1950’s continued:
More about life in the 50’s:
I walked to school at the age of six without parents fearing I would be abducted. I remember snow storms then were often more like blizzards. The smell of the air after a snowfall clean and fresh and the noises muted as the blanket of white absorbed it. There was also a hint of wood burning fires in the air, probably from the cooking stoves. We had an old cast iron stove which was fed with coal. After being out in the snow my feet were so cold that my grandmother had a chair in front of the oven and wrapped my feet with a towel and had me put them into the oven. Now it seems like a Hansel and Greta story. I have a picture of me age four sleigh riding down a three foot pile of snow my grandfather made. Those were the days!
My first days at school were exciting. I remember the teacher Miss Dickerson who had a screechy voice and looked witch like. I loved art time the smell of the newsprint and crayons which to this day conjure up memories of then. One of my friends Debby was a shy petite little girl whom I chose to protect. We grew into lifelong friends. We both became nurses but while I spent over 45 years of nursing she lent her talents to Mary Kay and became excellent at it. She even got a diamond ring for her sales. She was an orthodox Jew and I learned much from her about their holidays and practices. Now she has abandoned much of these rituals (I guess having spoken to her about riding in a car on Saturdays).
My grandmother would start a Christmas club for me the first of the year. It was $12.50 and I would go down to Lucky & Platt and Woolworth to shop all by myself at a very young age 7-8. One thing I always got for my grandfather was $.50 white Handkerchiefs and a special box for them. He used to travel to NYC on business and I thought he could use them (boring but I had to budget my little money). I remember also buying Evening in Paris for mom (whew it was awful smelling)!
Easter, Mother’s day, Memorial Day, Christmas and Thanksgiving were big holidays for flowers only second were weddings and funerals. At the age of twelve I was employed for every one of these holidays and made $25 which I used to buy clothes for myself. I worked every year thereafter in the shop until I was forty something (when the fire caused the whole corner to be torn down and with it the business too). It was a sad day indeed for me. Now I miss the house where I grew up and all the nooks and hiding places which were special to me growing up. When I hear “I’ll be home for Christmas” it tears at my heart and brings longing for home.
Life was so simple as a child no responsibilities or bills to pay just a safe and secure time when the world was a beautiful place.
jjldee64 