Posted on 02/21/2007 10:07:19 AM PST by Incorrigible
By TRACY DAVIS
Christina Wall uses only technology that was in existence before 1950 as part of her master's project. (Photo by Eliyahu Gurfinkel)
In this pre-1950 land, there are no frozen dinners, no non-stick skillets and no fast food franchises. She can't use a dishwasher, clothes dryer or microwave; she has no access to ATMs, DVDs or CDs.
Wall, 32, an Eastern Michigan University graduate student, hasn't left her west-side Ann Arbor home for another plane in the space-time continuum. She's simply going a month — through March 2 — without using any technology created since 1950. It's part of her master's degree project on the impact of technology in modern life.
When she has a headache? Uncoated aspirin instead of ibuprofen. When she needs to contact a friend? Snail mail or an antique rotary phone. When it snows? Sledding instead of reality TV. Her project is a completely original conception, said Professor Denise Pilato, who teaches in EMU's College of Technology.
"In some ways it's an experiment,'' she said. "And being that it's an experiment, there are a lot of surprises for her.''
Perhaps most surprising is that there have been so many happy ones. For example, Wall estimates she'll save up to $400 this month because it feels more "real'' to spend cash than to use an ATM card.
And she has found her day has more hours.
"It's amazing,'' she said. "I literally feel I like I have 40 hours in a day. I realize how much time was sucked up with TV, and more specifically the Internet and e-mail.''
The classically trained pianist now has time to practice 45 minutes daily, to read books, to sit down to breakfast and to reconnect with friends.
Neighbor Margaret Steneck, a retired University of Michigan history professor, has taken great interest in the project. "It's not just what was available in 1950, but what would someone living in her house, in her socioeconomic range, be able to afford and have available to them,'' she said.
For example, television had been invented by 1950, but it wasn't commonplace. And certain types of cosmetics — lipstick and hair conditioners were around but don't appear to have been commonly used by most women, according to Wall's research.
Wall's friends, family and students have had to readjust as well. To the ire of some of her students, Wall, a graduate student instructor at EMU, is not available via e-mail and is not posting her lectures online. Now, students have to phone Wall or go to her office hours to talk to her.
"It was interesting and it was sad,'' she said. "You can just see how addicted students are now, and that they have the expectation things are going to be spoon-fed to them. ... Now, they feel like they can't have a normal conversation. And by losing that skill, they become fearful of them. I feel like part of the reason to do this is we're in this spiral that's not good.''
She hasn't decided yet how her life will be changed when she is done, but it will definitely be changed, she said. She's considering doing more work on the idea and pursuing a Ph.D.
Wall admits she has "cheated'' by using a video camera to record some of her experiences. She hopes to make a documentary when she's done.
Wall graduates in April, so she'll soon start writing up her project. But on what? Typewriter or computer?
"I haven't decided yet,'' she said with a laugh.
To read more about Wall's project, go to http://retrochicky.blogspot.com. Of course, it hasn't been updated since January since Wall can't access her computer or use the Internet, but you can read about her research and preparations.
***
Examples of modern conveniences that were not invented or not widely available before 1950:
— Four-wheel drive. The vehicle credited with being the first four-wheel drive internal combustion engine car was built shortly after 1900. But four-wheel and all-wheel drive didn't become commonplace among consumer-driven road vehicles until well after 1950.
— Garbage disposals first came onto the market in 1938, but because many cities forbade putting food waste into sewage systems, they weren't widely used until years later.
— Disposable diapers were invented in 1950 but not widely available; cloth diapers were standard.
— Voicemail. Its inventor, Gordon Matthews, applied for a patent in 1979. The first answering machine was invented in 1935 and was three feet tall, but the machines were not widely used until decades later.
— Smoke alarms. The battery-powered household devices were first designed in the late 1960s.
Sources: Christina Wall, Wikipedia, EnchantedLearning.com, About.com, Fcc.gov.
(Tracy Davis is a reporter for the Ann Arbor (Mich.) News. She can be contacted at tdavis(at)annarbornews.com.)
Not for commercial use. For educational and discussion purposes only.
My grandma was born in 1900, and I remember thinking she didn't get a radio until she was 27 and a tv until in her '40's. They were comfortable financially.
The Vermont Country Store carries a lot of 'old' cosmetics and fragrances and household items from the 30's 40's 50's, etc. I especially love their Christmas catalog because you can order lots of old-fashioned, wonderful foods and candies that aren't in the mainstream any more.
I went to the McDonald's on Florence and Lakewood in Downey, Calif in the early early fifties. It is on the National Register today, and can never be torn down.
I haven't read it. I had it on my amazon wish list for awhile, but couldn't afford it on my student income. Now that I'm a rich professor, maybe I should pick it up.
My husband is blind,and we get books from the Libary of Congress, so I will order it for him from them. I understand that this book is well worth the money.
"I'm curious why she has the phone facing away from her."
I'm not sure, but the typewriter (that funny looking thing next to the telephone, for you young'uns) is backwards also.
I remember taking typing class on manual typewriters in the 8th grade (1980-1981).
Remember when the font choices were Pica and Elite? And once you bought the typewriter, that was it. Unless you had a fancy IBM typewriter with that ball thingy.
White out, carbon paper, I could go on and on...
In 1950 women used an aspirin tablet for birth control. Held between the knees.
I talked to a gynecologist a few years ago who's practice had been next to the UT campus since around 1960. He said if the average University of Texas co-ed from today had come into his practice in 1960, he would have assumed she was a prostitute. According to him, in 1960, the average UT co-ed was a virgin, and that the ones who were sexually active were generally either married, or had been with only one boy, whom they had been dating for several years.
Statistics back up his argument. Abortion was illegal, and the illegal abortion industry was far smaller than Planned Parenthood would have you believe. The out of wedlock birth rate for whites was around five percent, blacks around seven percent. A lot of things have changed, but random sexual intercourse with strangers was much more unusual in the fifties.
"I would starve to death today, before I would use cloth diapers."
You can use cloth diapers for food? Dang. I been addressing the wrong end.
"Never mind that people had green faces and the colors on the cellophane had no relation to the picture on the tube."
As I recall, the overlay was blue on the top half, green on the bottom half. It worked great on landscape shots. LOL
Another overlay was used for Winky Dink, wherein you used crayons to draw bridges and things for Winky Dink to walk in. FWIW, Winky Dink was hosted by Jack Barry, who went on to MC some of the biggie quiz shows of the time.
your console mahogany comment was a good one. I went recently to K-Mart and asked the young lady in electronics if they had rabbit ears. She said I should look in the Halloween costume section. Geez!
Try using it after doing your nails.
Ping! A lot of TV related content here
My nails?
I mean putting on nail polish. I would try to dial with a pencil.
We did not get one in my little town until Lubbock got a station - and we could receive it. (I was in high school - mid-50's).
well this is EMU
and she is in Ann Arbor, which is a liberal enclave
OTOH it does say that her subject is the impact of modern technology on society so until she cranks out her thesis, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.
This little role play may actually give her some insight -
hopefully she combines it with some interviews of folks who actually lived it.
Your parents must have been forward thinking and very well off.
They lived in New Jersey. My Dad was a sales Manager at that time. Mom said all the kids in the neighborhood came over and watched it.
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