Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

Born in the 1930s and early 40s, we exist as a very special age. We are the Silent Generation.

We are the smallest number of children born since the early 1900s. We are the "last ones."

We are the last generation, climbing out of the depression, who can remember the winds of war and the impact of a world at war which rattled the structure of our daily lives for years.

We are the last to remember ration books for everything from gas to sugar to shoes to stoves.

We saved tin foil and poured fat into tin cans.

We hand mixed 'white stuff' with `yellow stuff' to make fake butter.

We saw cars up on blocks because tires weren't available. We can remember milk
being delivered to our house early in the morning and placed in the "milk box" on the porch. [A friend's mother delivered milk in a horse drawn cart.] We sometimes fed the horse.

We are the last to hear Roosevelt 's radio assurances and to see gold stars in the front windows of our grieving neighbors.

We can also remember the parades on August 15, 1945; VJ Day.

We saw the 'boys' home from the war, build their Cape Cod style houses, pouring
the cellar, tar papering it over and living there until they could afford the time and money to build it out.

We remember trying to buy a new car after the war. The new cars were coming through with wooden bumpers.

We are the last generation who spent childhood without television; instead we imagined what we heard on the radio.

As we all like to brag, with no TV, we spent our childhood "playing outside until the street lights came on." We did play outside and we did play on our own. There was no little league. There was no city playground for kids.

To play in the water, we turned the fire hydrants on and ran through the spray.

The lack of television in our early years meant, for most of us, that we had little real understanding of what the world was like.

Our Saturday afternoons, if at the movies, gave us newsreels of the war sandwiched in between westerns and cartoons.

Telephones were one to a house, often shared and hung on the wall.

Computers were called calculators, only added and were hand cranked; typewriters were driven by pounding fingers, throwing the carriage, and changing the ribbon. The `internet' and `GOOGLE' were words that didn't exist.

We are the last group who had to find out for ourselves. As we grew up, the country was exploding with growth.

The G.I. Bill gave returning veterans the means to get an education and spurred
colleges to grow.

VA loans fanned a housing boom. Pent up demand coupled with new installment payment plans put factories to work. New highways would bring jobs and mobility. The veterans joined civic clubs and became active in politics.

In the late 40's and early 50's the country seemed to lie in the embrace of brisk but quiet order as it gave birth to its new middle class (which became known as `Baby Boomers').

The radio network expanded from 3 stations to thousands of stations. The telephone started to become a common method of communications and "Faxes" sent hard copy around the world.

Our parents were suddenly free from the confines of the depression and the war and they threw themselves into exploring opportunities they had never imagined.
We weren't neglected but we weren't today's all-consuming family focus.

They were glad we played by ourselves 'until the street lights came on.' They were busy discovering the post war world.

Most of us had no life plan, but with the unexpected virtue of ignorance and an
economic rising tide we simply stepped into the world and started to find out what the world was about.

We entered a world of overflowing plenty and opportunity; a world where we were
welcomed.

Based on our na‹ve belief that there was more where this came from, we shaped life as we went.

We enjoyed a luxury; we felt secure in our future.

Of course, just as today, not all Americans shared in this experience. Depression poverty was deep rooted. Polio was still a crippler. The Korean War
was a dark presage in the early 50s and by mid-decade school children were ducking under desks.

Russia built the "Iron Curtain" and China became Red China. Eisenhower sent the
first 'advisors' to Vietnam; and years later, Johnson invented a war there. Castro set up camp in Cuba and Khrushchev came to power.

We are the last generation to experience an interlude when there were no existential threats to our homeland.

We came of age in the 40s and early 50s. The war was over and the cold war, terrorism, Martin Luther King, civil rights, technological upheaval, "global warming", and perpetual economic insecurity had yet to haunt life with insistent unease.

Only our generation can remember both a time of apocalyptic war and a time when
our world was secure and full of bright promise and plenty. We have lived through both.

We grew up at the best possible time, a time when the world was getting better,
not worse.

We are the Silent Generation - "The Last Ones".

More than 99.9% of us are either retired or deceased, and feel privileged to have "lived in the best of times".


Regards,

Roger

--- PQUSA
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna (1:3828/7)

Hi! Roger,

On 19 Jun 17 06:55, you wrote to All:

Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

[ ...trimmed... ]

More than 99.9% of us are either retired or deceased, and feel
privileged to have "lived in the best of times".

