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re: Question for anyone here that was alive in the 1950's (if any)
Posted on 11/10/24 at 6:54 pm to Norway
Posted on 11/10/24 at 6:54 pm to Norway
quote:
were the 50's really that amazing ?
The 50s were amazing, but not for the reason I've seen in the movies about that era.
I was born in 1938 - so was 12 in 1950 and graduated LHS in 1956, LSU in 1960. (married in '57)
But I was born during the depth of the depression in backwater Louisiana, in Alco, a sawmill town run by the Alexandria Lumber Co. Dad worked for less than a dollar a day.
Moved to Leesville in the early 40s, and my mom turned our home into a boarding house for workers when they decided to build up Camp Polk for the La Maneuvers. We all lived in two rooms and the renters bunked in the other three rooms - no 'living room' The Kitchen belonged exclusively to Queen Mom, and we had a community dining room - she served breakfast early every day and one meal in the evening for the workers. We ate with them. I learned some new words listening to the workers talk, but everything was quite cordial and good natured. My mom ran a tight ship. But this was all in the 40s.
In a small town like Leesville, the 50s would be boring as hell for anyone from this era - a jukebox was considered the highest form of entertainment available. Tinker toys were still hoped for as Christmas gifts - some rich kids even got an electric train.
But those were the best days of my life - I consider my character was formed in that era - and it was all about Fairness - Honesty - Trustworthiness - Anxious to help - Absolute Dedication to hard work - Easy to entertain - Very few fat people - everyone in tip top shape (only know one 'fat' girl) - nobody was a 'slacker' - everyone was friends with everyone else - very very very few 'outcasts' - girls were very modest - (a few were 'easy' but none were trashy.)
School was all about learning the 3R's and civics. We had long recesses and could go anywhere we wanted - lunch period was over an hour long and made for memorable adventure trips in the woods behind the schoolhouse.
There were a few 'rough guys' - but I was never part of their clique, however many of them made fast friends in my older age - one of the roughest, and the one who I considered my best friend of all time just passed away a month ago - I will miss him the rest of my life, but probably never had a conversation with him in high school.
Kids were let roam - we were expected to be home for dinner (or else we didn't get to eat) but almost no restrictions on activities - We played 'cowboys and Indians' graduating from finger guns to cap pistols. We rode out bikes for miles and miles on the open road and went anywhere we wanted - no fear of 'stranger danger' at all. When I first stated at LSU 'hitchhiking' to and from campus on many weekends (150 miles one way) was the order of the day - never had a second thought about it.
quote:
So were the 50's really that amazing ?
sorry about the daydreaming - I could ramble on for hours but everyone would be punching their eyes and ears out.
to answer the question - the 50s WERE the most amazing decade of all to be a teenager if the measuring stick was the development of good men who would be responsible stewards for the future.
Most people near college age today would think they'd been sent to a desert island. Especially if they thought it would be anything like the movie version. Nobody today would watch a movie about the 'real 50s' - but that's ok.
To appreciate it, you'd have had to live it in the context of the times.
6
Posted on 11/10/24 at 6:58 pm to ChineseBandit58
Good read.
Thanks, Pops.
Thanks, Pops.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:01 pm to ChineseBandit58
That was an awesome post..
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:04 pm to shutterspeed
"The trim was unrivaled". Point of order: Little was shaved.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:14 pm to Jim Rockford
quote:
The ones with nostalgia were kids who didn't have to deal with all the shite.
What is your point of reference>?? - i.e. = your age.
Are you forming opinions based on reading what others say about the 50s?
I don't know a single one of my cohort who resented or regretted one moment of it.
Now "born in the 50s" might have different feelings - but their opinions may be basically formed by the 60s.
But 'lived in the 50s' - wrt young people is probably best directed to people of my age if you want real analysis of 'what it was like to grow up in the 50s"
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:16 pm to Norway
I have a close friend born in 1933. The 50s were in his heyday. Hank Williams Jr, South Lousiana with a thriving coast and hunting and fishing were Incredible. Work was everywhere with the burgeoning oilfield, it was tough sledding but there was money to be made. Household items like TVs, fridges, etc became affordable as were cars. He loved it though making a life in your 20s os challenging in any era.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:24 pm to ChineseBandit58
Great post.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:26 pm to gumbo2176
quote:
Edited to add this: And to me it is important. We were not "Helicopter Kids" back then. When I was still under 10 years old it was nothing for me to run to, or break out my bicycle and pedal to my cousins house 6 blocks away and not go back home until damn near dark.
