I remember that in Texas too. It was no hardship. And if one truly had a need a neighbor was ready to help. I really am on the old lady slides being cooped up by weather.
There was also an unspoken rule that no public school sporting events would be held on Wednesday, which was midweek church night.
The change happened in 1975. I was working with a youth organization when the public schools mandated Wednesday after school sports practices. Hundreds of kids dropped out of the program to play sports. Then the Y caved in.
Many organizations never made a comeback after that, and now soccer and other youth sports have filled in the Sunday slot.