Memories of Growing Up in the 40's and 50's (and since, even)

email | 1/4/01 (this time) | Unknown

[LiteKeeper]

AMEN!

[mountaineer]

Our big treat was a visit to Howard Johnson's.

Restaurants were something we visited only when on vacation. Who could afford to eat out?

[OldFriend]

Born in 1937 in Newark, NJ.......can't go home again.

[volchef]

"Le Chateau Blanc (for 5 star dining and the finest in French cuisine)."

LOL! I went to school at the Culinary Institute of America and there we used to call Ketchup "Sauce Americane" :)

[montomike]

I grew up in the 60's. The entire article rings true. The first calculator I saw was in a college chemistry class in 1973. I was an expert with the slide rule and the requisite scientific notation as we all were. I remember diagraming sentences for my English teacher. I actually had phonics in the second and third grade. I used to love going to a field and blowing the heads off of gophers with my trusty semi-automatic 22. Mom would say, "Be careful and have a nice time," as I went out the door with a couple of boxes of shells. I had Hunter's Safety when I was 12 so It was OK. Kids were kids and we weren't scared of nothing except for anyone who was older than we were. If the person was way older, we actually used the words sir or maam.

However, I am now 48 and I love my X box! I don't have any respect for kids these days because they don't have any respect for me.

[Conservababe]

Thanks for the chuckle and the memories, especially that tri colored screen that was taped to the tv. We always went over to my Aunt's house every Sunday evening to watch "Ponderosa" because she had one of those.

[The Citizen Soldier]

I remember the '80s as a simpler better time.

ROTHFLMHO!!

Man, I must be getting old. I remember the 50's ...How annoying is that?

Speaking of annoying, how about gettin' your hands off my Rogain!

[dalereed]

"Don't ever wish to go back!"

Born in 37. I'd give up computers, calculators, TV, etc., if I could return to the early days of the 40s and 50s.

BTW, there was a Mc Donalds in Glendale in the early 50s that served something they called a hamburger that they charged 13 cents for or $1/dozen and they wern't worth half of that!

[SAMWolf]

I'm going try this tonight, if they come close, I will be forever indebted to you!

[rooster1]

But times were much simpler then, people looked out for each other and technology had not transformed us into "Do unto others before they do unto you".

[JimRed]

Born in 1943, at the New Jersey Shore. Used to walk 1/2 mile to Hwy. 35 and catch a bus (10 cents) to Asbury Park and the amusements. My paper route paid me almost a dollar a week!

There was Little League, but no Pop Warner football or Biddy Basketball, and only foreigners played soccer. We fished, clammed, swam and played "guns" all summer.

We didn't have a telephone, but our neighbor did. Being "on relief" was shameful; military service was honorable.

We bought milk with a beautiful layer of cream on top by the gallon direct from the dairy farm a mile west of home.

We didn't have much, but since most of the folks we knew were in the same boat, we didn't think of ourselves as poor.

[The Citizen Soldier]

...that tri colored screen that was taped to the tv. We always went over to my Aunt's house every Sunday evening to watch "Ponderosa" because she had one of those."

We have to be related!

I can still remember my Aunt "Liz" calling to invite us over to watch color TV. It was not until some years later that I realized that faces in color were not half red - half blue!

[rooster1]

March 28, 1947 to be exact. Yep, that was a very good year.

[CyberAnt]

That's right!

And ... only the liberals have made a connection between abuse and discipline.

My dad was a strict disciplinarian - I can remember having company and my mother putting out a dish of candy on the coffee table in front of us (as we always sat with our parents on the couch). As the dish of candy was passed to our guests, they in turn passed it to me - I looked at my dad, and only when he nodded his head in approval did I reach for A PIECE of candy. It would never have occurred to me to take a piece of candy without his approval.

Although I was always the rebel in the family, I adored my dad and followed in his conservative footsteps. My dad always regretted he was too young for WWI, and too old for WWII. He sadly died at 49 of a heart attack in 1953.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Grew up in the fifties.And there was fast food, it just was not as prevelant as today.But going out to eat was for special occasions.We did have a TV and bought our first color set about 1960.And i can remember if ya moved the color TV the guy had to come out with this electric magnitized ring because moving it screwed up its color adjustment.

I do remember the forts, digging holes in backyards, having orange fights in the orchard,riding our bikes everywhere are what occupied out time after school. Oh yeah the first car i remember my folks had as a kid was a 1947 Ford and I remember my favorite place to ride in it was on the ledge behind the back seat and the window with no child restraint devises.And I survived to write this post!

[JimVT]

I must be getting old because I find myself reflecting back more and more and thinking I liked it a lot better back then

Me too.

With 50 TV channels to watch today I still can't find anything that compared to "Terry and the Pirates", or "Paul Lavalle and the Cities Service Band of America." or "Fred Allen" or "Amos and Andy"....and so many other radios greats.

I swear I got more education from 9 years with the Sisters of Mercy than some kids today get after 4 years at some liberal diploma mill.

My wife and I got our first Sears 'credit card' in 1960.

I cut it up and sent it back to them a few years ago when their interest charge hit 22%. They used to be a retail store now they're loan sharks.

Cripes I was even a Democrat back then when they stood for something other than getting re-elected every couple of years. Anybody remember Cong. Freddie St. Germain from Woonsocket, RI.

He coulda been Clinton's guru!

Ah, well....onward and upward!

[GrandMoM]

....we were expected to say thank you, please, I'm sorry, Pleased to meet you Mr., Mrs., or sir or mam.

Our aunts, uncles, teachers, priests, nuns, were allowed to correct us and we were made to listen.

We had no dishwashers but ourselves, and every night took turns washing, drying and sweeping the floor.

We had no showers so every morning we would take turns, oldest one first, and stand in the tub to wash ourselves off.

Saturday we got a full bath, but warm water was limited because of the small water heater so we were forced to top off the past bathers water to keep it warm.

We were woke up every morning by the sound of my father knocking the cold coals from the heater and refilling it with the coal in the coal bin.

We had to stand over the heater vent and dress, because there was no forced air heaters at that time, or we were to poor to own one.

Cokes were a dime and served in a fountain glass at the dime store, and twinkies were a nickel.

[Conservababe]

Nope. My Aunt's name was Rachel. She was an old maid who had a good job and could afford fancy stuff. I well remember sitting on her nice new furniture, which she covered totally in clear plastic that stuck to my legs. LOL

[facedown]

Born in 1950; this all rings true. Thanks for putting it up!

[don-o]

First American space flights. Our school did not have TV. But, I took my transistor radio to school, and teacher let me listen to the reports and scrawl them on the chalkboard.

First time I saw color television. Next door neighbor's house. We watched "The Wonderful World of Disney" At 7:00 EST on NBC.

Mickey, and Goofy, and Donald and Tnkerbell on small screen, just like in the theater was a big deal.