When I was a kid, I........

[38Chevy454]

Walked to school or rode a bicycle. This was in CA, so the only kids that rode the bus was the short bus. Hardly any kids were dropped off in cars by their parents. Biggest potential problem was having your bicycle stolen, had to lock it up.



We rode our bikes all over town in summer, many miles away through fields and over railroad tracks. We knew all the cheap places to get a drink or quick bite to eat. Just be home by dinnertime. Never wore any sunscreen, and also no bike helmets. Skateboarding also was becoming popular, so shorter distances around the neighborhood were lot of times on skateboard, again without any protective gear.



Once driving age, we would cruise on the main street of town. It was starting to be outlawed or at a minimum you were hassled in many cities by this time, but we had a lot of fun doing it. Always had to wash the car Fri, so it would be extra clean for Fri and Sat nights. Remember the gas crunch and waiting with my parents in line for gas. That was a little before my driving age, so once i was driving it was only a matter of the increased costs by then. Those costs were significant for a kid on min wage pay.



The DDT spraying reminded me of when in CA the fruit fly invasion had them spraying malathion from helicopters flying over cities. We used to joke and call it "Brown's Air Force", can you even imagine that happening today in CA with all the crazy environmental laws there now


I remember Disneyland and the ticket books with limited numbers of the various class tickets. Disneyland was a great place for kids for sure! Then the competing amusement parks opened and had the one-price admission and unlimited rides. Perfect for kids that wanted the higher level exciting rides.


Phones were all dial type, then touch tone came out. Phones were leased from phone co, then later you could buy them, again from the phone co.

 

[Bamaman]

Wore shoes and long pants to go to church in the Summer. Otherwise it was hard feet and shorts all Summer.

 

[MRG]

Clothing was fun. Middle school I wore nehru jacket and large peace symbol medallion. Back then, you would be sent home for not tucking in your shirt tails and no T-shirts allowed. Had to be button-down front with collar. Long sleeve in winter and short sleeves after spring break.

Principle had a paddle and he used it, but still better than telling my dad what for...

My buddy and I skipped a day in our junior year. We knew the punishment was 3 swats from the vice principal and detention. Of course we were busted.

Went into receive the paddling and my buddy wore long johns that day. Quickly discovered by the VP, he would adjust his swing he said. I watched as my buddy took the first two, he was red in the face. Third shot and the paddle broke!

I was relieved until the VP walked to a closet, there was a dozen more! It was still worth it. [emoji12]

 

[HFWR]

Well, this whole “growing up” thing is still a work in progress...

My memories don’t extend much beyond starting elementary, which is also about when we moved “to the country”, as noted in another thread, to a split-level on an acre, but still surrounded mostly by farms and woods. As with many from small towns, life consisted of family, school, or church activities, the distinction of which was often blurred. As I got old enough to participate, there was CYA, Little League, Cub/Boy/Explorer Scouts, and 4-H. A favorite social/church activity was a visit to the roller rink. Ditto for the bowling alley. Summers brought Little League, lawn mowing season, camping, and swimming, with all transport via bicycle. Went to both church and Scout camps. Watched baseball on TV with the likes of Gibson, Mantle, Mays, and Killebrew, the games called by Dizzy Dean and PeeWee Reese, and collected their baseball cards in bubble gum packs. Drank Big Red and Fanta Grape sodas, bought at Crip’s, a little shack just off of school grounds. Smoked Borkum Riff in a corncob pipe. Yes, and grape vines... Played sports (poorly) in high school, and was in the Chorus. Didn’t necessarily keep me out of trouble though... [emoji12]

 

[skipro33]

We had a party-line phone. Different rings for different people. Ours was one long, one short. But we would listen in anyways, at least until they caught on and asked if anyone else was on the line!


Our phone # was MElrose-14998 or ME1-4998. The local exchange was included as a name in the dialing plan.

 

[calmloki]

I was driving a John Deere tractor on our farm at age 8. A "B" with a hand clutch since I couldn't reach the foot clutch on our other tractors. My dad told me John Deere made those tractors so kid's could drive them. Keep your shoes tied or you'll get caught in the fly wheel or live PTO....


Had a BB gun at 6 and a .22 at 10. Living on the farm was like a year around camping trip. The house was only needed for eating & sleeping.

The Popping Johnny with it's brass compression relief valves and random smoke rings was great - but the Ford 9n was such a civilized perfect sized do-it-all little run around the ranch rig it was my favorite.

 

[Elbata]

Hunting in the brush/trees for bottles. $.02/bottle. Cash in the bottles, go to the bowling alley and play pinball, 3 games for a $.25. Favorite pinball game of all time was Tom Tom.

 

[robnplunder]

A shoe store owned a 13 inch black and white TV which the owner sometimes placed it on his store window. Kids and sometimes adults will gather in front of the store to watch free TV. This was in late 60s in Korea in outer part of Seoul.

 

[marko]

Among several things my parents did that would've had them thrown in jail today:

My dad had a station wagon. He'd put the tailgate down and we would stand on the tailgate, holding onto the roof rack while he drove around town, sometimes at a good clip...we pretended we were firemen who rode on the back of the truck like that in those days.

I was also allowed to take out his 17 foot sailboat from the time I was about 7. Life jackets on board, but not on..."he can swim"..."just stay in the harbor". Never could understand why other parents wouldn't allow their kids to come out with me until I was about 15.

I got a BB gun when I was about 9. I asked my brother to shoot me so I could see how much it hurt. (what an idiot!) It hurt alright...all I had on were light pajamas and he shot me right in the chest from 6 feet away.

And yes, there was the Estes Rocket phase where I almost burned the house down...

Imoldernu: yes, I remember the test pattern on WBZ! TV had no afternoon programming so there was the test pattern from around noon until around 4 when "Dateline Boston" would come on. Listening to the Lone Ranger on the radio.

Saturday 7 AM, Three Stooges anyone? I doubt today's parent would allow kids to watch them now.

Running down to the drugstore every night to get cigs for dad. 23 cents! My brother called them "Dad's batteries" "Dad's batteries are low so we need to get him more".

 

[Winemaker]

Clothing was fun. Middle school I wore nehru jacket and large peace symbol medallion. Back then, you would be sent home for not tucking in your shirt tails and no T-shirts allowed. Had to be button-down front with collar. Long sleeve in winter and short sleeves after spring break.

Principle had a paddle and he used it, but still better than telling my dad what for...

I went to a Catholic grade and high school; had to wear a tie, dress shirt and dress pants/shoes. Girls wore skirts or dresses. It was to prepare us for the "corporate world, but I do admit it controlled behavior and eliminated clothes jealousy between students.

I didn't have to wear a tie underground in a coal mine as it would have been a safety hazard, although one time I had a bizarre guy that worked for me wear a bow tie.