage photos of stylish men and women in 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles.

The next 1940s image came in a souvenir frame and it’s from Toronto’s First Luxury Hotel, The King Edward (which is still in business today).

1940's souvenir photo taken at Toronto's King Edward Hotel

Here is the photo that was inside. Two lovely couples on date night at ‘The King Eddy’.

Date night - 1940's photo taken at King Edward Hotel Toronto of two young couples drinking and smoking together in 1940s fashions.

More photos (but not all) of my ever growing collection from the 1930’s-1950’s.

I adore 1940s fashions and this collection of images is just another fantastic example of 1940s style (for men and women).

Further Reading: Key looks of the 1940’s

1940's Vintage Images of Men and Women in 1940s fashions and 1940s hairstyles as well as men in uniform.

1930s – 1950s photos of family, graduations and friends.

Collection of vintage images of men and women from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Life on vacation from the beach to camping and everything inbetween (1940s & 1950s photos).

1940s and 1950s vintage image collection of three older women in 1940s and 1950s fashions and then one image of two young women and a man at a game in the stands.

1940s and 1950s vintage image collection of three older women in 1940s and 1950s fashions and then one image of two young women and man at a game in the stands.

Collection of 1930s, 1940s and 1950s photos of stylish women in various fashions from those era’s. Great vintage fashion inspiration!

Further Reading:

Another collection of stylish 1940s and 1950s women.

vintage images of women in the 1940s and 1950s in 1940s fashions and 1950s fashions. Great vintage fashion inspiration.

The first two images are from differents times, 1930s on the left and 1950s on the right but show two happy couples (our 1950s couple is getting married).

Our bottom photo is a fun 1940s photo showcasing a super collection of 1940s vintage hairstyle inspiration on our young ladies.

Hope you enjoyed my collection!

Check out past ‘My Vintage Collection Posts’ below:

Question Time: Have you purchased anything in the last while, that adds to your OWN collection of something?

Liz

Tag: 1950’s images