What Was Life Really Like in 1950's America?
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Families were central in the 50's. To be divorced was to be an outcast. I literally never met one person with divorced parents till I was in grade 12.
We ate together 3 meals a day. School had a 1 1/2 hour lunch, so we could walk
Home and eat with our families. Except in Canada, it wasn't called lunch, it was called dinner. I first heard the word lunch when I was lived in Berkeley CA, when a boy about 5, my age, told me he had to go for lunch. We argued for a while, then he went home for lunch, and I went home for dinner. At night, we had supper!
My father used to drive home for lunch from the schools where he taught, and later when he was a university professor. We sat around the table and ate and talked. In my family, we never talked about anything important or deep. But we became very superficially skilled at trivial conversation!
We did everything as a family from camping, going to the pool and for walks in the summer, to skiing and skating in the winter. But we were allowed a lot of freedom as kids to go out and play for hours, esp in summer. Every family had some kind of whistle, except us. We had a bell and I hated we didn't have a whistle. My mom said then we could distinguish it from all the whistles. She was right! I can admit that now.
I knew nothing about sex till we took it in health without the boys in Grade 9. I guess we were very innocent in those days. Almost everyone went to church, although I was sent, because my grandmother demanded it. I learned a lot of Bible verses, which came back when God called me and saved me.
I was born in 1953, so really I was only 6 when we hit 1960. I remember all the music from the 60's and early 70's. The 50's music was boring to me, and my parents liked it. We had one of the first TVs, but we only had one channel in Canada, the CBC, which started at 4 pm. Then a second channel. I remember visiting my parents when I was 18, and they had cable and a colour TV. I was shocked! My dad had 2 TVs on the weekends and would watch 2 football games at the same time, usually one American and one Canadian. He used to yell a lot at the Canadian announcers, who didn't know one kind of tackle from another.
I saw my first colour TV in 1964 in Oregon. My next colour experience was watching a blurry store TV of Winston Churchill's funeral. I had my own "transistor" radio, with 2 teen radio stations in Edmonton. In 1971, I spent the summer on a beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island. I got the bounces of all the LA stations, got all the latest songs, from the up and coming bands. It was hard to go back to 2 Canadian stations when I went back home to Alberta!
Despite the family being the emphasis, I never was close to my parents. There we're some odd dynamics going on. Today we would call that dysfunctionality. We also had a sit down dinner with our kids in the 80s and 90s. My son was over tonight for dinner with his 3 kids. They couldn't sit at the table, because they don't at home. I think that is very sad. It's a useful skill, to be able to sit quietly at the table and eat a meal with family and friends.
Just a few more details I remembered as I reviewed this thread!
We ate together 3 meals a day. School had a 1 1/2 hour lunch, so we could walk
Home and eat with our families. Except in Canada, it wasn't called lunch, it was called dinner. I first heard the word lunch when I was lived in Berkeley CA, when a boy about 5, my age, told me he had to go for lunch. We argued for a while, then he went home for lunch, and I went home for dinner. At night, we had supper!
My father used to drive home for lunch from the schools where he taught, and later when he was a university professor. We sat around the table and ate and talked. In my family, we never talked about anything important or deep. But we became very superficially skilled at trivial conversation!
We did everything as a family from camping, going to the pool and for walks in the summer, to skiing and skating in the winter. But we were allowed a lot of freedom as kids to go out and play for hours, esp in summer. Every family had some kind of whistle, except us. We had a bell and I hated we didn't have a whistle. My mom said then we could distinguish it from all the whistles. She was right! I can admit that now.
I knew nothing about sex till we took it in health without the boys in Grade 9. I guess we were very innocent in those days. Almost everyone went to church, although I was sent, because my grandmother demanded it. I learned a lot of Bible verses, which came back when God called me and saved me.
I was born in 1953, so really I was only 6 when we hit 1960. I remember all the music from the 60's and early 70's. The 50's music was boring to me, and my parents liked it. We had one of the first TVs, but we only had one channel in Canada, the CBC, which started at 4 pm. Then a second channel. I remember visiting my parents when I was 18, and they had cable and a colour TV. I was shocked! My dad had 2 TVs on the weekends and would watch 2 football games at the same time, usually one American and one Canadian. He used to yell a lot at the Canadian announcers, who didn't know one kind of tackle from another.
