We used to cover our school exercise books with wallpaper, what was that all about? I had the pleasure of adorning mine with fine gold flock in rich sumptuous threads of gold, hand crafted by Tibetan monks. I remember my mother saying "If teacher comments on it, tell her it cost 7 quid a roll" I knew exactly how much it cost as I was the one who was sent to the shop to get a refund on an unopened roll. Woe betide the child who had the wrong sort of wallpaper exempli gratia woodchip. Do people still do this? It all seems very fussy and twee nowadays, I suppose back then we were so easily pleased.
Very posh!
ReplyDeleteWe covered our books with brown kraft paper. Sometimes a sponsor would provide free pre-cut ones with advertisements printed on the outside. More often, just plain cut up shopping bags.
No nonsense brown paper bag type from Mrs Oleson's shop? Those advertisement companies never miss a trick.
DeleteIN the dark ages when I was pretending to go to school, we had, much like LX, craft paper printed with these elaborate instructions on how to fit them to the books. I was insufficiently crafty so I was just wadded them up and carried my books naked.
ReplyDeleteNaked as nature intended.
DeleteIn those dark days of childhood I spent at a Swiss Finishing School in the dreary suburbs of Cincinnati, we used to decorate our school exercise books with stickers of the characters from The Muppets. My favourite was Beaker and Kermit the Frog (of course). I adored going to French lessons before my strict French teacher and deliberately waving my book about - showing off the huge sticker of a green frog, my favourite mascot.
ReplyDeleteThese days, I prefer the Wombles.
My finishing school was in Paris, where I learnt how to sneer at foreigners, smoke black cigarettes and wear a hat on a jaunty angle. I had a thing for Fozzie Bear, he was my first true love.
DeleteGod yes. I remember covering my Latin book with a Damned poster and getting s detention for it! Off defricatus urina to that said I.
ReplyDeleteMy gran had that bobbly copper effect wallpaper. It must have cost a shitload as there was only one wall done in it. I covered my books with the precious offcuts and got a bollocking for that as well. Woodchip and anaglypta was order of the day. Flock would have meant expulsion. Why didn't I use it?
I don't think they do it any more. Todays kids wouldn't know how to do it anyway.
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I know the sort, my gran had something similar behind her electric fire, it matched her coal scuttle and the brush and shovel paraphernalia that went with it.
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ReplyDeletei did mine in psychedelic peel off plastic contact. It was the early 70's darling...
I once used newspaper ; then there was clear plastics ; but what I remember best was a kind of waxpaper in bang-red, yellow and trippy blue stripes, indestructable.
ReplyDeleteI either used brown paper or a poster from my Jackie mag. I still have my old school books somewhere so I will see if I can dig them out and take a pic of them for your perusal.
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I seem to remember the reason for covering the books as a public school blackmail scheme. The books required a large deposit and they would mark the condition of the book before it was issued. When the book was returned the wear and tear was evaluated and then deducted from the deposit. In essence, it paid to never actually touch or even open your book!
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