Where exactly did the term "old school" come from?

[chris200x]

I think the first time I heard it was on an espn commercial with that sports announcer chris berman a few years back (old school university)

Anyone know for sure where it came from and what exactly it means or pertains too? I always thought it was about anything from the 80's?:wondering

I'm trying to explain to my 11 year old boy how much cooler things were when I was his age.(in the 80's) And that term comes up often. :lol:

[Shawn72]

Rappers have been using that word for years. I first heard it 24 or 25 years ago. Older rappers used it to explain how experienced they were.

Example: You can't tell me anything, I'm from the old school. lol

[hublake]

I am 63 and my dad use to use that term when I was a kid. I think it is used when anybody older tries to explain something or what something was like when they were younger.

[chris200x]

I am 63 and my dad use to use that term when I was a kid. I think it is used when anybody older tries to explain something or what something was like when they were younger.


Really? I did not think the phrase was that old. Intresting!

My son rolls his eyes at me everytime I say it! :lol:

[ATC-Eric]

Wikipedia says:


Old school, variously spelled old skool, oldschool or oldskool, is a slang term referring to an older school of thinking or acting and to old objects in general, within the context of newer, more modern times. Rather than carrying the negative connotation of obsolete, it may be used to refer to a time of perceived higher standards or level of craft. The term "old school" may be effectively equivalent to "They just don't make 'em like this anymore".

Old school is often interchangeable with the word nostalgic, but practitioners of semantics often define old school as simply something of an earlier period but not necessarily inferior or hopelessly dated. Nostalgia, on the other hand, is often given a negative connotation. For example, as a sentimental attachment to dated works many of which are now considered embarrassingly 'corny' or 'cheesy' in their execution, yet retaining a place in one's sentiments as a guilty pleasure or relic of one's youth. Old school items or concepts, in contrast, are shown to have residual real-world functionality.

[Yamahondaman]

WELL PUT !!! it's like when some 16 year old see's my RAG while sitting on his 2007 450 "that his dad bought", he's say's .. "THAT'S COOL' ! ,,, i'm like "That's OLD SCHOOL" !! :naughty:

[ceaserthethird]

I use that word all the time ...

[oldsking86]

Everytime I ride my trike im in the "old School" mode... that and my AXO riding gear too lol Now that's old school right there!