Back in the 1960s lunch boxes were a status symbol for most school children. It wasn't about designer clothes or what stuff you had but how you carried your lunch.
Lunch box design was simple and usually had a matching thermos. They had designs of the popular cartoons or TV shows like Rocky+ Bulwinkle, Yogi Bear and Gunsmoke.
I was usually in trouble most of my school life. My motto was "what would happen if..." and that was the springboard for some wonderful idea I had. Most of the time my teachers would just sigh and make me go into the closet for punishment ( or maybe give them a break). The closets back then were more storage room / coat closets and to be sent there was the highlight of my day! I had coat pockets to dig through,cupboards filled with art supplies,fresh paper, unsharpened pencils by the case and the ultimate pleasure- Checking out my classmates school lunches.
This was like a day at the art museum and on top of that I got to see which kids got the good stuff for lunch like chips or cookies.
For most of my school years I was relegated to second class lunch box carrier because my Depression era Grandparents couldn't imagine why a brown paper sack, a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and a handful of carrots weren't sufficient. Forget the breakable thermos because there was a perfectly good water fountain in the hall.
So Christmas of 1965 was a real celebration when I finally got the longed for BARBIE+MIDGE vinyl lunch box ( no thermos). I could strut my baloney sandwich and carrots in style.
