I was born in 1947. Dad was in college on the GI Bill. Mom took care of “mom things” and they lived in the married students apartments at the University of Alabama which were converted army units.
By the early 50’s Dad had a great job and we lived in South Miami. Middle Class back then meant we didn’t have much but it was “enough.” Our TV had a screen less than 12 inches …. Black and white, but my brother and I watched Winky Dink show on Saturday mornings where we stuck a plastic sheet to the screen and used special crayons to draw and color in to help Winky Dink’s adventure. We all went to church on Sunday and afterwards lunch at the corner drug store’s Soda Shop with family friends where we kids all had our first hamburgers. Life was great for us kids….. family picnic trips to the beach, playing Roy Roger’s and Dale Evans in the back yard, riding our bikes, ballet lessons, Brownie Scout meetings (Mom was our leader), cardboard paper dolls we cut out and dressed in paper clothes, my baby doll that Mom and Memaw sewed the clothes for, my brothers Davy Crockett stuff, he let me wear the coon skin cap sometimes.
We kids spent summers at Memaw and Popaw’s farm back in Alabama, because Mom didn’t want us in public swimming pools in Florida due to Polio (pre-vaccine). There with my cousin we made mud pies in the “play house” (the little shed where they raised the baby chicks in the spring), cooling off in the creek, making flower chains for our hair in the clover field, singing Zippity Doo Da in the front porch swing.
By 1960 we had our first house that was not a rental. It cost $12,000 and had 2 bathrooms (WOW) one with a tiny shower, first one I had ever seen. School was free of protests and controversial stuff …. Teacher read a verse from the Bible every morning right after we pledged allegiance while boys from the scout troop raised the outdoor flag. On Saturday I helped Mom run the little concession stand at the Baseball field while my brother pitched for his team. In high school we didn’t drink, no one got pregnant, but we still managed to have a great time. Friday night dates with my boyfriend at the coffee-house (called the Flick) where we listened to folk songs, watched the chords they played, and spent Saturday trying them out on our own guitars. I saw the Beatles and The Beach Boys live concerts.
At college back in Alabama in 1965, girls wore only dresses/skirts til 1970. we tolerated the cold in winters in our mini skirts while everyone walked to classes. Dorms and sorority houses didn’t allow men upstairs. At football games we girls wore dressy suits and heels and gloves, sometimes even fancy hats. At parties at the Frat houses we danced to music everything from MoTown to BeachBoys.
Good description; tx.