Congratulations on your survival thus far, Roger. Live long & prosper, old feller. :)

Cheers,
Paul.

... Hey! Pull my finger.
--- Paul's Win98SE VirtualBox
* Origin: Quinn's Post - Maryborough, Queensland, OZ (3:640/384)

On Mon Jun-19-2017 22:30, Paul Quinn (3:640/384) wrote to Roger Nelson:

Yo!

On 19 Jun 17 06:55, you wrote to All:

Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

[ ...trimmed... ]

More than 99.9% of us are either retired or deceased, and feel
privileged to have "lived in the best of times".

Congratulations on your survival thus far, Roger. Live long &
prosper, old feller. :)

And best of all, this "seppo" still has most of his parts working, except that my knees are shot.

... You're growing old when your knees buckle & your belt won't.


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)

Hello Roger.

<On 19Jun2017 06:55 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to All regarding Children of... >

Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

Born in the 1930s and early 40s, we exist as a very special age. We
are the Silent Generation.

We are the smallest number of children born since the early 1900s.
We are the "last ones."

[snip]

Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully say you've hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the least. MANY things WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse than now. I do miss milk in glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

Be well.

Best regards,
Marc

--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)

On Wed Jun-21-2017 13:13, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger Nelson:

Hello Roger.

<On 19Jun2017 06:55 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to All regarding Children of... >

Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

Born in the 1930s and early 40s, we exist as a very special age. We
are the Silent Generation.

We are the smallest number of children born since the early 1900s.
We are the "last ones."

[snip]

Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully
say you've hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the
least. MANY things WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse
than now. I do miss milk in glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

I'm older. (-:

NOPSI in our day would have the Germans jealous.


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)

Hello Roger.

<On 22Jun2017 15:25 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc Lewis regarding Children of... >

On Wed Jun-21-2017 13:13, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger
Nelson:

Hello Roger.

<On 19Jun2017 06:55 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to All regarding Children of... >

Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

Born in the 1930s and early 40s, we exist as a very special age. We
are the Silent Generation.

We are the smallest number of children born since the early 1900s.
We are the "last ones."

[snip]

Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully
say you've hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the
least. MANY things WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse
than now. I do miss milk in glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

I'm older. (-:

NOPSI in our day would have the Germans jealous.

Achtung! You will pay your light bill NOW! :-)

They were indeed QUITE the organization. Lights, gas and transportation. Remember the 7 cent transit token? And the (now called "green") electric busses?

I can remember, when I was doing photographic darkroom work, being taken down into their basement on Baronne Street to their MASSIVE photographic darkroom and remember seeing 8X10" glass negatives from back in the early teens and twenties of countless views of the city and work crews, etc.

Best regards,
Marc

--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)

On Thu Jun-22-2017 21:33, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger Nelson:

Hello Roger.

<On 22Jun2017 15:25 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc
Lewis regarding Children of... >

On Wed Jun-21-2017 13:13, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger
Nelson:

Hello Roger.

<On 19Jun2017 06:55 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to All regarding Children of... >

Children of (1930s) & (1940s)

Born in the 1930s and early 40s, we exist as a very special age. We
are the Silent Generation.

We are the smallest number of children born since the early 1900s.
We are the "last ones."

[snip]

Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully
say you've hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the
least. MANY things WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse
than now. I do miss milk in glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

I'm older. (-:

NOPSI in our day would have the Germans jealous.

Achtung! You will pay your light bill NOW! :-)

They were indeed QUITE the organization. Lights, gas and
transportation. Remember the 7 cent transit token? And the (now
called "green") electric busses?

No, but I do remember the transfer slips. I could ride all over New Orleans as
long as I wanted to for 7 cents. And the bus service was 2nd to none. There was one coming every 7 minutes. Of course, we had mayor "Chep" Morrison at that time, so maybe he was the reason. I remember him wanting to build a monorail from the foot of Canal Street to Moisant airport, but the cab cos, limousine cos and probably some others were so opposed to it, it never became a
reality. Such a system would have put them out of business. At least that's what they thought.

