Past Forward

Activating The Henry Ford Archive of Innovation

First Day of School

September 5, 2017 Archive Insight

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It’s Back to School season—ads for clothing and school supplies are everywhere. The first day of school has meant many things to the generations of kids who have shared this experience. Excitement, curiosity, wariness--and for some of the first timers among us—perhaps even a bit of fear. Along with the first day of school often came fresh new school supplies: crayons with pointy tips, pencils with pristine erasers, and even a new schoolbag or backpack. And for many, it meant getting a brand new outfit to wear on that all-important first day of school.

meganMegan Mines donned this plaid Kelly green dress and headed off to her first day of kindergarten in Warren, Ohio in 1980. She was a little wary of the plunge into the unknown world of kindergarten—what would it be like? Megan also wore the dress for her school photo later that year.   

Do you remember your first day of school—kindergarten or any other year? What was it like? And what did you wear? 


Jeanine Head Miller is Curator of Domestic Life at The Henry Ford.

by Jeanine Head Miller, fashion, childhood, school

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