Life back in the day

I clearly remember the last period of my first day of ninth grade, already daunted by a new school. I walked in to the global studies classroom, stressed and overwhelmed, only to be confronted with a barrage of rules for the upcoming year. Our notebooks would have seven sections: geography, economics, politics, culture, history, review materials and vocabulary. There would also be seven plastic protectors, file folders for handouts, and sections for miscellaneous papers. Oh, and the binder had to 1.5 inches, three rings. I sat in awe as she described this requirement, and two things crossed my mind. One, that it would be a miracle if this novice teacher could get all of her students to actually adhere to these guidelines, and two, that maybe this was all, in fact, just a joke.
Needless to say, she got every one of her students to comply. And her students, as a result, were thoroughly prepared for the regents. That, of course, was her goal. At least on the surface. Afte...