Posted on 06/05/2005 6:37:36 AM PDT by sushiman
Remember my mother taking clothes of the clothes line during the winter months and having them stiff as a result of freezing. Also remember how fresh and clean clothes smell that dry outside on a clothesline.
There was never the hysteria about nuclear war that the media would have you believe. After all, we had just used two nukes a few years back, and while they were awesome no one thought Armageddon was just around the corner. The development of ICBM's did make things more tense but it never dominated public consciousness. We were too busy building superhighways and suburbs amd beautiful long sleek cars. We trusted our President (Ike) and military to do what needed to be done.
The media and academia have a longstanding campaign to deconstruct the 50's and make it out to be like some terrible era. They lie. It is part of their ongoing attack on the American culture and American dream. The fact is, like others, I could write a book on all the ways in which life in the 50's was halcyon compared to what followed.
The sitcom "Leave it to Beaver" has become a synecdoche for what the Left would call the "illusion of the 50's." But it was no illusion. The 50's was the dawn of suburbia, and the mass exodus from the cities. The suburban lifestyle was real for millions, even without air conditioning. The show was so popular because people could relate to it! Obviously life was hard for some, and no one did housework in high heels, but on the other hand, most women were homemakers, and appeared to me to enjoy their lives. There was something to do in the community every night of the week, and everyone belonged to one group or another. You knew your neighbor, and the grocer and the milkman and the plumber, because in the 'burbs they were your neighbors too.. Crime was trivial, divorce rates were low, and before the advent of the Pill, teen prgnancy was rare.
It is useful to ask why the left is threatened by a congenial sitcom of 40 years ago, and why they need to assault a bygone era when life was good.
I was glad to see Barbara Billingsley defend the show as realistic as far as she could remmeber, on one interview a few years ago.
Oh good grief! Remember rabbit ears and tin foil? LOL, somebody would have to stand and hold those things to keep the picture clear enough to see. I kinda one-upped you kassie.........we did have regular schools in my time......hehehehee. My parents used to talk about the schools you went to. One room, stove in center......then it turned back into the church on Sunday. Those are great stories. My grandchildren LOVE to hear my mama talk about the "old days". *~*
Black and white TV. All two channels.
Chesapeake Blue Crabs (from there).
Catch your own, no license required. Ditto with fish. Swimming in the Potoamc, and not worrying about having shots unless you stepped on a nail.
Wooden skiffs, rowing, having to wrap the cord to start the outboard.
Mr/Mrs/Miss, never yeah, but always Yes sir, Yes m'am, No sir, No m'am.
Two (or more) for a penny candy.
Scrounging pop bottles for the 2 cent deposit.
32 cent packs of smokes, 50 dollar cars, bicycles with one gear and balloon tires.
Three cent stamps, penny postcards, silver dimes and quarters and halves. Once in a while an Indian Head penny in your change. Silver certificates and United States notes (blue and red seals on the bills.)
Getting spanked for jumping up and down on the car, even though it did not leave a dent.
'A' Model John Deeres, church every sunday, cutting christmas trees, County fairs, Streetcars in D.C., I could go on and on....
Daddy built us a fallout shelter. It took a lot of work; and it made me feel safe to know that he loved us that much.
Mom was June, and Dad was Ward. There were, however, 6 of us kids.
But the cars were wonderful ships.
Sometimes in the summer, we slept outside. (Bakersfield, CA)
Kids had mothers.
Fathers took care of the families.
In the 50's the Heimlich Maneuver had not been developed. ;)
The racial thing wasn't so bad in the west. I've talked to friends who've said that it wasn't like you hear about in the South. It wasn't as integrated as it should have been; but it wasn't as overt in the west.
Why didn't we stop the pendulum when things were truly fair?
TV! We got our first in about 1956?
Mickey Mouse Club 4:00 every day.
Today is Tuesday.
You know what that means?
We're gonna' have a special guest!
So roll out the carpet,
Strike out the band,
And give out with a hip-horray!
Hip horray!
Wiggle your ears
Like good Mousekateers
We're gonna' present our guest today
'Cause Tuesday is Guest Star Day.
53 in August! ^5! Year of the Dragon!
Guess that'll teach me to steal candy from children while reading Free Republic...
Tertiary...we might be neighbors! (Bakersfield)
They delivered the milk from Hiett's Dairy.
Blue Birds would go out to the dairy and buy ice cream there.
I seem to be the only truly chatty one left on here.
:(
Guess I drove everyone else off.
:(
I'm in Napa now, but grew up in the East Bay (Richmond) and we left our doors unlocked then too. No one would mess with us because they knew we deer hunted and had rifles and such. But I do not remember a time we ever intentionally left our cars unlocked, because teenager in those days loved to "take" them for joyrides.
There were dairies out in El Sobrante at that time although I can't remember all their names. I think Valley View Dairy might be one. The milk was soo good!
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