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Oh my.

I was born in 53. I grew up in a small seaside town in Massachusetts. We DID walk to school every day- it was about a mile if you took shortcuts. We all walked together cause it was fun- not because we were afraid. We were outdoors playing unless it was pouring rain or a literal blizzard. We made up games but we also played marbles, hopscotch, all kinds of ball, climbed trees and fell out of them sometimes too! We went for walks and pretended to run away. I told my mother I was going to run away when I was about 6- she asked me if she could pack a lunch for me!

In school we said the Pledge every morning, had Christmas trees in our classrooms and NEVER were rude or disrespectful to our teachers. We may have said “stuff” behind their backs- but we were always yessir, yesmaam to them in class. I’ve always remembered my 7th Grade Geography teacher told our class by the time we were ready to collect Social Security it would be bankrupt :)

Back then there was something called “minding”. It meant you did what you were asked and you were polite. “You mind me, young lady” or “Mind your manners”...

Grownups were ok- but basically seen as a different breed- none of our parents were our pals, our friends or buddies. I knew my family loved me, once in awhile they said so- I got hugs every day but not a lot of fawning.

No one ever locked the doors to the house or car.

Once when I was 12 and feeling my oats my friends and I went on a little “spree”..I stole a shirt from a local store and was promptly marched back to the store when my mother discovered it. I had to face the owner and confess. Not much was said by him or my family- not much NEEDED to be said- I was so ashamed of myself and worried at the loss of their trust that I never did it again.

We learned about how government works by attending the town meetings where the selectmen were voted on and various ideas were proposed for “Aye” or “Nay”. The students sat in the bleachers to observe- the grownups sat in folding chairs on the floor. The votes were always against more government and no raise in taxes. This was a strongly conservative village- though no one thought in those terms- it was just normal! We did have one token liberal who went on about spending money to save a species of sea bird or do something about erosion on the oceanside. The townspeople were respectful to her- but she got exactly nowhere with her ideas. All I remember about her now is that she had a funny smell!

TV was a treat- for an occasion. I remember watching some cartoons and my family watched Mitch Miller and a couple of other shows. But it was not distracting to REAL LIFE.

We ate wholesome, fresh food and RARELY were allowed a coke or chips- 3-4 nights a week we’d have fish for supper that had been swimming that morning- the fishing boats came to the docks mid-afternoon and my mom would go down and pick up some cod or flounder for supper. The milkman came and delivered milk in bottles (and HEAVY cream for my grandmother) that tasted wonderful...I can hear the clink-clink when he came to the back door.

Oh- that’s the other thing- every year at Christmas my family gave the postman, the milkman and assorted other people a CARTON OF CIGARETTES! LOL! Everyone smoked then.

What I remember now is the peace...the safety and the freedom.