Boy, that sure brings back memories. Talk about dating yourself. I too remember many summer evenings when I'd either hear a parent calling me or a friend telling me my parents were calling me. I wonder when that custom stopped?
My dad had a conch horn from the West Indies with the point cut off and filed smooth.
You could hear that darned thing for MILES, and it was certainly unique. Another of our neighbors had a big old bell that they rang when they wanted the kids in, and that was unique too!
(I've still got the conch - but now I call the kids on their cell phones . . . :-( )
It hasn’t stopped. My teen has been trained for years to listen for the sound of my whistle (MUCH louder than a yell!!). My almost 6 y.o. is “in training” to listen for the sound of my whistle.