I can remember, when I was doing photographic darkroom work, being
taken down into their basement on Baronne Street to their MASSIVE photographic darkroom and remember seeing 8X10" glass negatives
from back in the early teens and twenties of countless views of the
city and work crews, etc.

I started to get into that, but I lack the patience to wait for the best shot.
I did take some great pictures of my teenage daughter with the camera on a tripod and she about a foot or two away from the lens. Before that, I was taught developing by my brother-in-law in a darkroom he built in his parents' garage. Such a hobby served him well when he moved to Miami and became a private detective.


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)

Hello Roger.

<On 23Jun2017 08:32 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc Lewis regarding Children of... >

[snip]

Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully
say you've hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the
least. MANY things WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse
than now. I do miss milk in glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

I'm older. (-:

NOPSI in our day would have the Germans jealous.

To clarify for non-New Orleanians reading, NOPSI was New Orleans Public Service, Inc., a private, for-profit, public utility company exclusively serving the metro area of Orleans Parish with lights, natural gas and public transportation. At one time, their bus service had the most daily runs per line of any other city in the USA, save New York's subway system.

There is actually a new hotel that's about to open in New Orleans called "NOPSI", but it's not yet been unveiled to the public. It, fittingly enough is located in the old NOPSI main building at 317 Baronne Street in downtown New Orleans. You can bet on one thing, it won't be cheap. :-)

A side note: The Regional Transit Authority took over the transportation in New
Orleans and for the last decade and a half have been intensively restoring and renovating the Perley Thomas street cars. The craftsmen are doing an awesome job that includes manufacturing from scratch many parts that have been obsolete
for MANY years. Worth a trip to New Orleans just to ride them.

Best regards,
Marc

--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)

On Fri Jun-23-2017 13:04, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger Nelson:

Hello Roger.

<On 23Jun2017 08:32 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc
Lewis regarding Children of... >

[snip]
Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully
say you've hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the
least. MANY things WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse
than now. I do miss milk in glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

I'm older. (-:

NOPSI in our day would have the Germans jealous.

To clarify for non-New Orleanians reading, NOPSI was New Orleans
Public Service, Inc., a private, for-profit, public utility
company exclusively serving the metro area of Orleans Parish with
lights, natural gas and public transportation. At one time, their
bus service had the most daily runs per line of any other city in
the USA, save New York's subway system.

There is actually a new hotel that's about to open in New Orleans
called "NOPSI", but it's not yet been unveiled to the public. It, fittingly enough is located in the old NOPSI main building at 317
Baronne Street in downtown New Orleans. You can bet on one thing,
it won't be cheap. :-)

A side note: The Regional Transit Authority took over the
transportation in New Orleans and for the last decade and a half
have been intensively restoring and renovating the Perley Thomas
street cars. The craftsmen are doing an awesome job that includes manufacturing from scratch many parts that have been obsolete for
MANY years. Worth a trip to New Orleans just to ride them.

I miss riding the street cars of yesteryear, and while it may be a novelty to tourists, I won't go back to New Orleans as long as a Landrieu lives there.

When I was in grade school, I was riding a school bus to and from Gentilly to McDonogh #9 on N. Tonti (of the Iron Hand), but when I graduated to high school, my mother gave me 40 cents per day to ride the bus to and from high school and the extra 26 cents I could spend on whatever I wanted, as in lunch -- usually Mrs. Drake sandwiches and a soft drink. Grade school lunch was free.

I keep waiting for Hubig's to reopen because I like their pies, but now I'm thinking it won't happen. My favorite bakery is gone from there too. Lawrence
Aiavolasiti's (Mr. Wedding Cake) on Elysian Fields in Gentilly. The old boy passed away some years ago and he apparently didn't pass on his knowledge to his heirs or they wanted nothing to do with it. A real shame. There is an Aiavolasiti's bakery listed in Folsom, but I don't feel like driving up there.
I should call first.


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)

Hello Roger.

<On 24Jun2017 07:46 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc Lewis regarding Children of... >

[snip]

NOPSI in our day would have the Germans jealous.

To clarify for non-New Orleanians reading, NOPSI was New Orleans
Public Service, Inc., a private, for-profit, public utility
company exclusively serving the metro area of Orleans Parish with
lights, natural gas and public transportation. At one time, their
bus service had the most daily runs per line of any other city in
the USA, save New York's subway system.

