Back to School Already?

Can you believe it is almost time to go back to school? “Back to school” has traditionally been a time filled with a sense of a new beginning. A new school year, new teachers, new classmates, new school, new friends, new books and new clothes. Getting a new wardrobe of clothing was always necessary for the “Fall” event (schools started after Labor Day). As a matter of fact, school opening ushered in the Fall season. Clothing changed to heavier fabrics, darker colors were worn with whites packed away, loafers and athletic shoes exchanged for sandals, and Summer was gone, just like that! Clothes were bought with cooler weather in mind. Sweaters and lightweight coats were part of the “back to school” purchases.

When I went to school, girls wore dresses and skirts, boys wore long pants, and teachers wore dresses or skirts and dress shirts with ties. It was always easy to determine “who was who.” The clothes were actually exciting to choose during the high school years. There were pencil tight skirts, bibs, jumpers, shifts, princess waistline dresses, gored skirts, boleros, pull over sweaters, cardigans and blouses of all varieties. Short skirts were fashionable which brought about “rules” concerning the length, from hem to knee. I spent time in the “office” having my hem measured, to determine “go home or stay at school.” My mother was an excellent seamstress, thus, my hem measurement was always right. Favorite shopping venues were: Millers in Knoxville, The Dress Shop, Park-Belks , Frank Hodges, Gasses, The Primp Shop, Jane’s Dress Shop, Rose’s, Squire Shop, Alma’s, Polly Kaye, and others.

When my children were in school, things were somewhat different. Girls added pants and shorts to their wardrobe and boys added shorts and tank tops. We still purchased the Fall wardrobes. Schools continued with a start date sometime after Labor Day. The weather was cycling into a much warmer Fall, but the season continued to change, as the children returned to school.

And supplies….when I was in school, paper, pencils, folders, dividers and erasers were purchased in the school store. Notebooks could be bought in grocery stores, pharmacies, dime stores and book stores. Choices were basically, color and size. School backpacks were not yet in vogue. Things were really simple. By the time my children were in school, notebooks were recognizable only by their three rings. There was a multitude of styles to choose from and most other supplies were bought before the first day of school. Choosing just the right style was important, as it was yours for the entire school year. I remember a year when my daughter came home from the first day of school, and enlightened me about a new type of notebook. She really wanted it, and was heart broken when I said, “no.” After all, it was a lesson in life that we make choices we can live with. I was cooking when “Dad” came home. He went to spend time with the kids while I finished dinner. In a short time, he and my daughter emerged, announcing the need to do “something,” and would be back shortly. They returned in a short time, new notebook in tow, and a smile from a very happy little girl. Oh well, so much for a life lesson. Dad just could not deny his little angel her heart’s desire.

Now I ask the question, “where is Fall”? It vanished when schools began to start in early August. It is still Summer! It is hot and shorts are needed for survival. I worry about the heat in classrooms without working air conditioners. I wonder why we need to start before Labor Day. I see very few changes in dress code until Winter, and even then it is weather-driven. Whites are worn year round and sandals never see the shoe box. With the exception of a Winter coat, we often wear the same clothes, season after season. I understand we seek comfort, but I do miss the change of seasons experienced in earlier years. So, if the Lord would bring back the fall weather, and the legislators would legislate schools to run from the Monday after Labor day until the end of May, we might bring back Fall! …and wouldn’t that be nice?