Back-to-school time was a milestone when I was growing up. Summer had waned, Labor Day had been observed, and playing outdoors had become repetitive. Early September could be a bit warm, but often as not, we would get a cool spell to remind us that fall was coming.

So how was it so different from back-to-school today? Well for one, everyone went back at the same time. Even the Catholic schools were usually on the same schedule as the public schools. The first day was usually a half day. We braced ourselves to sit in a hard seat attached to a desk with a hole for the ink well.

We generally sported new clothes for that first day of school. Girls wore skirts and blouses, a sweater for cool days and white socks with either penny loafers or black and white saddle shoes. Many of us had fresh perms in our hair with a pretty headband or ribbon to finish off that carefully planned first day's appearance.

Boys would be decked out in a plaid shirt and cotton or corduroy pants. No jeans to be seen. Only farmers wore jeans! Keds (tennis shoes) were only worn in gym class, so the boys wore more of a dress shoe. Remember tan or white bucks? Getting ready for school often meant a trip to Stout's Shoe Store downtown.

Our wardrobes were limited, usually a change of clothes for five days. We went to L.S. Ayres or Wm. H. Block to get several skirts and blouses unless you had to wear hand-me-downs from a sister. Fashion was not practiced in grade school, and brands were unheard of. It was not until high school when the Roderick St. John label in clothes was coveted. If we had a shopping trip downtown, the department store would deliver our boxes to our home. It was always something to have the truck with the big L.S. Ayres sign pull up and make that special school delivery.

We didn't use backpacks. The load of school books was not as heavy as today. We didn't have computers, phones, magic markers, or calculators. We carried a notebook with carefully labeled sections, maybe a folder and pencils for daily work and ink pens for turn-in work. I think our loads had to be lighter because we walked to school in the morning, home for lunch, back again for the afternoon, and home again in the evening. Yes, older citizens of Indianapolis walked in 12 inches of snow when it was 2 below or in driving wind and rain.

We were eager to see newcomers. There was not as much moving in those days so we probably knew 95% of our classmates. We also held out hope that we would really like our teacher. Each year I followed my brother so I usually knew the reputation of a teacher. Luckily, I had some of the best teachers and loved school.

Another interesting thing about our school was that we had 1A/1B, 2A/2B, on so forth. Students could begin in January or they could be promoted or held back by just one semester. One year I happened to be in a 3B/4A class. I left the next year to attend a county school and found I was really far ahead because I learned many 4th grade skills. (Oh! The pluses of a one-room school house!)

School life was uncomplicated -- days were filled with learning, reports, graham cracker and milk breaks, stashing belongings in a cloak room, and playground fun. There were few extracurricular activities, usually only playing in our neighborhood or a possible music or dance lesson. We were not over programmed and had time to think and absorb our lives. Yes, those times made for happy memories.