I saw my first colour TV in 1964 in Oregon. My next colour experience was watching a blurry store TV of Winston Churchill's funeral. I had my own "transistor" radio, with 2 teen radio stations in Edmonton. In 1971, I spent the summer on a beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island. I got the bounces of all the LA stations, got all the latest songs, from the up and coming bands. It was hard to go back to 2 Canadian stations when I went back home to Alberta!
Despite the family being the emphasis, I never was close to my parents. There we're some odd dynamics going on. Today we would call that dysfunctionality. We also had a sit down dinner with our kids in the 80s and 90s. My son was over tonight for dinner with his 3 kids. They couldn't sit at the table, because they don't at home. I think that is very sad. It's a useful skill, to be able to sit quietly at the table and eat a meal with family and friends.
Just a few more details I remembered as I reviewed this thread!
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Please pardon my choppy writing style.
I was born in 1951 in Virginia. Southern state just not deep" south. I remember the cold war. the threat of nuclear attack was almost always in the back of my mind. We lived near about 6 important military posts including Langley Air Force base prime targets for a nuclear attack. I remember the PSA's "When (not if) you see the flash (nuclear explosion) drop and cover". The tv ad then showed young kids in school hiding under their desks.
I remember the news reports about Vietnam that grew more and more frequent and the 60's progressed. From my POV it was graduate HS, get drafted, go to vietnam, die. I remember the weekly numbers bottom right front page in the newspaper so many u.s. troops killed so many wounded. So many South vietnam killed so many wounded. So many enemy killed so many wounded. And the totals under those numbers. By the time I turned draft age, a lottery was in place to deciede who would first. Looked like a bingo drum with number 1-366 in one drum calendar dates in another. Pull one ball from each to decide who goes first. As we were drawing down our involvement I didn't get drafted with number 265. Classified 1-A. It was anticlimactic - I felt very empty then and still do to a lesser degree.
Racism -
There was racism in Virginia. But it did not have the hate that showed up in the deep south. Black, Negro and ni**** all held the same meaning, that is the words were interchangable at least in my city just without the hateful spirit. I do not remember my dad, brother or sister ever expressing hate toward blacks. I do remember my mom twice saying some racist though. In about 1961 dad hired someone to lay a brick patio for us. He turned out to be black. Middle of summer and hot as blazes. I opened the door and saw that he was sweating profusely. I asked mom if I could give him some water. She said ok and I went to get a glass. She said no,no use this glass so I can throw it away after he's through. In my heart I knew she was wrong so that seed did not take root.
Another time mom, dad and I were in public and saw a black man with a white woman pushing a baby in a stroller. All mom said with an ugly face was "That Bit**." Again the words hit me wrong and the words did not take root.
My last memory pre 1964 Was a saturday night watching a movie by myself. Mom and dad asleep, sister married, brother out getting drunk again. Young man and young woman were the stars. Man approaches woman on street corner - it was a prearranged meating. Man spoke as he approached her "Is it true?"
Woman " Is what true'
Man ( aggitated) "Is it true what they say?"
Woman " Is what true Billy. What are you talking about?"
Man "Is your momma a NI****?"
Woman; No Billy!! It's Not true! Look I'm just as white as you!"........................
The woman had what was then called 'good skin' meaning she could pass for white. That was the term used in the 60s "passing"
This gutted me thank GOD. It forever changed my outlook on black folks. They are just as human as me. To this day I think GOD had his hand on me watching that movie.
Later into the 70s GOD got hold of mom and her views changed.
That's it for now, I'll pick this back up later
I was born in 1951 in Virginia. Southern state just not deep" south. I remember the cold war. the threat of nuclear attack was almost always in the back of my mind. We lived near about 6 important military posts including Langley Air Force base prime targets for a nuclear attack. I remember the PSA's "When (not if) you see the flash (nuclear explosion) drop and cover". The tv ad then showed young kids in school hiding under their desks.
I remember the news reports about Vietnam that grew more and more frequent and the 60's progressed. From my POV it was graduate HS, get drafted, go to vietnam, die. I remember the weekly numbers bottom right front page in the newspaper so many u.s. troops killed so many wounded. So many South vietnam killed so many wounded. So many enemy killed so many wounded. And the totals under those numbers. By the time I turned draft age, a lottery was in place to deciede who would first. Looked like a bingo drum with number 1-366 in one drum calendar dates in another. Pull one ball from each to decide who goes first. As we were drawing down our involvement I didn't get drafted with number 265. Classified 1-A. It was anticlimactic - I felt very empty then and still do to a lesser degree.