There is actually a new hotel that's about to open in New Orleans
called "NOPSI", but it's not yet been unveiled to the public. It, fittingly enough is located in the old NOPSI main building at 317
Baronne Street in downtown New Orleans. You can bet on one thing,
it won't be cheap. :-)

Further note, I just saw the pictures of some of the rooms there... First class
all the way. Really nicely done. Can't wait to visit and see it first-hand. I'll make a point of it come July 4th week when I'm there for summer vacation.

A side note: The Regional Transit Authority took over the
transportation in New Orleans and for the last decade and a half
have been intensively restoring and renovating the Perley Thomas
street cars. The craftsmen are doing an awesome job that includes manufacturing from scratch many parts that have been obsolete for
MANY years. Worth a trip to New Orleans just to ride them.

I miss riding the street cars of yesteryear, and while it may be a
novelty to tourists, I won't go back to New Orleans as long as a
Landrieu lives there.

Landrieu, what a piece of work he is... And I'm practicing Christian Charity with that statement. But Landrieu or not, I'm going to enjoy my coming visit; after all, I spent the great majority of my life there until Katrina. ;-( Were
I financially independent, I'd move back in a heart beat. I miss my city... A LOT.

When I was in grade school, I was riding a school bus to and from
Gentilly to McDonogh #9 on N. Tonti (of the Iron Hand), but when I graduated to high school, my mother gave me 40 cents per day to
ride the bus to and from high school and the extra 26 cents I
could spend on whatever I wanted, as in lunch -- usually Mrs. Drake sandwiches and a soft drink. Grade school lunch was free.

Three high schools for me: De La Salle, St. Paul's (Covington) and Alcee Fortier (which was close to home.) Grade school at St. Francis of Assisi. Lunch was like ten cents and 2 more cents for an extra milk. Glazed donuts were 6 cents at the little confectionery down the street from my house. Hubig's
pies were a dime. A HUGE slice of apple cake was a dime too. First Friday breakfast after Mass at school was a half-pint of Borden's Dutch Chocolate milk
and a donut (free.) Tuition was $2.00 a month.

I keep waiting for Hubig's to reopen because I like their pies, but
now I'm thinking it won't happen.

As popular as those pies were all across the southern states, I'm really surprised that they've not re-opened after that fire.

My favorite bakery is gone from there too. Lawrence Aiavolasiti's
(Mr. Wedding Cake) on Elysian Fields in Gentilly. The old boy
passed away some years ago and he apparently didn't pass on his
knowledge to his heirs or they wanted nothing to do with it. A
real shame. There is an Aiavolasiti's bakery listed in Folsom, but
I don't feel like driving up there. I should call first.

Good Lord, I can remember seeing those commercials, both in print and TV... Along with Dick Bruce hawking McKenzie's bake shop's donuts. :-) (Tastee Donuts has taken over the McKenzie line of pastries, including their awesome cinnamon and hot-cross buns.)

This is really making me feel OLD and very homesick.

Best regards,
Marc

--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)

Marc,

Only *very* slightly before my time (I'm 68+,) but I can truthfully say you' ML>hit the nail on the head. A great compilation to say the least. MANY things ML>WERE markedly better, and many were MUCH worse than now. I do miss milk in ML>glass bottles and nickel Cokes.

Things are also much quieter, at a slower pace, and safer, back then.

Nowadays, everyone is in a rush for everything.

Daryl

===
þ OLX 1.53 þ 50 Days in the Saddle - By Capt. O. Blubalz
--- SBBSecho 3.00-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org (1:19/33)

On Sat Jun-24-2017 22:32, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger Nelson:

[...]

There is actually a new hotel that's about to open in New Orleans
called "NOPSI", but it's not yet been unveiled to the public. It, fittingly enough is located in the old NOPSI main building at 317
Baronne Street in downtown New Orleans. You can bet on one thing,
it won't be cheap. :-)

Further note, I just saw the pictures of some of the rooms there...
First class all the way. Really nicely done. Can't wait to visit
and see it first-hand. I'll make a point of it come July 4th week
when I'm there for summer vacation.

My mother worked at Sears on Baronne and Common for 29 years before retiring, so I think I know where that is. I just can't think of what was torn down to accomodate the hotel. I won't be there for a reason already mentioned.

