There was no such thing as fast food in the 1950’s. There were a few drive-ins, but they were anything but fast. And drive-ins were a last resort for the families of the 1950’s and early 60’s. They were pricey and folks back then didn’t have a lot of extra cash to spend. Most families ate at home every night, and for Boomers looking back at some of those great meals, who could ever … [Read more...]
Car Hops and Curb Service
How do young people meet these days? Kids don’t have weekend dances. There are there no more drive-in movies and there are no drive-in restaurants - no place to circle the parking lot looking for girls, or boys, as the case may be. Boomers look back nostalgically at the days when a young lady called a carhop would take your order for a frosted mug of root beer and an order of fries. You’d give her … [Read more...]
Turn The Radio On
Many Boomers lived in an era call BT. Before television. In the late 40’s and early 50’s, there were only a handful of TVs in the entire United States. I think the White House had one, and maybe Clark Gable, and that was about it. My family had a Philco radio. It was the center of our family and social life. We kept the radio in the kitchen so Mom could listen while she was fixing meals … [Read more...]
The Ice Cream Man
It took about three weeks for the euphoria of getting out of school for the summer to fade away. By that time, Boomer kids had seen all they wanted of their friends, and had done about everything there was to do. The youngsters had played enough Monopoly games to qualify as miniature real estate tycoons. The Hide and Seek adventures every night were fun, but the “hiders” soon ran out of … [Read more...]
It’s Howdy Doody Time
Hey kids! What time is it? Breathes there a Boomer who doesn’t know the answer to that question? If it was Buffalo Bob Smith asking and it was a weekday afternoon on NBC in the 1950’s, it was most definitely “Howdy Doody time.” Boomers remember the Howdy Doody Show as much for the quality of life during those years as for the quality of this popular children’s program. It was a time of peace … [Read more...]
Duncan Yo-Yos
If you look closely at the middle finger on the right hand of an average Boomer, you may see the feint shape of a ring imprint embedded in the skin. That likely came from the ever-tightening string of a Duncan Yo-Yo, one of the most popular toys of Boomerhood. But yo-yos were really more than just toys, they were instruments of wonder, so much so that a half-hour of school time was often … [Read more...]
A Visit to the Principal
“Report to the principal’s office!” For young Boomers, those words were the equivalent of “Uncle Sam really wants you!” or “Is it contagious?” An invitation to the principal’s office in the 1950’s and 60’s was not for discussing world events or even for a chat about your future pursuit of higher education. It was not to find out your thoughts on the Homecoming Dance décor for the gymnasium … [Read more...]
That First Best Friend
His name was Freddie Arnold. He was sent by heaven to save a young Boomer from a life dominated by girls. He was my first, best friend. The summer before I would start third grade in Beckley, WV, my family moved across town. I would be in a new school and in a new neighborhood. The day the movers were unloading our furniture, a bolt of lightning hit the refrigerator one of the men was … [Read more...]
Catching Worms
Boomers had numerous ways to entertain themselves and none involved cell phones or video games. We made the most of whatever was available. If there was a barn around, with hay, that was good for at least a week’s entertainment – hide and seek, springing from one loft to the next, using the stacked bales as a make believe fortress and numerous other amusements. We rode bikes - everywhere. We … [Read more...]
Go Fly A Kite
Boomer kids divided everything into months. January was noted for New Year’s Day and celebrations before heading back to school. February was cold, which meant snow, which meant school closings, which meant tearing down hills sides in a genuine Flexible Flyer sled and hoping for the best. March meant wind and wind meant kites. Kites were a big deal back then. Every kid had one. Some could … [Read more...]