Not a 50's kid, but a 60's and I can remember walking two blocks to the donut shop, unaccompanied, as a four year old to buy bread and donuts for my mom with no fear by mom or me. Then later, like you, playing ball daylight to dark blocks away from home.
So yes, it's been romanticized but it was a great time to be alive for anyone.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:34 pm to Norway
quote:
So were the 50's really that amazing ?
Every day was Mayberry.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:51 pm to Cheese Grits
I was in the third grade when we had the missel crisis with the Soviet Union. I had no concept of what was really going on and I thought all the drills we had were fun. We had to bring blankets to school as well as toilet paper. You gave the required objects to your teacher and she would place the objects with your name on them in the cloak room. Twice a week we would have drills where you would stand in line and wait for a car driven by somebody's parent would pick you up. The cars would all go to Ryans airport and when we got there the cars would all turn around and bring us back to school. Being a young kid I thought the drills were fun. I had no idea that we were on the verge of a nuclear war because Russia was bringing nuclear weapons to Cuba. I'm glad that I was too young to fully understand what was really going on.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 7:59 pm to mahdragonz
Post war austerity.
—You don’t know history. The 50s economic boom is unmatched in world history.
—You don’t know history. The 50s economic boom is unmatched in world history.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 8:02 pm to TorchtheFlyingTiger
Highest US poverty rates on record
—-HA! Ever heard of the Great Depression?
—-HA! Ever heard of the Great Depression?
Posted on 11/10/24 at 8:10 pm to soccerfüt
quote:
Next door to the Highway 90 White Kitchen near the US 90 West Pearl River bridge.
White Kitchen was a frequent stop for us on the way either to or from the Gulf Coast. They had some damn good fried chicken, and that was long before fried chicken places became a thing.
Much like Jim's on Carrollton and Earhart Blvd. where we'd go at least 4-5 time a year for their fried chicken.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 8:30 pm to Norway
I was born in 1958.
What I can say is that as a young boy no one had fences or locked doors. People would even leave for the weekend and not lock their house. Now I lock my vehicle inside of a locked garage. Crime was definitely better. There were problems for sure but many things were better.
What I can say is that as a young boy no one had fences or locked doors. People would even leave for the weekend and not lock their house. Now I lock my vehicle inside of a locked garage. Crime was definitely better. There were problems for sure but many things were better.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 8:39 pm to Norway
We was worried about the wrong communists my old baws, and fricked raw now as a result.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 9:26 pm to ChineseBandit58
quote:
What is your point of reference>?? - i.e. = your age.
I grew up in the seventies and eighties. To me, it was the most awesome time to be alive. My parents, dealing with inflation, Watergate, the hangover from Vietnam and chaos in the Middle East may not have had a such an glowing opinion of it.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 10:01 pm to Norway
I thought the 50s were great! but I was only 3
Posted on 11/10/24 at 10:08 pm to Sho Nuff
quote:
Good on you, you were lucky. My grandparents were born around the same time but they all died in my late teens and unfortunately I wasn't talking with my grandparents about history enough although that's my favorite thing these days..
It was awesome. "Hey paw paw, what was Baton Rouge like in 1935?" and he could tell me. He told me he'd drive his sisters downtown for their doctor's appointments at like 11 years old because you didn't need a driver's license back then
He was 20 when WWII started and died just a few years ago. Wild when you think about it.
He lived until I was 40. Somewhat unique I suppose.
This post was edited on 11/10/24 at 10:25 pm
Posted on 11/10/24 at 10:22 pm to ChineseBandit58
quote:
ChineseBandit58
So glad you made a great addition to this thread. I was hoping you would as I was reading through.
Posted on 11/10/24 at 11:01 pm to ChineseBandit58
quote:
But those were the best days of my life - I consider my character was formed in that era - and it was all about Fairness - Honesty - Trustworthiness - Anxious to help - Absolute Dedication to hard work - Easy to entertain - Very few fat people - everyone in tip top shape (only know one 'fat' girl) - nobody was a 'slacker' - everyone was friends with everyone else - very very very few 'outcasts' - girls were very modest - (a few were 'easy' but none were trashy.)
quote:
Kids were let roam - we were expected to be home for dinner (or else we didn't get to eat) but almost no restrictions on activities - We played 'cowboys and Indians' graduating from finger guns to cap pistols. We rode out bikes for miles and miles on the open road and went anywhere we wanted - no fear of 'stranger danger' at all.
Thank you for saving me the trouble of posting that, It was exactly as I remember because I was born in 37 and graduated high school in 1954. Life has never been so simple, clean, and good since.
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