The year was 1920,”One hundred-and one years ago.” What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1920:
– The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
– Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
– Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub.
– Only 8 percent of homes had a telephone.
– The average US wage in 1919 was 22 cents per hour.
– The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
– A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year.
– A dentist earned $2,500 per year.
– A veterinarian between $1,500 and 4,000 per year.
– More than 95 percent of all births took place at home
– Ninety percent of all Doctors had no college education,
instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned as “substandard.”
– Sugar cost four cents a pound.
– Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen
– Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
– Most women washed their hair once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
– The five leading causes of death were Pneumonia and influenza, Tuberculosis, Diarrhea, Heart Disease and Stroke
– The American flag had 45 stars.
– The population of Las Vegas was 30.
– Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.
– There was neither a Mother’s Day nor Father’s Day.
– Two out of every 10 adults could not read or write
– Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
– Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were available over counter at local drugstores.
– Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clears complexion, gives buoyancy to mind, regulates stomach, bowels, and is a perfect guardian of health!”
– Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
– There were about 230 reported murders in the entire Unites States
It is hard to imagine what life may be like in another 100 years.
