Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Waking with Thoughts of Vintage Sunday School Cards

Here's the thing about selling vintage cards and books for a living:  you never know when you'll have a random thought about something unusual you have found.  You might be eating tacos or going to the hardware store when you suddenly think about flocked Christmas cards or a recipe for a Floating Island.

Today I woke up thinking about vintage Sunday School cards. I grew up going to Sunday School regularly, and loved it - especially craft projects like decorating pictures of sheep with cotton balls and singing songs. I recall getting postcards in the mail a few times when I was sick and couldn't go on Sunday. 

A few years ago I found a selection of Sunday  School postcards.  Most were for teens, to be sent by their Sunday School teacher if they missed a Sunday School class.  If you'd like to take a peek at these cards, you'll find them here:  Vintage Sunday School Cards at Birdhouse Books.

The card above is especially striking.  It pictures a woman who isn't there.  The postcard reads:  "Where were you last Sunday?  We've Missed You.  Come Next Sunday".   

The card above must be from the 1960's with the Space Age theme.  " Get Back In Orbit - We Missed You Sunday."

This card (above) reminds me of "The Telephone Hour" from Bye Bye Birdie.  A teen boy and girl talk on the phone.  The boy is lounging in his letterman's sweater.  "A Person to Person Invitation."

This card is a little different.  It features a line of boys with the message:  "We fall in but we don't fall out.  We want you as a member of our jolly good class."   This card was sent for a Rally Day in Atlanta in 1938.  I didn't grow up with Rally Days, so looked them up.  A Rally Day celebrated the start of a new church year, usually in September or October.  Children graduated from one Sunday School class to another at this time.  Interesting!   Another of those neat tidbits you learn working with vintage paper.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome memories of a bygone era! Now they get a text or an e-mail. I recall getting a few of these during my childhood. It was very motivating to get something in the mail. Thanks for sharing!

Swathi Shenoy said...

Hey those are some awesome cards! Even in this electronic era, receiving any one of these, would be so sweet :) Wish I could :)

Swathi

Mary Huckaby said...

I have received my share of these "Missed you at Sunday School" cards, and I remember how special they made me feel. I haven't thought about these cards in 50 years! Thank you for blogging about them. So glad you woke up with this on your mind.

Birdhouse Books said...

Thanks for the nice comments! Mary, how neat that you remember these cards too. I recall cards like this with more "kiddie" themes from my early childhood.

Trish

Leanne said...

These are adorable!! And I love the Bye Bye Birdie comparison! Now I need to go watch it again!

Birdhouse Books said...

Thanks, Leanne! I have had that song from Bye Bye Birdie stuck in my head now for a couple of days. :-)

Trish