I love school supplies! I have such vivid memories of getting the list of items needed for my grade and then planning the trip to pick out all the supplies. I would always get a school supply box, a cigar box to be specific — I never questioned how we got that or where it came from, but I knew it was called a cigar box. I remember always reading the name Roi-Tan on the side and I wondered why my mom would want me to use construction paper and glue and then later “contact” paper to carefully redecorate the sides with a well-planned motif. More important, of course, was the contents of that box. Brand new pencils, meticulously sharpened; a Pink Pearl eraser; unused Crayola Crayons 24 pack (though I longed for the 64 pack with a built-in sharpener on back). In elementary school I would also have a pad of ruled and dotted line penmanship paper — remember penmanship class? Blunt end metal scissors and a jar of Elmer’s Glue Paste with a built-in brush—I loved that paste. No, I didn’t eat it (though I now know it was mostly flour, sugar, and water, and well a little Alum and fragrance too), but it sure smelled good. A three-ring binder and a large pack of loose-leaf paper would round out my precious school supplies. Sometimes I would get a new lunch box—my Disney character school bus was a favorite—made from metal and containing glass insulated thermos. It was a solid lunch box—and lasted me for years, though in a tragic incident walking home from school, I dropped the thermos and can still hear the awful, shattered glass noise it made when I picked it up. I was heartbroken. I didn’t get another and resigned myself to nickel milk cartons each day—this was pre-“Capri Sun” and juice box days mind you.
Later, I recall, the infamous Trapper Keeper was all the rage and school wouldn’t be complete unless you got to start with one in tow. These precious supplies were meant to help you start the year right, maybe even last all year—so you took care to place them carefully back in the box and then slide them into your desk in hopes that they would be protected in the many days of use ahead.
New supplies are symbolic, perhaps, of the care and respect we give to a new school year. A fresh start to meet new friends, learn new things, erase past errors, and rewrite our future just a bit. If something is broken, a little paste would help. If something seemed boring—a flash of Crayola or a construction paper cut out could change everything for the better. With the right tools—I remember thinking, school was going to be great, and it made leaving the carefree days of summer behind just a bit easier.
Today, I was shopping for school supplies in bulk for the students we help through our School Supply Drive. All the memories from my childhood came flooding back. It makes me happy that kids still need Crayola Crayons, Pink Pearl erasers, sharpened pencils, and blunt end scissors. Now there’s the added need for dry erase markers, highlighters, post-it notes, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. Paste has become—glue sticks, three-ring binders, replaced with composition notebooks. There are fancier pencils, pens, and lunch boxes—but the same sentiment rings true—a fresh start with the right supplies makes the year a little better.
As I was leaving the store, two shopping carts filled to the top, I had a woman stop me and ask why was I buying so much? I had a lovely conversation and explained that I was with St. Luke’s and buying these on behalf of so many that had donated money so kids could have new supplies to start the year. We shared a nostalgic moment about buying supplies for kids and grandkids. Then with tears welling up in her eyes she said, “God bless you all for loving these kids and for caring about how their school year begins. Thank you for making a difference.” I walked away smiling and maybe a little teary as well. It is nice to talk to a fellow appreciator of school supplies. It is especially nice to be reminded that small kindnesses like new school supplies can mean a lot to a kid.
What looks like a basket filled with rulers, glue, pencils, and paper; maybe it’s something more. Maybe they will encourage a fresh start, inspire creativity, better grades, or an opportunity to learn to share and make a new friend.
This past year, my husband found me an original glass thermos to match my old metal Disney school bus lunch box. I had kept that lunch box, symbolic of the joy of starting fresh, starting a new school year. Now my lunch box is complete again, I wish I could start a new school year, instead I will place it on a shelf and relish the memories. Satisfied in helping to put together and give out hundreds of backpacks, thanks to your generosity, for kids going to school in a few weeks. A small way we can all share God’s love and bring hope to so many.
– Lori Hall, Executive Director of Missions
