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    what was life like before 1960

    I REALLLY NEED TO KNOW THIS

    +10  Views: 990 Answers: 20 Posted: 12 years ago

    20 Answers

    I was born in 1947, and what I remember was a different world.
    Of course only a pre-teen but lived in small towns with a dad that was self employed, home for the 5pm news and a mother that was always home.
    Could ride my bike anywhere without fear of anyone.
    If I had a problem with my bike or any thing the local gas station could help me and send me home no charge.
    I had to go to the hospital at 13 and I remember my mother saying something about the bill being over $5000, but I was there for almost a month.
    They paid it off without any insurance or help from anyone I'm sure.
    Born in 1942. We were poor as field mice, but: We ate meals together, we didn't expect the government to support us, dad had a job, mom raised 6 kids, kids had summer jobs, picked up returnable bottles along the road for pocket change, wore hand-me-down clothes, respected our elders, never locked our doors, hitch-hiked when there wasn't transportation, had plenty to eat (because of huge garden and hunting skills), kept kerosene lanterns handy for when the electric company cut off the electric, carried water from the creek when water lines froze, the old tube-type radio was our only electronic devise .... and the list goes on ...
    Before 1959 we never even had TV.We listened to radio serials.
    Our house was never locked.Every one was trusted.
    The toilet was in the backyard.We never had a hot water service.There was a gas geyser over the bath tub that we would have to light manually when we took a bath.
    My mother had a combustion stove that we all had to chop wood for & an ice box.The ice was delivered twice a week & cost a shilling per block.(Todays equivelent of 10 cents.)
    We were up at 4 A.M. every day & in bed at 7:30pm.There was always work to do.
    Believe it or not; Life was good!
    bulletman

    you brought a lot of memories back to me, thanks
    opportunities were scarce depending on your race and color
    ed shank

    Definitely true, but those determined to succeed did so ultimately with an all uphill struggle. Not a good time in our history.
    IamPamela313

    I agree. Thank God better opportunities are available in this era for all race, creed and color :-)
    Most families had both parents, the cost of living was so affordable that only the Dad had to work to support the entire family. Parents could afford to pay their kids way through college. It was a completely different world, almost.

    I wasn't born until the 70's ish, but my parents have told me many stories. Hopefully they weren't pulling my leg, it sounded great.
    1946-- Difficult to describe a time when you were a child and had no responsibilities.

    My dad worked, my mom stayed home and took care of home chores and raised my sis and myself, I can remember my parents having their friends over and talking about world politics, I remember they had a great time.. In 1956, I was 10 years old, I can remember my sisters 'slumber parties' she was 15.. They played board games, listen to music and danced in the basement, we had a juke box a pool table and a pin ball machine. I remember all the neighbors on a hot summer night coming to our yard and dad would bring out the 8mm projector and screen, neighbors would bring their own chairs, drink beer and eat popcorn while watching my dad's collection of Charlie Chaplin movies, and some cartoons for us kids..

    What I can remember is that it was a time of togetherness, family and friends.. I don't much see this anymore..
    carmaxable

    sounds wonderful
    My MOM and DAD they where both born in the 30's and things were different than they are today. my mom grow up on a farm no running water just a well and no electric power they had to grow their own food and my grandfather grow tobacco and they had chicken's
    and a outhouse.She told me they never locked up the house at night.My dad grow up in the city he told me he rode his bike all over the city he was never afraid no TV back then just the radio show's the green hornet the shadow the lone ranger and the fat man and they did not lock their doors at night either plus he told me about shoveling coal down the coal chute no air commendation or no money to buy fan's he told me in the summer when it was really hot they would sleep on the floor and leave and front door open let air come thru the storm door and he told the street where he had grownup on that he would not walk down it in broad daylight you get mugged or worse what a shame
    ed shank

    I won't get out of bed if I remembered not locking the doors. We literally have no crime here. Last burglary was 27 yrs ago. The keys to all of my cars are always in the ignition. Never had a car theft here. Sort of like the old days.
    Tommyh

    WOW Ed! where do you live? Sounds like i'd like to move there!
    carmaxable

    me too!
    Less complicated, innocent. The future was what you made of it.
    I was born in country New South Wales Australia Feb 29th 1932.
    First school was one room one teacher to 6 classes, forms we called them because we sat on a long seat called a "form"

    We had no electric light or refrigeration or running water, except in the floods then we had running water.

    Mum stayed home cooked on a wood burning stove, washed the clothes in a wood burning copper tub called , would you believe The copper"
    The clothes were hung out to dry on a long cloths line and held in place by wooden pegs called "dolly" pegs due to their looking like a little doll.

    Heating was by open wood fire and we kids would sit there toasting home made bread listening to the wireless, as it was called (radio) We had a choice of two stations.The wireless was battery operated.

    Travel was mainly by horse or horse drawn vehicles, there were cars but for the well off only.
    PEOPLELOVER

    Well that was the 1930s.

