Old timer's trip down memory lane

[CHARLIE]

And you young un's might find it interesting too.  Just a few years back, a 5th grade elementary teacher in my wife's school mentioned a record player to her class and a child asked, "What is a record?"  Then it dawned on the teacher that music is on CD's now. Even cassettes are becoming obsolete.  I remember when all the boys played marbles, usually for keeps which meant you could "Lose your marbles" ;D  Our rollerskating was done on those metal skates that clamped on the toe of the shoe with a leather strap and buckle (no velcro back then) around the ankle. They always tended to come unclamped when you were going full bore.  Movies were usually Westerns (black and white) and many times were Double Features (got to see 2 westerns for the price of one). There was always a newsreel and a cartoon before the movie.  People went to a movie anytime of the day. If they walked in during the middle of the movie, they would just stay and watch the first part before leaving.  In our town, a full day of cartoons could be seen for 10¢ and the label off the end of a bread wrapper (bread was packaged in a waxed paper with labels on each end to seal the folds). I reckon I could go on and on.  Times were simpler and much safer.  We never took the keys out of the ignition on our cars (remember curb guides), never locked doors on houses (unless going on vacation) or cars and could leave packages in the car with the windows rolled down without them being stolen........................................   Click on this site for some reminders.

http://thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me/   

[fstedy]

  ;D :D I know where you're comming from Charlie been there done that. How about Balloons and baseball cards on your bike spokes to make that cool sound. The movies were great weren't they especially the Saturday serial episodes before the show. You could hitch hike to get where you were going,  (didn't need  or have available Mom's Taxi ). Those were simpler times too bad they have gone at least in NJ.  They taught you responsibility I remember picking Blueberries starting at age six because Mom had to make extra money while times were tough so I got to go along and make some extra money. I remember my quota for the day was 18 pints of berries picked which came out to earning $1.00. Only then was I allowed to go have some fun roaming the fields till it was time to go home.

[Frank_Pender]

Yep, Charlie, I even have some 33 and 78 rpm records and the players to play them.   However, it is the marbles I like the best.  I am still playing for keeps.  I have around 10,000 and here you folks thought I had lost mine. :D 8) 8) 8)  I store them in old green; pint, quart and half gallon fruit jars. :

[old3dogg]

Im not that "old" but i can remember when the 8 track tape was cool! Took me years to convert to cassettes! Taking even longer to convert to cd's. I have 150 8 tracks, about 200 records, over 500 cassettes and maybe 20 cd's. ;D

The vhs tape conversion to dvd is gonna be hard also. At last count I had 300 vhs tapes. About the time I get "converted" something better will come along!

[Fla._Deadheader]

Them records was played on the old RCA wind up Victrola.  Even had the Regina Music players with metal punched discs. 

  One of my Bicycles (used) came with the Grocers Delivery Basket on the front. Talk about balancing act, with 20-30 beer and soda bottles picked up along the road for that 2 cents and 5 cents deposit.  ;D ;D :D

[Gary_C]

How well would this forum work if everything going into a computer was on teletype tapes or IBM punch cards?  ;D

I think one cartoon has survived, one of the "favorites" that was on just before the Roy Rogers movie. Road Runner and Wiley Coyote. You can still see that sometimes, but it is probably considered too violent by todays standards.

The 1950's were a special time. Being a teenager and seeing the birth of rock and roll was just awesome. Unfortunately got to see the end too thanks to greedy promoters and Milly Vanilli I think they were called.

Thanks for the reminder.    8)

[pigman]

I am glad I am too young to remember those "old" things, or is it that I am too old to remember  .

[Ernie]

When my Mum died in '78, all the kids were asked what we wanted of all her stuff. All I wanted were the old 78's that she and I used to listen to when I was really young.  My brother is storing them in his basement in Toronto for me.  There are many boxes and way too heavy to ship all the wayto NZ.  Maybe one day.  I'd better keep my eyes open at the estate auctions for something to play them on.

Did anyone ever use their meccano set and a model airplane engine to build little cars to race down the road.  There were about ten of us who did.  Those were the good old days. Cut fingers from the propellors and all.

[JimBuis]

I remember much of those good old times.  My older brothers have told me others.  They used to go to the Feed Store with our MOM to pick out their next shirt fabric.  I couldn't figure out what they were talking about.  They explained that the feed bags used to be made of different printed fabrics so they could be reused for clothing and such, so they'd pick out the feed bag they liked and when it was empty MOM would make a shirt for them.

Leaving keys in the lock.  I can rember this very well.  When I grew up I never had a house key and I didn't know where one was even if I needed it.  The door was never locked.

Some people ask me why I have chosen to live in Tokyo instead of the U.S.    Well the primary answer is, "It's a God thing!"  However, one of the benefits is the safety of Tokyo.  Even today, you can leave a back pack on a train here with a high dollar camera, cash, and other valuables in it and most likely get it back with nothing missing.  I have friends who not only have had this experience, but some helpful person paid to have a courier service deliver the missing bag to their door.  Now how's that for honesty?!

[Bro. Noble]

 Remember being scared of catching polio?

Remember how great it was to get your polio vaccine in a sugar cube rather than a syringe? ;D

I'm glad that youngsters now don't know what polio is 8)

[mike_van]

Wise potato chips in 5 & 10 cent bags.  Coke in a 6 1/2 oz bottle for a dime - Sputnik too -       We had a black 4 door '54 Chevy Bel Air - 6 cyl, 3 speed on the column - Gas was 15 cents, kerosene was a dime a gallon -  :D

[Engineer]

Og remember spear deer, drag wife to new cave, make deer black and tasty on new invention that Og call "fire".    8)

Also remember make pictures of deer and wife on cave wall, and freeze Og butt because we not smart and migrate out of the "U.P" like that smart guy Glug that invent round thing he call "wheel".

Og remember all that.  You people not old enough to remember.  Except the U.P. is still cold (not like Og fire).   :

[Don_Papenburg]

Dad got rid of the old green Chrysler  that had caught on fire twice , bought a spanking new 57 Pontiac lt blue on blue V8 auto . never locke dthe house unless we left for a whole day  . and never ever locked a shed or barn.

[gizmo]

Those days will never be had again. Too much greed, violence, and lawsuits, but thats another topic. I try to explain to my kids, both married ,son in his thirties and the other in ther 20's about the old days but it really has no meaning. Almost like disbelief. Times were that much safer back then and the population was half of what it is today. I guess the next generation will think this is a safe generation as compared to the one their children will experience. Glad I am getting older..................