# I can add Dumpster Diver to my resume now too.



## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

As it had rained, I didn't go dump-digging the '60s dump I've been hitting-up here. So, I went down to a Turn of the Century house by the airport that is being cleared out and looked into the dumpster. I saw a few wrecked wooden pieces, bunches of boxes and crates, a bottle with a plastic label, and then a pull-down wall-map from the '80s. I grabbed it, saw that the cardboard box had taken all the water that had fallen early this morning and saved the map! Setting it atop a long, wide board, I walked around the ledge of the base of the dumpster and spotted a few items. Then, an odd wooden box I noticed, and grabbed the poster to try and move it closer. Failing, I climbed in (first dumpster-dive) and walked to it across wood and soggy cardboard, crouching down and picking it up. Unknowing how it would open, the top slipped off in my hands and poured forth numerous little cards. I packed them into the box which was sadly wet inside and set it by the roll-out map. Then I spotted something beneath some wood. Reaching in, something had spilled all over and I found myself covered in black powder (it smelled sulfurous! Anyone know what it might be?) Not caring in the moment, I moved aside some stuff and pulled the book out. It was a dictionary from 1965. Under it, I grabbed a dictionary from 1929 in poor condition. Another 1980s dictionary, soaked, and finally a Comprehensive Dictionary of Psychological and Psychoanalytical Terms from 1958. I was so shocked they threw out books! Disgusted, really. It was obviously apparent that there were two generations of teachers, if not more. In the '20s dictionary is an 1994 obituary for one Miss Harris, who taught at Muskegon Heights in Special Ed. (discovered clearly it was Special Ed before seeing the obituary taped in from all the stuff in there) and really lead an interesting life.  
I also brought out a Muskegon Public Schools metal newspaper plate(?) from 1968 with one more piece stuck to it's back. More are in the dumpster, covered in powder. Everything had powder. Oh my gosh! it got all over me. The--I think 47 is for 1947, but could be wrong-- pencil sharpener has a beautiful wooden handle in three tones from whatever kind they used, and the wood-grain makes it excellent but won't show in photos. The stamps might be useful--but have a Puerto Rican man on them, or something? And I was hoping the calculator would be in it, but I was wrong (everything else was in the scientific calculator's pack from the late 1970s.)  I think I'll go back tomorrow morning, and dig deeper. Mostly 1970s school stuff was in there. 
Here is some on the circa 1943 cards.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

More images!


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

Some of the cards are odd. About 1/5th were wet, so I have some drying. Some ask about sex life--including how happy you are with it--and bowl movements, which is just plain odd as everything in here is for a school.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

More of the cards. And the box.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

Here are a few pics of the books. As a writer and one to preserve anything historic, I am appalled they threw out any of these books--they could have resale value at the  very least-- and especially that 1920s one, even in its poor condition.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

More from the books.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

The school paper.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

The map. My town's on it!


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

The pencil sharpener. It works okay.


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## LisaTammy (Aug 19, 2014)

The cards are for psychiatric evaluations.Lisa


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

Lisa, they didn't use those with me--I failed mine. [] They only failed to keep me in the hospital because someone from the state wouldn't come over at 11 pm.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

Well, there goes anything dry that isn't raised up and roofed. :/ 
There was a beautiful puzzle put on canvas with the state's birds in there--to hang on the wall-- but when I leaned it back to look at the back, a section fell away like a glacier and crashed down into the dumpster. []The two 5-cent stamps are worth a 50 cents to a dollar now according to sold Ebay listings.


