We had the big monster, too. We eventually went to oil and then gas. Our vents were on the wall. We had a BIG cold air return in the entrance area. House was built circa 1904...milk box and all. Life was pretty simple back then. You didn’t need a phone attached to your head back then...
I'm glad I was born in 1947, and grew up in the 50's. We had to entertain ourselves, playing games outdoors all day, or playing board games. We had one phone, no rotary. Initially, to make a call, you had to tell the operator to connect you to the number you wanted. Then when rotary phones became available, we had a party line initially. I was never one for hanging on the phone, and my parents wouldn't have allowed it anyway. Even now, I don't use my iPhone for much...just calls to my sons, my short list of friends, doctors, and the occasional text message about prescription reorders, or doctor appointment reminders. I will use the browser to look things up if I'm away from home, but when this phone dies (it's an old one), that's it. I won't be getting another smartphone. I hate them.