Posted on 11/26/2002 1:40:09 PM PST by Fiddlstix
Yes. That is correct, in a sense
Times were much different back then. The word Literate also had a much different meaning. My Grandmother had a 6th grade "education". My Grandfather (her husband) had an 8th grade education. (Those Grandparents were on my Mothers side of the family)
Neither of them were considered "Literate" by the standards of those days. Yet, (And I do remember very well) they were both very "well read" people.
By todays standards, they might well be college professors.
Now, as far as my own parents were concerned......
My Mom & Dad both "graduated" high school at the 10th grade level.
I remember my Mom talking about how, only 2 years after she graduated high school that it became 11 years till matriculation and then just a little over 1 year later it became the 12 years which we still have even until this day
The word "Literate" back then did really mean a "man of letters". Almost everyone could "read & write". (It was all they had..... there was no "Radio, Movies, TV, computers, etc.)
But
Being "Literate" back then meant "Not having to go to a Dictionary" to "look up" a word.
It was a different time & place.
My Grandfather on my fathers side had only a 4th grade education and yet read much. It is remembered that he would read several publications and then go down to the old "barber shop" and "quote word for word" what he had read and then engage the others in discussion.
(He was in his '80's at the time)
God Bless
OK...I read something about this that made a lot of sense...
Child deaths were crazy high back then. Children dying at birth and shortly thereafter skewed the average age down by a LOT! Once a person made it past 4 (Or something like that), the average age was around 65...
So basically, it's not that we're keep ourselves alive that much longer, we've just figured-out how to keep our babies alive in the first place.
I had never thought of that...It gave the subject a lot of Prospective.
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
I'm sorry...That's just NOT right!!
Indeed, you make a very good point
I, myself, had my first "real job" back in 1958. I was paid $0.25 per hour (and Glad to get it)
I paid $0.10 for Gasoline. I could go to the "old A&W drive in" and eat & drink (soft drinks) all I wanted to for $0.15 to $0.40 (depending if I wanted to be a Real "Big Spender)
Times have surely changed
(Within my short time span on this old earth)
A lot of truth in that.....
To "make" 15 miles a day was "High Speed" back in those times
I believe Dean Kamen's new invention, the modified Stirling engine that will produce purified water as a by product, will be a God-send to Millions of people in the third world.
Also a Very Good Point
Back in thise days, almost anyone who "made it" beyond their 12-13 birthday had a reasonably good chance to survive 'till 70-80 years of age.
It was the very high infant mortality rate that made the averages stay low
You must remember, we are talking about a whole 'nother period of history
nothing like we now know it
----------------------
That was the famous 1918 flu epidemic that killed hundreds of thousands or millions.
I'm a real young pup, 32, but I'm very aware of our "Real Living Costs" and how they compare. When someone get nostalgic and says "Gas was only 10 cents a gallon back then!" I remind them that they only got 30 cents an hour pay back then, too.
Look at your example. Let's increase your pay to $8.00 an hour, not a bad wage for someone starting off today in a reasonable market. Now let's increase your gas by the same ratio. $3.20 a gallon. Hmmm. Ok, now a fast food joint after work. $4.80 on the low end, $12.80 as a big spender. That's a little high for a extra-value meal from a fast food place, and about right for a sit down meal at a "neighborhood" type joint (Applebys, Fridays, etc) on the high end. Not somewhere you would eat at a lot on $8.00 an hour, but a nice date place.
Indeed, the good old days had a lot to look back on with wistful thoughts of what was, but we are living in a pretty blessed society today if we think about it.
None other than an Email which I received and Posted here as entertainment.
I should like to say this......
While I, myself, might question one or two statements in said Email......
From personal experience (As an older person), I can say most of these statements are reasonably correct
-------------------------------
It's probably right Diarrhea is caused by a large number of diseases that weren't understood or named as yet.
I'm Sorry Too!
Your youth and inexperience are showing, Johnny
(Put a "sock" in it)
Why the person who sent me this Email chose to use the word Diarrhea, I don't know
I do know this.........
Back when I was a kid we didn't even use that term. We called it, "having the scrowers" or "south texas dysentary"
There are many things that can cause Diarrhea such as Typhoid and others
Don't try to tell me that Nobody can "Die" from "losing too much body fluids....Not 'till you;ve seen it, baby boy!
(And please refrain from using BOLD type)
(I don't like to be Hollered at)
Thank You
They ought to reinstate that law.
My comment, as I am sure is understood by anyone else reading it, meant...
"Dying of Diarrhea must be horrible...Dying that way is just NOT right!"
SO RELAX!!!.
If it weren't for government subsidies, the relative cost for food would be even less.
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