The INTOXICATING smell of mimeographed sheets "hot off the presses". Music teachers lugging a portable phonograph to the different classrooms. Making homemade Christmas decorations in class, while listening to Christmas records. Florescent lighting only in the classrooms. Air raid drills ("duck and cover") Fire drills. Selling candy/greeting cards.
My grade school memories are from the 90s, but I mostly went to school in a small town/rural traditional area (which I loved) and we had town dances several times a year. I was not the most sociable girl when I was young, but those dances were super great, some of my most favorite memories.