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## Aloysia (Aug 19, 2014)

Hi..... Ur most valuable item is the pencil sharpener!  It looks like it has some ag e on it!  I am an Antique dealer.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

Aloysia, thanks! I see them often. The books are worthless--I look and see a weird creature in the '29 dictionary, though! A aardwolf. Hah ha, it's so cute!-- the stamps I'm more likely to use, and the sharpener does work. But the cards are pretty neat. I'll certainly hang on to them for ever.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

With the old dictionary, I know helicopters go back to at least the 1920s. "aeronef: A machine for navigating the air, as an aeroplane, helicopter, etc."  They were still making tri-planes, shown by the picture in it.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 19, 2014)

As for the sharpener and such, Muskegon Public Schools were basically our first public schools--dating into the 1800s. So unless that 47 means something, we really cannot determine age save for when they started making this style.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

Today I scored a mid-1940s dictionary in fair condition, a set of 1958 Kodachrome pictures, three metal inks--one in it's original box-- and a glass ink still filled, several ink-pad stamps that have to do with Muskegon Public Schools, to Postage Paid, to signature stamps, Bear brand tacks (looks more like a mouse! Grrr.) an attache case that works, Crayola Chalk, a metal protractor and related stuff... You'll have to forgive my poor photos. About half of them I took blindly, so the fact I photographed anything it all is a miracle. 
Here is the case.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

Here are the metal inks. Anyone know when they're from and if they hold any value over 50 cents? A lot of 1960s stuff in here. I also, the first day, brought out a piece of furniture-- we brought the van for it, and it started me into the construction dumpster. Nice wood and glass display cabinet.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

The Kodachrome pictures! For a projector I think.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

Some stamps. Yes, I photographed the one upside down.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

Dictionary, tacs, ink bottle still full which was produced in Canada!


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

Key, and stamps galore! Any idea on the key's age? 1960s perhaps? I also went dump-digging by hand today. Brought out some things on page 5--click here.
Oh, I found an unspent bullet in the dumpster, which I brought home. Think the black powder was actually gun powder?


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## LisaTammy (Aug 20, 2014)

With all the school stuff you are finding, I would guess the black powder is toner for an older copier machine.Werent they called mimeographs? Bear where do you store all your stuff? I am getting over run and I am thinking I may have to downsize. But I can't choose what to get rid of, does this make me a hoarder lol?  Use the cards to find out LOL.Lisa


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 20, 2014)

Yet there are bullets in the bottom of the dumpster--does the toner contain sulfur? 
Lisa, we got another piece of furniture from there too. XD. A five-foot long system of four shelves they had by the road.  I intend to sell some of the stuff, as I've run out of room for my really good books and bottles, and some stuff might be useful to others. The shelving and display cabinet will be good for display. 
As for what to do with your stuff, if it's bottles then make a bottle tree! Or, like I, a bottle garden! If it's other stuff, build shelving in your home and put it there!  As for hoarding, if you keep collecting and feel the need to gain more but run out of space and still keep going, yes. We have a light to moderate form of what is called collector's disease-- you want more and more because you want a bigger and better collection than anyone else. If you're not careful, it might turn into a dangerous hobby-- some will divorce their spouses or kill for the sake of adding to their collection. Quite sad. This is real. As for the cards, I think they're more for determining your psychological state in a different fashion. We also have basement and garage--both the size of our house. Then I have a shed. But I won't become a full-blown hoarder. If it cannot be displayed, I won't have it.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 21, 2014)

Today I brought out a 1970s machine for computing things if I recall-- the likes of which I haven't seen since before 9/11, when I was young and mom worked at the Thulstrup cheese factory as I think it was an accountant (I used to make long receipts with these, punching in numbers.) I also brought out a 1950s dictionary, a set of Interpersonal Checklist related stuff from 1960--he, Mr. Austin whose stuff this was (Seems a teacher and a counselor has stuff in here) in which he wrote the company and they wrote back (numerous times) on how to make better the new checklist. He also took the test, so now I know his personality. Then! To my great excitement, I discovered teacher's plans for the day during several days in the month of April, 1959! They also include the "Thought of the day"  which was to be inspiring. I also brought out a very high-quality map of Michigan for the wall, from 1995 I believe it was. Then also 1960s/1970s film strips and guide for driver's safety, a nice older-style stapler with staples, a box of matches, another rubber stamp, inspirational poster... I had to take a plastic crate (they have several in the dumpster) as my pack filled up.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 21, 2014)

Some of the papers. 
Why does this throw you off your post if you let it sit a few minutes?
The "Thought" says, "Cheer up; even the wind whistles."


