Memories of Growing Up in the 40's and 50's (and since, even)

email | 1/4/01 (this time) | Unknown

[Exit148]

"You were probably too young to see the Hookers and the sailors-----"

LOLOL! It's not often that someone says "you were probably to young" to me!!!

I don't remember the Hookers and sailors, but I was aware of Scollay Square and what it meant. The thought of a 'red light' district was unthinkable with my brain-washed Catholic background!

[Bernard Marx]

Depended on how many pennies, nickels and dimes I'd squirreled away in my pocket from my 2 paper routes. I always went for the papa if I could afford it, but often I couldn't. Collecting for the papers was pretty hard in those days and I often got stiffed.

[Willie Green]

do you remember the Paul Shannon show? i used to watch that while waiting for Santa, he used to track him. Remember NOSMO KING? LOL!

Paul Shannon's "Adventure Time" with the 3 Stooges? Of course!!! - Channel 4
And Captain Jim's Popeye Club... - Channel 11
And "Safari" with "Bwana Don" Riggs (Tarzan movies) - Channel 2
And Chilly Billy Cardilly doing "Chiller Theater" (and also Studio Wrestling with Ringside Rosie, and Pie Traynor doing the commercials for American Plumbing & Heating...) -- Channel 11

[Bernard Marx]

The old farts are talking, here

Yep. Too bad you young farts weren't around for the good times.

[Val E. Girl]

We still have our first family T.V. set bought in 1950....it is a Dumont in an oak cabinet. That set brought my family and I alot of pleasure growing up in Lubbock, Texas. My parents loved a program called, "Lux Theatre" (or some similar name), "The Texaco Hour" and for really brainey people, remember "Omnibus"??? I think it was hosted by Alistaire Cook.......I can't believe I can still remember all this! Speaking of hair......never forget "Dipitty Doo" some green gooey stuff that was a prerequisite before rolling your hair with the torture rollers. LOL Reflecting on those days, I remember being rewarded with a snow cone if I had been especially good, eating out at Lubys after church twice a year salivating at the multilayered jello dessert, helping my Mother lick S and H green stamps into the redemption book, the brown Jewel Tea truck dropping off goodies, jumping on my pogo stick, and my Mary Hartline doll (I think she was the "Barbie" of the 50's)

[doberville]

Crinolines. We called them crinolines. And then there were the hoops that were worn to hold the skirts out. . .

[MatthewViti]

I'm not old enough to know what it was like to phyically be alive back then, but I like to hear stories of the good old days. I wouldn't even consider myself like most teens and twenty somethings nowadys. My morals are so much more conservative than theirs, but that's not to say that I don't have a lot of intrigue about the same stuff they do. I like to watch the show Leave it to Beaver a lot too, this was a classic show from an innocent time when people felt safe from dangers that abound today. There was nothing dysfunctional about the Cleaver family. The patriarch Ward would dispense solid life value instructions to his two boys Wally and the Beaver. The mother June would always look her best while keeping the house spotless and having time for the local PTA. If you think about even the show The Twilight Zone sent positive moral messages, and there were consequesces for actions. Sorry for the ranting, but I honestly can't see America getting any better, it just seems like something has got to give.

The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life. --Robert Louis Stevenson

[oyez]

Shakeys was the only where you dropped in for dinner and ther was already a party going on. Now we have to go to Chucky Cheese for that.

[texson66]

My older boys (when they were 10 an 6) had asked me once what my favorite Saturday TV kids show was when I was their age. I replied "I didnt have a TV until I was 12. So my favorite kid's Saturday shows on the RADIO were Tom Corbett of Space Patrol, the Long Ranger, Froggy and His Magic Twanger (Big John and Sparkie), and the Inner Sanctum (a creepy open door sound at the start and finish of each show).

My sons were stunned. Radio? "That's only music, Dad!" It was too hard to believe there was no color TV or cable and entertainment on the RADIO when and I was a kid!

I had forgotten about the screen (blue on top and green on the bottom)! Our neighbor bragged about having a color TV with this screen!

I do recall before KRBC-TV in Abilene, TX started programming they broadcast a test pattern ( Indian Chief with concentric circles) for about 4 hours each evening.
People had coffee and cake parties while they watched the TV test pattern!

[gabby hayes]

For many of us, it's no longer safe to drive around the areas from our childhood.

[texson66]

Great post thanks for the memories!

[Exit148]

The rags!!!!!!! I'd forgotten all about those 'rags!!!!!!I had such fine, straight hair, and my mother and aunt would put those things on me before a big day. Didn't work, in spite of the suffering I went though. The hair came down anyway, and especially if it was humid. And it came down twisted all over the place. My mother had beautiful thick wavy hair as did my brothers, and my little sister had long curls - the kind you made by combing over your finger. But me? I was destined for 'rags' ---- I guess to keep me from being vain.

What a wonderful forgotten memory! Thanks for bringing that one up!

[Conservababe]

Crinolines. We called them crinolines. And then there were the hoops that were worn to hold the skirts out. . .

Nope, I wore petticoats. If you were lucky, you had two or three of them, worn at the same time. They were starched and stretched to stick out in a circle. You can just imagine how much they itched. LOL

[DouglasKC]

I'm not that old, early 40's, but I remember watching "The Partridge Family" and wondering what kind of exotic food a taco was.

[texson66]

I was an "only" so I really did like to curl up in that spot too! Except occasional cousins would fight me for it during family trips to Granps and Grannies!

[Atlantian]

I just came back from visiting my 80 yr. old in-laws. They subscribe to a magazine called "Reminisce".

If you enjoy threads like this, you'll love the magazine. The whole magazine is devoted to--guess what!--reminiscing. It contains great stories and pictures. All the stories are submitted by readers.

I must be getting old (mid-50's), since I could reminsce about a lot of things in the magazine.

[Sunshine Sister]

As I read this, there are 366 replies. We must be a group of really old folks. I hale from the very late 40's with WWII parents and WWI grandparents. I have been where you have all been and I'm not so sure I would go back unless it would be in the area of manners and discipline. (Indoor plumbing has it's advantages.)

I rather enjoy geo casching with my honey. If it were not for progress, what would I be doing for fun? Progress is not all bad!

[WVNan]

Guess we grew up in the same region and time. I was born just across the line in Tenn. and moved to Huntsville when I was 9. Wow! 107! Give that gentleman a big ole hug for me. Did you ever pick cotton? That is one of my very first memories. Picking cotton with the black share-croppers, because we were share-cropping too.

[tubebender]

do recall before KRBC-TV in Abilene, TX started programming they broadcast a test pattern ( Indian Chief with concentric circles) for about 4 hours each evening. People had coffee and cake parties while they watched the TV test pattern!

Glad to know it wasn't just a wstcoast thing. My wifes family got a TV in 53and sat for hours watching the "Test pattern".Their program was...Ta Da... WRESTLING. Some things never change. Our first TV came second hand from her mother the year we got married, 1957.

[texson66]

My favorite radio show! Also wasnt Froggy & his magic twanger on BJ and Sparky? (Teddybears Picnic theme song?)