Well, you're right, but we just didn't get to see them celebrated the way they should have been. If a child wasn't luckey enough to have one for a father (or close neighbor) he/she didn't even know about them. The guys on TV would cry if they got a hangnail. Policemen and firemen were talked about as though they were neanderthals.
This is going to sound funny, but you know what I miss the most? I miss having doors opened for me. It still happens on rare occasions and I always make sure I have a BIG smile and BIG thank you for those thoughtful enough to remember this graceful gesture.