Racism -
There was racism in Virginia. But it did not have the hate that showed up in the deep south. Black, Negro and ni**** all held the same meaning, that is the words were interchangable at least in my city just without the hateful spirit. I do not remember my dad, brother or sister ever expressing hate toward blacks. I do remember my mom twice saying some racist though. In about 1961 dad hired someone to lay a brick patio for us. He turned out to be black. Middle of summer and hot as blazes. I opened the door and saw that he was sweating profusely. I asked mom if I could give him some water. She said ok and I went to get a glass. She said no,no use this glass so I can throw it away after he's through. In my heart I knew she was wrong so that seed did not take root.
Another time mom, dad and I were in public and saw a black man with a white woman pushing a baby in a stroller. All mom said with an ugly face was "That Bit**." Again the words hit me wrong and the words did not take root.
My last memory pre 1964 Was a saturday night watching a movie by myself. Mom and dad asleep, sister married, brother out getting drunk again. Young man and young woman were the stars. Man approaches woman on street corner - it was a prearranged meating. Man spoke as he approached her "Is it true?"
Woman " Is what true'
Man ( aggitated) "Is it true what they say?"
Woman " Is what true Billy. What are you talking about?"
Man "Is your momma a NI****?"
Woman; No Billy!! It's Not true! Look I'm just as white as you!"........................
The woman had what was then called 'good skin' meaning she could pass for white. That was the term used in the 60s "passing"
This gutted me thank GOD. It forever changed my outlook on black folks. They are just as human as me. To this day I think GOD had his hand on me watching that movie.
Later into the 70s GOD got hold of mom and her views changed.
That's it for now, I'll pick this back up later
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Hello @seoulsearch, the Bible was still very much part of everyday life back then, and God, well, He was still alive (even though Nietzsche's "God is dead" phrase had been around for a number of decades). That phrase, and the subsequent/ongoing removal of God from everyday life, began in the late 60's/early 70's as part of the "Sexual Revolution".
I remember, for instance, a (horrible) Dragnet TV episode (originally broadcast in 1958, I believe, though it was repeated often in the 60's), where a well-to-do young couple argued for their rights to smoke pot with the police .. and they used the Holy Writ to do so
What is perhaps even more amazing is that 1. they both quoted the Bible passages that they used from memory, and then 2. the police officer, Joe Friday, corrected them, explaining (to them and to us) why their Biblical exegesis was faulty, and he did so by quoting other Scripture verses and passages to them, also from memory (he was correct, BTW).
This was on prime-time TV, and NONE OF US THOUGHT THAT ANY OF THIS WAS IN ANYWAY OUT OF THE ORDINARY back then Oh, how times have changed since the sexual revolution of the 60's.
BTW, I said it was a "horrible" episode, perhaps the darkest Dragnet episode ever, because this young, progressive, pre-hippie married couple was so stoned out of their minds one night that they passed out after beginning to draw a bath for their baby and she drowned.
Society was still somewhat shame-based back then too, so there were certain things that were considered embarrassing and people rarely talked about them. For instance, divorce and having a child out of wedlock were pretty high up on that list.
Girls who got pregnant in high school, for instance, would normally disappear for awhile (until they gave birth), and then they'd return to school the following year like nothing happened, their child often given up for adoption. In fact, when I was in High School (late 60's to early 70's), I don't remember anyone getting pregnant (but as it turns out, they did).
There is MUCH more, of course, but those are the things that came to mind first (and this is enough for now).
~Deut
I remember, for instance, a (horrible) Dragnet TV episode (originally broadcast in 1958, I believe, though it was repeated often in the 60's), where a well-to-do young couple argued for their rights to smoke pot with the police .. and they used the Holy Writ to do so
What is perhaps even more amazing is that 1. they both quoted the Bible passages that they used from memory, and then 2. the police officer, Joe Friday, corrected them, explaining (to them and to us) why their Biblical exegesis was faulty, and he did so by quoting other Scripture verses and passages to them, also from memory (he was correct, BTW
). This was on prime-time TV, and NONE OF US THOUGHT THAT ANY OF THIS WAS IN ANYWAY OUT OF THE ORDINARY back then
Oh, how times have changed since the sexual revolution of the 60's.BTW, I said it was a "horrible" episode, perhaps the darkest Dragnet episode ever, because this young, progressive, pre-hippie married couple was so stoned out of their minds one night that they passed out after beginning to draw a bath for their baby and she drowned.
