Reddit is a never-ending rabbit hole of interesting photographs to look at, and stories to read. But in on one little corner of the internet lies the subReddit called Old School Cool. Here, people share vintage or antique photographs that give you a look into another time and place. The vast majority of people will share photographs of their parents or grandparents, showing off how pretty they are. And there are also lots of old photographs of celebrities looking impossibly young. But aside from that trend, there are quite a few photos that stand out where it’s clear that there is a story to tell. As they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So let’s dive into some of the best of Old School Cool.
A College Dorm at the University of Illinois, 1910
Looking at this photograph of two male college students from the University of Illinois in 1910, so much has changed and yet a lot has stayed the same. For one, college kids still hang photographs and posters on the wall. That much has stayed the same. But so much else that we see in the picture is different, now. For one, many college dorms now have cinder block walls that have been painted over, instead of pretty floral wallpaper. Kids are also no longer expected to wear a suit and tie to class. If you look closely, you’ll see that they hung a spoon on the wall. Apparently, there are some cultures where this is considered good luck.