1980s Roaring Spring Spiral Notebook

Here’s a pretty basic notebook from the mid-1980s. I used it for a while in high school to keep track of school assignments and such– I dated each page, and noted each day’s assignments and deadlines. It’s got a nice clean design, but is otherwise quite boring! I’m not sure why I favored it at the time, other than just wanting something cheap and simple to write in.


I got a kick out of the page below– a very exciting thing at the time, driving lessons!

I used lots of simple spiral notebooks like this, many of which I still have. This particular one was made by Roaring Spring/Top Scholar, of Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania. I have another notebook made by Top Scholar– it appears to have been a separate company based in Columbia, MD, so I guess Roaring Spring must have bought them out. I can’t find any information on the companies, but I’m sure it was yet another link in the chain of notebook manufacturing companies consolidating and then sending their operations overseas… this always makes me feel sad!

9 thoughts on “1980s Roaring Spring Spiral Notebook”

  1. Ah! Columbia MD. That is just around the corner from me. I wonder what font that is that “Memo Book” is written in? I almost certainly had one like that at some point.

  2. I think we’re not afraid to ‘mess up’ an average notebook and therefore probably write more freely.

  3. Your blog is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I am happy to find someone who has the same obsession that I do. It’s hard to explain to some people the compulsion to buy blank books constantly.

  4. I’ve never been able to find words to explain that compulsion. It feels good just to read this blog. You might inspire me to exhibit my own collection online.

  5. Also: I am a huge fan of Roaring Springs. I once called them up and told them so and they sent me 25 mini composition books.

  6. Roaring Spring is a quaint little town about 50 miles from the Mason-Dixon Line. My great grandmother lived there.

    It’s has had a paper mill for a long time which used to announce itself when one came to town, but they removed the odor many years ago.

    There is a large gushing spring in the middle of town with great drinking water. They also bottle it for sale.

    Not much else goes on there, just cows and dairy farms. It’s a very pretty area.

    Yes, I collect notebooks too, can’t resist them. Also pens and pencils. I like pocket calculators too.

  7. All through the 80’s and 90’s and the turn of the century I used Roaring Spring notebooks exclusively. I lived outside DC and bought them at the local Giant Stores. Now you can’t get the quality ones, great paper and made in the USA, for anything! If I’d known the Overseas markets were going to flood us with cheap crap I’d bought them by the hundreds. Who’d ever think that there’d come a day when you had to settle for cheap garbage?

  8. Just popped over here from the Pen Addict. Saw this under the “you might also like:” current post. I happen to live in Roaring Spring/Martinsburg area of PA. Roaring Spring Blank Book is very much in operation and does not produce overseas. Excellent family business. Here is a link to their website: http://www.rspaperproducts.com/ check out their catalog and drool …. I’ll be back. Nice blog ….

  9. I have the compulsion to purchase note books dating back to at least 1955 as thats the date on the earliest of the books in my collection. Still buying them and pens and pencils. Love the roaring spring books as my wife is from Roaring Spring . She has given up on trying to stop my buying books, I think she just plans to dump them if she out lives me. Makes me wonder if there are notebooks in heaven.

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