In elementary school in the early 80s I was called poor (which I was) because I had to bring a box lunch in an old beat up lunchbox my mom got from a yard sale for a nickel, and could not afford cafeteria lunches. All my food was home made and the kids made fun of everything I brought. It got so bad I used to get in trouble all the time so I always had lunch detention and had to eat with my teacher.
yeah. we had a big family and there was competition for normal looking brown bags which I was not good at so mine was in the wonder bread bag. I would not say we were poor. We were poor for the rich suburb we lived in but it was a big working class family and my parents, rightly, prioritized getting a house, even the worst house, in a good school district and getting it paid off.
Yes. The near-by town (8 miles away) got a flashing traffic light when I think I was in 4th grade. Then the next town had 3 stop lights. The city was 90 miles away.
It boggles my mind to think about no indoor plumbing in the US at that time. Should not be so surprised. When my wifes granma passed away she lived like single digits from chicago in a multiflat. The back still had these areas in the garage for cows. Blew my mind. Granted the area she was in was close to the old stockyards.
In elementary school in the early 80s I was called poor (which I was) because I had to bring a box lunch in an old beat up lunchbox my mom got from a yard sale for a nickel, and could not afford cafeteria lunches. All my food was home made and the kids made fun of everything I brought. It got so bad I used to get in trouble all the time so I always had lunch detention and had to eat with my teacher.
yeah. we had a big family and there was competition for normal looking brown bags which I was not good at so mine was in the wonder bread bag. I would not say we were poor. We were poor for the rich suburb we lived in but it was a big working class family and my parents, rightly, prioritized getting a house, even the worst house, in a good school district and getting it paid off.
We did not have indoor toilets until I was in 6th or 7th grade, and the indoor shower came a year or so later.
at home or school? in the 80’s?
Home and yes
was it like super rural?
Yes. The near-by town (8 miles away) got a flashing traffic light when I think I was in 4th grade. Then the next town had 3 stop lights. The city was 90 miles away.
It boggles my mind to think about no indoor plumbing in the US at that time. Should not be so surprised. When my wifes granma passed away she lived like single digits from chicago in a multiflat. The back still had these areas in the garage for cows. Blew my mind. Granted the area she was in was close to the old stockyards.