Society was still somewhat shame-based back then too, so there were certain things that were considered embarrassing and people rarely talked about them. For instance, divorce and having a child out of wedlock were pretty high up on that list.
Girls who got pregnant in high school, for instance, would normally disappear for awhile (until they gave birth), and then they'd return to school the following year like nothing happened, their child often given up for adoption. In fact, when I was in High School (late 60's to early 70's), I don't remember anyone getting pregnant (but as it turns out, they did).
There is MUCH more, of course, but those are the things that came to mind first (and this is enough for now).
~Deut
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I
I was a child but that generation has gone through a war and we’re not so selfish as the current one. They knew what sacrifice for a noble case was. My parents didn’t lock the doors as stealing was rare. They worked hard and divorce and adultery not accepted so more rare.
Politicians were civil to one another and no one shot school children. Drugs were not accepted so deaths by an overdose were unheard of.
Those shows were not depicting real life but better than real life. We christians go to church and hear words that encourage us to be better. We don’t call it propaganda. We call it encouraging a d if everyone lived that way, we’d all be better.
Entertainment was also to enoble and not titillate.
I was a child but that generation has gone through a war and we’re not so selfish as the current one. They knew what sacrifice for a noble case was. My parents didn’t lock the doors as stealing was rare. They worked hard and divorce and adultery not accepted so more rare.
Politicians were civil to one another and no one shot school children. Drugs were not accepted so deaths by an overdose were unheard of.
Those shows were not depicting real life but better than real life. We christians go to church and hear words that encourage us to be better. We don’t call it propaganda. We call it encouraging a d if everyone lived that way, we’d all be better.
Entertainment was also to enoble and not titillate.
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interesting.
My dad constantly played 1950s american music in the house as he collected all the 45s, so judging by the popular songs it was all very 'baby booming' I would say.
what happened after the war ended everyone wanted to repopulate the world so they had to get on with procreating, and how they got those shy and awkward teenagers to get on with it and loosen up was those 'sock hop' dances. Most of the songs were about young love. After graduating high school those hormonal teenagers would get married and get on with the important business of repopulating the world.
of course this backfired on them in the sixties when the birth control pill became wildly available so instead of having babies everyone was just having sex for the sake of it, after they discovered they really liked the sensations of falling in love all the time and doing drugs. I am not sure what happened there. the music began to be drug influenced and then it was less about falling in love but heartbreak and tragedy.
a song like 'its my party and I will cry if I want to' sums up the narcissim and melodramas of teenagers of the 60s.
but my dad told me 'how much was that doggy in the window' was a number one hit on the billboards charts. I had no idea people kept track of all thrse songs and why they would put them on billboards but apparently it wasof supreme importance to everyone.
My dad constantly played 1950s american music in the house as he collected all the 45s, so judging by the popular songs it was all very 'baby booming' I would say.
what happened after the war ended everyone wanted to repopulate the world so they had to get on with procreating, and how they got those shy and awkward teenagers to get on with it and loosen up was those 'sock hop' dances. Most of the songs were about young love. After graduating high school those hormonal teenagers would get married and get on with the important business of repopulating the world.
of course this backfired on them in the sixties when the birth control pill became wildly available so instead of having babies everyone was just having sex for the sake of it, after they discovered they really liked the sensations of falling in love all the time and doing drugs. I am not sure what happened there. the music began to be drug influenced and then it was less about falling in love but heartbreak and tragedy.
a song like 'its my party and I will cry if I want to' sums up the narcissim and melodramas of teenagers of the 60s.
but my dad told me 'how much was that doggy in the window' was a number one hit on the billboards charts. I had no idea people kept track of all thrse songs and why they would put them on billboards but apparently it wasof supreme importance to everyone.
I raised my kids in Germany and I liked it very much that we all had lunch together until they were in high school. I knew it was rare in the US.
But refraining from talking about unpleasantness at the table is better for digestion. Isn’t plastic. It’s reserving difficult discussions for a different time. We discussed problems earlier or later. The discipline of waiting with problems is a good practice.