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 21, 2014)

Some more paper--no, the checklist is not of Mr. Austin whose files these once were. It seems to be more like an example of the danger-zone. Numerous examples, and real ones, are in there. 
The dictionary.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 21, 2014)

The stapler! If I can figure out how to put staples in it, I'll use it. Anyone know when these were used? I dug one today called SCOUT in a '50s-'70s dump I have here before mentioned. It looks kind of like a dog. Lol.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 21, 2014)

Film.


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## RCO (Aug 22, 2014)

I think you found a few interesting items if nothing else , it was worth the look as you never know what might be in there . anyways I found this mini stone wear jug in a dumpster a couple summers ago , still have it now as I liked it , I can't believe someone just threw it out back then


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 22, 2014)

That is gorgeous! I'm shocked as well that that got thrown out!
The attache case is my new backpack, as they're costly to replace and the cats ruined mine--still cleaning it though; just finished clean one, as the black powder covered it and got into the vinyl. I want to find something like that jug one day. Thanks for the compliment and again: Amazing find.


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## Bert DeWitt (Aug 22, 2014)

Very nice RCO and I'm digging the stapler you found Spirit Bear!


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 22, 2014)

RCO made a once-in-a-lifetime kind of find. 
Thanks! No idea if it works though. Haven't touched it, nor did I go diving today.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 22, 2014)

The Samsonite attache briefcase is late '50s or early '60s; I also took out a 1950s letter opener, and the Swingline stapler is 1940ish--and it works wondrously!


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 25, 2014)

Today--yep, still going back, heh heh-- I found a peach-colored Pyrex bowl with clear glass bottom, of which I neglected to photograph--mom loves it as she loves peach. I also returned with a wood-etching burning tool that works! Several maps of Beaver Island and it's archipelago (here in Michigan) I also came out with--we have an island named Whiskey-- but had gotten cut when I reached down deep into the unknown, trying to determine if anything like a book might be in there; well, in those papers was broken glass, and so I bled onto the posters and maps... Just the back, and most were rolled in a tube, so were safe.I scared two people today... Whilst looking down in another hole of stuff in the dumpster, two burly men drove up in a truck. Popping out as he got out, he was startled but asked, "You looking for metal?" I answered, "No. Just anything that works." He said back, "You scared the s**t out of me," and then added, "Good luck," kindly, and drove off after I handed him some scrap metal I had found. Later at the lake, I walked up to an old man with tired eyes and stood there. He had detected a coin with his metal detector, and was digging. Not knowing I was there, I watched him quietly and when he looked up he fell back, hand on heart, saying, "Gosh, you darn near gave me a heart attack." I laughed and shook my head, apologizing, and asked my questions on metal detectors then carried on a conversation with him for awhile. He had found an 1870s nickle, according to him, by a different Lake recently. We have thousands of Lakes over here.I also brought out some vintage clips that work! As well as a very old key I believe to say 1920 something, or 1930 something but was cut off wrong there. What I can read says, "PATD MCM 1 19(2 or 3?) (0 or 8?) / LOCKWOOD MFG. CO. 2" The clips say on both sides, on two, "RELIEF / ESTERBROOK" and "BALL / BEARING / MADE IN / U.S.A." and "CLIP / No. 30 / PAT. NO. / 1474102" The other clip is newer, I think, and says on both sides, "HUNT CLIP No 3 / HUNT MFG.Co. / Statesville, N.C." I really like the key! I had hoped it'd go to that briefcase, as I hadn't looked it over before I pocketed it in the dumpster.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 25, 2014)

My camera seems to be having a humidity issue tonight, and it is too dim to take good photos so I won't post them all.  The Beaver Island maps show sectors, historic sites, and the whole archipelago. One poster is on some historic sites in Muskegon, including one of my favorite Churches which did show up well enough in the photo. The oldest map dates to the '70s in printing. So, nothing special. The oldest maps in my collection date to, when printed, 1901. I hate how fragile they are, but love to see them. One has a tear in it. []
Also the wood tool I recall using in woods class.


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## Robby Raccoon (Aug 25, 2014)

Clips. Nothing special, but always useful. Also, an attempt at one of my dim photos.


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