Did You Ever Own a Metal Lunchbox?

They were banned in schools in the 1970s after parents complained they were used as weapons and caused serious head injuries. Their history is here from the first Hopalong Cassidy box, to the the last of Rambo Sylvester Stallone model.

I had a red Stewart plaid one in third grade that I remember, complete with a thermos. There were no ice packs included, ever.

The Antique Trader attributes the popularity of metal lunchboxes to television.

Photo taken in 2016

Take a tour of the museum with this YouTube video if you can’t get to Columbus Georgia.

Allen Woodall’s Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, Georgia…..has More than 3,000 lunchboxes and 1,000 thermoses sit on floor-to-ceiling shelves that line the walls. Others hang from the ceiling

Mr Woodall has written an encyclopedia shown below

You can get a pricing guide if you want to start a metal lunchbox collection

St.Martin’s Day

St.Martin’s Day was celebrated Thursday evening at the school.

First the story of St.Martin was told to the families inside the school. Then the families went outside to see the circle of all the school children. The children carried lanterns they’d made and gathered in a circle to sing. There were candles along the stairs and paths to light the darkness.

Inside where the story of St.Martin was told
A glass jar with colored tissue paper decoupage a tea light at the bottom

“Martin of Tours (died 397) was a Roman soldier who was baptized as an adult and became a bishop in Gaul. He is best known for the tale whereby he cut his cloak in half with his sword, to give half to a beggar who was dressed in only rags in the depth of winter. That night Martin had a vision of Jesus Christ wearing the half-cloak.”

Five years ago I attended another St.Martins Day in Berlin. Here’s that post

Columbus Mosaic at Clinton Elementary

Friday we went to Charlie’s school for Art Night and saw the students’ artwork displayed.

Charlie and Laura read the explanation

As we toured every floor, we saw this ceramic tile mosaic mural in the cafeteria. It was striking.

The ceramic tile artist Marlo Bartels Mosaic Saved article describes the journey the mural has taken. Here’s a short video telling how this colorful mural has been moved THREE times. You can not only hear the artist interviewed, but see Marlo Bartels do repair work on his mosaic mural at Clinton Elementary.

Mosaic by artist Marlo Bartels
Detail

Scootering to School

This morning before I headed back to Pittsburgh, I got to walk with Charlie to school. He rides his scooter.

I tried to keep up but at least got the chance to document his early morning trek to school.

Wondering what they’ll do in the winter.

One Room Schoolhouse Teachers

My father and mother (b.1912) were teachers in one room schoolhouses in Illinois. And this is BEFORE they went to college, where they met. University of Illinois.

You may have seen these before but I thought these photos were perfect for a Throwback Thursday post.

My mother, back row on the left.

Pi Day: 3.14 -Reblog from the Archives

3.14.15 9:26:53 CELEBRATING SPECIAL PI DAY AT SCHOOL 

 

A very special Pi Day.  Once in a century.  Tomorrow, 3.14.15 is it.    Get ready!

Celebrated at school today, 3-13-15._ Spearheaded by Mrs. Mihalic.  Creating some spirit!

There were numbers posted all around the hallways on the 800 level to who-knows-what place…..some cool art which I didn’t get to photograph yet.

Eat'n Park Pi Day Cookies

And my neighbor across the hall…. I went in this morning and said “Hey, where’s your Pi shirt?” and then she turned around and showed me!

The librarian, wearing the machine stitched embroidery shirt her Mother, J.E., created esepcially for her.Pi Day Shirt Machine Stitched`

Mrs. Mihalic, math teacher, created a wildly spirited event, complete with Pi Day cookies she special ordered from Eat’n Park 

Eat 'n Park Pi Day Cookie

 

cutting slices of pie

 

In the cafeteria there was a game where students could win a slice of pie. (Similar to a Cake Walk)pies

IMG_9379

Posting this one so you can see how you had to land on a certain number when the music stopped to win a slice of pie.

Photographed by Steve after school Friday the 13th. I’m wearing one of the shirts Mrs. Mihalic created.

IMG_9395A different shirt worn by one of my  photography students.Everyone was getting in on the festivities.

Early Morning Striped Light, Then and Now

I’m sleeping in Maura’s bed this week, while I’m in Ohio, but she came in to dress for school this morning.

As she stood in front of the mirror, the early morning light came in through the blinds.

I remembered.

Somewhere on the blog,a few years ago, I’d captured a shot of Maura with the same striped light on her hair. At least I thought it was the same light.

Her bedroom has eastern exposure.

So I went and searched and found it. September 2013 see the second photo.

The stripes are thin white light in 2013.

The blinds must have been almost closed completely.