But refraining from talking about unpleasantness at the table is better for digestion. Isn’t plastic. It’s reserving difficult discussions for a different time. We discussed problems earlier or later. The discipline of waiting with problems is a good practice.
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I started a 5 year high school - no middle schools back then - in 1964, 8th grade. The all white school was about 8 miles away even though there was another high school less than 2 miles away but it was all black. In 64 there were no blacks in my school. In 65 there were 2 blacks in a school of about 1500 students. Then in 66 there was the busing issue to integrate schools and my school went to about 50% black in a heart beat. The students got no preparation for what was coming, how to deal with the change, nothing. Culture shock is probably a good phrase.
Despite integration both races pretty much kept to themselves - I think due to a need for a constant. There were conversations between both but no interracial dating at all. Things stayed that way 'til I graduated in 69. There was some nervous ribbing, joking etc between races but it did not have a deep seated hatred for or toward either race. I think it was situational stress. Comments like 'hey boy' was met with 'you see a boy you slap him'. 'Are you that color all over?' (for me that actually was a shock in the gym locker room). "you a boy with a small 'b'." Again the words did not have a strong hatred behind them - just good(?) natured kidding. Nerves.
There was one exception though. There was one white guy that neither race associated with. He just had a really bad sense about him. Very quiet and withdrawn. But his facial expressions were unnerving. His eyes. Found out somewhere along the way that his uncle was a grand wizard for the kkk.
2 things that helped unite the races was music and sports. Whites got interested in Motown sound and black got interested in some Beach Boys type but more into what today is called classic rock. Hendrix, CCR, 3 Dog Night, BST and so forth. Sly put out some good music with a come together subject.
About sports, on the field race did not matter, winning did. When we won, we won together. If we lost we lost together. And there were no "participation" trophies.
................
My parents would travel to visit my Mom's mother in North Carolina a couple of times a year. Things were very different there. I remember the signs, 'white only' 'colored only' on restrooms and restaurants and thinking "this seem wrong'" , unnecessary just sort of weird. I also remember vividly a billboard on the side of Interstate 95. Person in a white robe and white hat sitting on a white horse reared up on his hind legs with the caption "The KKK has its eyes on YOU" That made me uneasy and I'm white.
Takes takes this post to 1969 - I'm done talking now unless I get a 'burning desire' to add something I forgot.
Despite integration both races pretty much kept to themselves - I think due to a need for a constant. There were conversations between both but no interracial dating at all. Things stayed that way 'til I graduated in 69. There was some nervous ribbing, joking etc between races but it did not have a deep seated hatred for or toward either race. I think it was situational stress. Comments like 'hey boy' was met with 'you see a boy you slap him'. 'Are you that color all over?' (for me that actually was a shock in the gym locker room). "you a boy with a small 'b'." Again the words did not have a strong hatred behind them - just good(?) natured kidding. Nerves.
There was one exception though. There was one white guy that neither race associated with. He just had a really bad sense about him. Very quiet and withdrawn. But his facial expressions were unnerving. His eyes. Found out somewhere along the way that his uncle was a grand wizard for the kkk.
2 things that helped unite the races was music and sports. Whites got interested in Motown sound and black got interested in some Beach Boys type but more into what today is called classic rock. Hendrix, CCR, 3 Dog Night, BST and so forth. Sly put out some good music with a come together subject.
About sports, on the field race did not matter, winning did. When we won, we won together. If we lost we lost together. And there were no "participation" trophies.
................
My parents would travel to visit my Mom's mother in North Carolina a couple of times a year. Things were very different there. I remember the signs, 'white only' 'colored only' on restrooms and restaurants and thinking "this seem wrong'" , unnecessary just sort of weird. I also remember vividly a billboard on the side of Interstate 95. Person in a white robe and white hat sitting on a white horse reared up on his hind legs with the caption "The KKK has its eyes on YOU" That made me uneasy and I'm white.
Takes takes this post to 1969 - I'm done talking now unless I get a 'burning desire' to add something I forgot.
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old,
hub and I could add a 'lot' to what you have said on both of our own individual journeys,
but, what would really be the point, unless someone has a real desire to learn or just want to
hear the real 'truth of those times'???
plus, we were born in the late 40's, and only selectively experienced those early times in our lives,
but, are willing to share for those who care...
hub and I could add a 'lot' to what you have said on both of our own individual journeys,
but, what would really be the point, unless someone has a real desire to learn or just want to
hear the real 'truth of those times'???
plus, we were born in the late 40's, and only selectively experienced those early times in our lives,
but, are willing to share for those who care...
