School Boxes

When I was a kid, we didn't have school boxes or backpacks. Your books went in your arms and

you writing instruments in your pocket or purse. This was also the era of the leaking ball

point pens. If you were lucky, you would have a book bag that looked like a miniature brief

case. Later, I had a book bag and a pencil case. They were both functional but unattractive.

Some kids had cigar boxes that once held actual cigars. We were lucky enough to have a father

in that category.

When Diane and Sally came along the pencil cases were more glitzy, but still flat. When they

were in primary school each had a book bag. One year they had matching corduroy book

bags, one purple, one magenta. By the time Sally was in third grade the back pack had become

a bare necessity. About this same time, school boxes came on the market. They were cigar boxes, but with phony labels. Soon after that, there were cigar boxes, but instead

of cigar labels they were decorated with Scooby Do, Hello Kitty, and of course, Disney

characters.

Eventually, these cardboard boxes gave way to plastic boxes with click-lids. The original

ones were in a variety of colors and now the boxes are clear with a bright-colored tops. I

believe they cost under $1.00 which is quite a bit cheaper that the original cigar boxes.

Now that's what I call progress.