Being of slightly advanced age does give one perspective on societal evolution when you’ve had the privilege of witnessing it with your own eyes. The late fifties and early sixties could\u00a0 have been called “the age of children”.\u00a0 The “baby boom” that had started at the\u00a0end of WW2 was now in full bloom with full classrooms in in every grade.\u00a0 It was\u00a0reading (phonics), writing, (cursive) and arithmetic. The morning started with saluting the flag and saying the pledge of allegiance , including the words (gasp) ‘under God.<\/p>\n
Other items that were mandatory at the time was art and music. Both were instrumental in my intellectual development as I was able to learn early on that I had precious little talent in either.<\/p>\n
Recess was always a blast. over a hundred kids running, \u00a0jumping, screaming, and playing with all kinds dangerous\u00a0playground equipment. Kids chose their own teams, played games and played to win. Two teachers oversaw this mayhem to break up the rare fight, and to take injured students to the school nurse.<\/p>\n
Boys played competitive games, girls jump roped and played hopscotch.<\/p>\n
Tomboy girls were accepted. Girly boys? I’m sure they were there but I never noticed.\u00a0Remember these were primitive times.\u00a0 The latest new technology was the rotary \u00a0phone.<\/p>\n
To be continued.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Being of slightly advanced age does give one perspective on societal evolution when you’ve had the privilege of witnessing it with your own eyes. The late fifties and early sixties could\u00a0 have been called “the age of children”.\u00a0 The “baby boom” that had started at the\u00a0end of WW2 was now in full bloom with full …<\/p>\n