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From the OP first post
This thread is not limited to the 1950's or to the United States -- please feel free to post about any experiences and opinions regarding the discrepencies between advertised ideal lives vs. what actually goes on in real life.)
Posting my be good for you especially if you have a burning desire to do so. This thread currently has about 2200 views but only 53 replies so someone is at least reading
This thread is not limited to the 1950's or to the United States -- please feel free to post about any experiences and opinions regarding the discrepencies between advertised ideal lives vs. what actually goes on in real life.)
Posting my be good for you especially if you have a burning desire to do so. This thread currently has about 2200 views but only 53 replies so someone is at least reading
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I forgot to mention that I heard Dr. Kings 'I have a dream speech' and adopted the outlook "I have a dream when a man will not be judged by the color of his skin but by the content of his character.' I have lived by that for over 50 years now. Problem is that in order to judge character some sort of personal interaction is needed. I'm pretty much a loner, misfit, outcast and don't trust anyone enough to really get to know them - but that's on me.
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Dear seoulserch,
Is THIS what life was really like in those days? How much of it, in your opinion, is just a fabricated fairy tale? And if so, what was life really like?
It was a fairy tale. Plastic was the proper term.
.
Where and when would these films be shown? And did people really change into dress-up clothes just to go downstairs for an everyday weeknight dinner? Did your father come home from work smiling every night to sit down to pleasant family date?
Prime time tv. We only had 3 channels back then.
No to q2
H*** no to q3
. I have to admit, shorts like these kind of shocked me at first because they seemed SO unrealistic that it reminded me of socialist countries that apparently feed their people propaganda all the time.
Bingo!
.
.I have often heard people a little older than myself talk about "the good old days", and so I would like to know from the people who actually lived through them (or know others who did), was life back then really that good?
NO!
.The reason I ask is because I've heard some people from older generations express shock over the modern social issues we face today, such as divorce, domestic violence, child abuse, and so forth. When talking to older people, I have sometimes gotten the impression that they feel those things things didn't really exist back then--but my personal suspicion is that there were plenty of the same problems--it's just that the socially polite thing to do was to sweep them under the rug and pretend that they didn't exist. Sure, there might have been fewer divorces--but were the marriages that did stay together really any happy or healthier? I have heard people say, "I stayed with (my husband or wife) for the kids," more than once, and I'm also assuming that it would have been harder for women to leave a husband because there weren't as many job opportunities for them back then.
I have spoken to much of this in previous posts. Such things were not spoken of openly.
Especially child sexual abuse
.I would rather work through the ugly truth of reality rather than be presented with pretty, polished lies.
That could get real ugly real quick
.And so, I'd like to ask our panel of CC experts: What was life REALLY like during that time?
I guess it depends on just how open the viewers here are willing to open up. How raw they are willing to get.
Is THIS what life was really like in those days? How much of it, in your opinion, is just a fabricated fairy tale? And if so, what was life really like?
It was a fairy tale. Plastic was the proper term.
.
Where and when would these films be shown? And did people really change into dress-up clothes just to go downstairs for an everyday weeknight dinner? Did your father come home from work smiling every night to sit down to pleasant family date?
Prime time tv. We only had 3 channels back then.
No to q2
H*** no to q3
. I have to admit, shorts like these kind of shocked me at first because they seemed SO unrealistic that it reminded me of socialist countries that apparently feed their people propaganda all the time.
Bingo!
.
.I have often heard people a little older than myself talk about "the good old days", and so I would like to know from the people who actually lived through them (or know others who did), was life back then really that good?
NO!
.The reason I ask is because I've heard some people from older generations express shock over the modern social issues we face today, such as divorce, domestic violence, child abuse, and so forth. When talking to older people, I have sometimes gotten the impression that they feel those things things didn't really exist back then--but my personal suspicion is that there were plenty of the same problems--it's just that the socially polite thing to do was to sweep them under the rug and pretend that they didn't exist. Sure, there might have been fewer divorces--but were the marriages that did stay together really any happy or healthier? I have heard people say, "I stayed with (my husband or wife) for the kids," more than once, and I'm also assuming that it would have been harder for women to leave a husband because there weren't as many job opportunities for them back then.