    1940s saw the outbreak of WW2 and most of the men joined the forces including my dad who had been in France in WW1, two brothers and my one and only sister. Mum and I along with my brother moved to suburban Sydney and miracles of miracles we had electricity for the first time.We also got reticulated water.

    No change to the clothes washing routine though and we still boiled the copper for hot water for a bath. Some time later we got a "chip heater" which burnt chips of wood in a container that had water warmed in it for a bath.
    Cooking still wood stove.

    Due to petrol shortages during the war most cars were stored away. Some however were run using incredable ingenuity. A large coal burning stove like thing was on the back of the car. As the stove (Gas producer) produced coal gas it was stored in a huge rubberised bag on a rack on top of the car. This gas was used in turn to run the motor.

    Some more sophisticated ones fed straight from the Gas Producer direct to the engine.
    Cars had there head lights shrouded with just a slit to let a little light out and there was a wide band of white paint along the sides to make it a bit easier to see the cars.

    Windows of the houses were covered with "black out" curtains and the window glass was taped to stop it breaking up in case of a bombing attack. Air raid shelters were built at all schools and factories and the shops in Sydney had sand bags piled up in front of the doorways to protect shoppers.

    Petrol, meat, sugar, butter, tea, clothing were all rationed and every one had ration books with coupons in them.

    After the war ended in 1945 things got a lot better, I bought Mum her first refrigerator and she also got a gas stove and electric washing macine with electric clothes wringer

    So for the
    PEOPLELOVER

    Moving on to the 1950s.

    By the 1950s things were really starting to hum, rationing was over jobs were plentiful and women were becoming more and more in the work place having shown their worth during the war years not only in the factories but the services as well. It was the time of real change for women.

    The Korean war was on and Australia had also introduce. compulsory training for all males when they turned 18. This was in part due to the fear that the then USSR would try to expand its` influence.

    All 18yr olds did 90 days full time basic training in the military, most in the army or air force.
    After completeion of their 90 days they went on to The Citizens Military Forces wher they did weekend, night parades and a 2 week full time camp one a year for 2 years.
    Black and white television was introduced in Sydney in in 1956 and the other States followed soon after.

    The overall thing about life in the "dark ages" up to the sixties was people really and trully were neighbours, they shared their home grown produce, vegetables, eggs and even flowers.People seemed a lot more sincere in that time.

    It saddens me to see the "ME" generation that is here today. As a child I got ONE present for Christmas and one for my birthday. I never had a bithday party until I was 21 and in the army when we out in the field and a special dinner was organised as a surprise for me.
    If I live to be 100 I will never forget that.

    We had very little money but then neither did anyone else, we did have the love of and respect for our parents and all others, regardless of colour religion or race.
    Why we have allowed it to be "All about me" I don`t know.

    Hope this helps you with your asignment love 16, feel free to use it as you wish and may your life be as content and happy as mine has been. At 79 I have lots to do and see and a lot of people to love.
    Tommyh

    Great stuff PL.Brings back a lot of memories for me.
    PEOPLELOVER

    Thanks Tommyh. They were good simple times.
    bulletman

    thanks peoplelover , i,m a little misty --those were the days.
    PEOPLELOVER

    You are not wrong bulletman.
    I was floating about waiting in line for the race of my life with all the other little sperm...lol. Born in 1969...was one hell of a race , but I won;)
    Women had a lot less rights and more men took the responsibilities of being dad and stayed around to raise his family.
    ed shank

    Hmmm, less rights for women and the world was a better place. No, I won't say it.
    Colleen

    Moderator
    Not even funny.
    Colleen

    Moderator
    The world was not a better place actually. They still had their share of problems, just on a different scale than we have now. Men were not nice people then as they "ruled the roost" and women were treated as servants and not wives. Now men are not allowed to be chauvinists.
    bulletman

    women have taken over that roll! lol
    Colleen

    Moderator
    Because they had to. As usual men were messing everything up. (I'm kidding, lol)
    I was living in Germany at that time and live was good, never locked doors, had puplic transportation, did not need a car. Everone helped one another and importantly people had manners and treated people with respect.
    Pre 60, huh, that would've been me (Diapers, bottles and born in a house), I remember some post era can't complain, I made this far.
    the andy griffith show
    ed shank

    Mayberry, USA. Loved that show.
    daren1

    makes you wish we were their life was so much simpler
    There were no drugs. Less murders, rapes.
    I grew up in the eighties and I think once crack cocaine came about, shortly there after was when we started having to lock our doors.
    I was born in 1960 so all I can say is that it was "Coachless"... which must have been very boring.

    I wouldn't use that interesting fact in your essay if you want a good grade.
    love16

    THANKS. but i need more information than that:)
    any other ideas?? :)
    born in 1949 the fifties was casual , laid back ,cheap especially petrol and cigs, families were families then , sitting around listening to the radio, t.v.. put a stop to that. the good thing being born in '49 was being part of the sixties generation when everything changed not necessarily for the better.
    Born in 1963, there was no life. (sorry, had to add some levity)
    Quieter, more family oriented, simpler, people seemed happier.


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