Tomorrow my boys start school again. In fact, my youngest begins Grade 1.
This isn't as momentous as it used to sound when I was growing up as he's already done 1 1/2 years formal full-time schooling. But it did make me stop and think about when I started Grade 1. That's more than 30 years ago now (scary).
Here's proof that it was a while ago! When I look at this photo, not only do I notice the uniform (which was wonderfully comfortable, 'cept for the leather shoes) and the "fibro" fence. But I also notice the "port". The bag was called a "port" where I grew up in Queensland. Did anyone else grow up using a cardboard "port"? Our boys didn't have a clue what we were talking about. Thankfully I still have one that I could show them . . . a little one that my mother used when she was tiny, believe it or not, which makes it pretty old! They are amazing things. Later on I also had a thinner one for my piano lessons. I'm pretty sure Mum's and Dad's travel suitcases were also cardboard.
Anyway, tomorrow they all start school again. Yay! I'm happy to delegate their care to someone else for a while. And to allow them to get their energy out under someone else's supervision, with other kids other than each other. Socially have been a bit challenging around here recently. I think they probably need some other friends to hang out with! I think I probably need some girlfriend-time too! So many guys around my place . . .
But, if you're interested, I did find an interesting, somewhat humorous "history of the suitcase" webpage. Take a look here.
I remember wondering what a "port rack" was when we moved to North Queensland from Victoria when I was nine. I soon discovered and caught up with the Qld lingo. I definitely remember my first suitcase was cardboard, in fact we have several of these as a family and they served us well for many years.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your first day of "freedom" tomorrow.
The name Globite suggests itself. They were tough cases. You didn't want to get hit with one, especially with the reinforcing on the corners. Calling them cardboard gives a totally misleading impression.
ReplyDeleteThe name Globite is new to me. Yes, they weren't to be trifled with, but they were/are cardboard, thick cardboard. My husband remembers that he once left an opened carton of strawberry milk in his school bag and it tipped over. The bag survived! No ordinary cardboard survives being wet!
ReplyDeleteI had a green hard backpack with leather straps. I tried to cover it with stickers. It didn't help the look much at all.
ReplyDelete