I have spoken to much of this in previous posts. Such things were not spoken of openly.
Especially child sexual abuse
.I would rather work through the ugly truth of reality rather than be presented with pretty, polished lies.
That could get real ugly real quick
.And so, I'd like to ask our panel of CC experts: What was life REALLY like during that time?
I guess it depends on just how open the viewers here are willing to open up. How raw they are willing to get.
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~Things I experienced growing up in the time that was~Just random things that come to mind, in no order~
"Families were closer, and we knew all of our neighbors. National 'news' was not a big thing.
Guns were for hunting. Fist fights was how we settled things. A close friend was normal.
Cartoons and a western was a typical Saturday morning. Saturday night at the roller skating
rink was popular. A flat top hair cut and levi jeans, rolled up cuff were normal. A butt whipping
from a teacher happened. Walking a mile to school was no big thing, rain, snow, we went to school.
Taking a lunch in a metal lunch box happened. Fried chicken on a Sunday was normal. A fire drill
was getting to slide down the outside fire escape from top floor of the school house. We played on
teeter totters. A dress was common for girls to wear. Water balloons and home made rubber band guns
were fun things, and playing marbles. A drug store had medicine and a fountain drink of coke was in.
An outhouse or privy was not unusual. Trick or treat was big deal. Summer Bible school was fun.
A phone party line was common. Forth of July, a carnival came to town, and was always looked forward to.
Having a tent revival in town was not unusual, and inviting the traveling preacher to supper was normal.
A five and dime store on town square was popular, and an ice cream parlor. Black and white TV, with a lot
of snowy pictures happened, and often had to turn the antenna on the roof. Swam and fished in the farm pond.
Just a few of priceless memories, and Thank God for them!"
"Families were closer, and we knew all of our neighbors. National 'news' was not a big thing.
Guns were for hunting. Fist fights was how we settled things. A close friend was normal.
Cartoons and a western was a typical Saturday morning. Saturday night at the roller skating
rink was popular. A flat top hair cut and levi jeans, rolled up cuff were normal. A butt whipping
from a teacher happened. Walking a mile to school was no big thing, rain, snow, we went to school.
Taking a lunch in a metal lunch box happened. Fried chicken on a Sunday was normal. A fire drill
was getting to slide down the outside fire escape from top floor of the school house. We played on
teeter totters. A dress was common for girls to wear. Water balloons and home made rubber band guns
were fun things, and playing marbles. A drug store had medicine and a fountain drink of coke was in.
An outhouse or privy was not unusual. Trick or treat was big deal. Summer Bible school was fun.
A phone party line was common. Forth of July, a carnival came to town, and was always looked forward to.
Having a tent revival in town was not unusual, and inviting the traveling preacher to supper was normal.
A five and dime store on town square was popular, and an ice cream parlor. Black and white TV, with a lot
of snowy pictures happened, and often had to turn the antenna on the roof. Swam and fished in the farm pond.
Just a few of priceless memories, and Thank God for them!"
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tv back then was mostly propaganda the same as it is today.
even the 40s movies showed glamourous lives which were not reality. If ever there was dysfunction, hollywood had it way before the 50s.
even a wholesome tv show like 'little house on the prairie' was made up, they had to invent dramas to keep people watching. One of the actressses who played Nellie Olson was in real life, molested by her own brother and her parents were gay.
even the 40s movies showed glamourous lives which were not reality. If ever there was dysfunction, hollywood had it way before the 50s.
even a wholesome tv show like 'little house on the prairie' was made up, they had to invent dramas to keep people watching. One of the actressses who played Nellie Olson was in real life, molested by her own brother and her parents were gay.
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elizabeth taylor had 8 husbands.
she practially broke up debbie reynolds and eddie fishers marriage. debbie forgave her though, but not her own husband. This was back in the 50s I believe. Her daughter Carrie Fisher turned to drugs and suffered bipolar disorder. prescription drug abuse was rampant even in the fifties. but they say if you can remember the sixties, you werent there.
she practially broke up debbie reynolds and eddie fishers marriage. debbie forgave her though, but not her own husband. This was back in the 50s I believe. Her daughter Carrie Fisher turned to drugs and suffered bipolar disorder. prescription drug abuse was rampant even in the fifties. but they say if you can remember the sixties, you werent there.
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