Rain barrels were very common anywhere outside the big cities during the 1940s. You also see them around in photos of small towns from that era, where they were used for storing all sorts of supplies.
Sorry to hear about the decline of gym in schools. I imagine there's paranoia about kids getting a minor injury and the parents immediately suing everyone in the vicinity. Too bad, judging from the news, school age kids would benefit from more physical activity. But more time for texting.