A side note: The Regional Transit Authority took over the
transportation in New Orleans and for the last decade and a half
have been intensively restoring and renovating the Perley Thomas
street cars. The craftsmen are doing an awesome job that includes manufacturing from scratch many parts that have been obsolete for
MANY years. Worth a trip to New Orleans just to ride them.

I didn't ride one of those. I heard you had to have exact change to board, there were no transfers, AFAIK, and I didn't ask what the fare is/was.

I miss riding the street cars of yesteryear, and while it may be a
novelty to tourists, I won't go back to New Orleans as long as a
Landrieu lives there.

Landrieu, what a piece of work he is... And I'm practicing
Christian Charity with that statement. But Landrieu or not, I'm
going to enjoy my coming visit; after all, I spent the great
majority of my life there until Katrina. ;-( Were I financially independent, I'd move back in a heart beat. I miss my city... A
LOT.

There is talk of removing the statue of Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square as well. I guess the two-faced mayor forgot that black people owned slaves, too.

When I was in grade school, I was riding a school bus to and from
Gentilly to McDonogh #9 on N. Tonti (of the Iron Hand), but when I graduated to high school, my mother gave me 40 cents per day to
ride the bus to and from high school and the extra 26 cents I
could spend on whatever I wanted, as in lunch -- usually Mrs. Drake sandwiches and a soft drink. Grade school lunch was free.

Three high schools for me: De La Salle, St. Paul's (Covington) and
Alcee Fortier (which was close to home.) Grade school at St.
Francis of Assisi. Lunch was like ten cents and 2 more cents for an
extra milk. Glazed donuts were 6 cents at the little confectionery
down the street from my house. Hubig's pies were a dime. A HUGE
slice of apple cake was a dime too. First Friday breakfast after
Mass at school was a half-pint of Borden's Dutch Chocolate milk and
a donut (free.) Tuition was $2.00 a month.

A friend of mine went there, along with Morris Bart. THey were classmates.

I keep waiting for Hubig's to reopen because I like their pies, but
now I'm thinking it won't happen.

As popular as those pies were all across the southern states, I'm
really surprised that they've not re-opened after that fire.

Try this if you haven't already seen it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOXVEcXftj4&spfreload=10

You can add New Orleans to those lyrics.

My favorite bakery is gone from there too. Lawrence Aiavolasiti's
(Mr. Wedding Cake) on Elysian Fields in Gentilly. The old boy
passed away some years ago and he apparently didn't pass on his
knowledge to his heirs or they wanted nothing to do with it. A
real shame. There is an Aiavolasiti's bakery listed in Folsom, but
I don't feel like driving up there. I should call first.

Good Lord, I can remember seeing those commercials, both in print
and TV... Along with Dick Bruce hawking McKenzie's bake shop's
donuts. :-) (Tastee Donuts has taken over the McKenzie line of
pastries, including their awesome cinnamon and hot-cross buns.)

I remember him. A couple of guys who were relatives of the MLB player Lou Boudreau took me under their wing and were fine-tuning me as a hitter and infielder. I never hit like Lou, except in batting practice, but I was a better pitcher than an infielder. They also introduced me to Morgus the Magnificent (Sid Noel, his professional name). Funny, funny guy and really brilliant.

This is really making me feel OLD and very homesick.

I'll have to pass, but I know exactly how you feel.


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)

Following up a message from Roger Nelson to Marc Lewis:

On Sat Jun-24-2017 22:32, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger
Nelson:

[...]

A friend of mine went there, along with Morris Bart. THey were classmates.

I forgot to name the school. It was Fortier.


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)

Hello Roger.

<On 26Jun2017 07:41 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc Lewis regarding Children of... >

[...]

A friend of mine went there, along with Morris Bart. THey were classmates.

I forgot to name the school. It was Fortier.

<grin> I was getting ready to ask which one! :-)

Best regards,
Marc

--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)

On Mon Jun-26-2017 14:27, Marc Lewis (1:396/45) wrote to Roger Nelson:

<On 26Jun2017 07:41 Roger Nelson (1:3828/7) wrote a message to Marc
Lewis regarding Children of... >

[...]

A friend of mine went there, along with Morris Bart. THey were classmates.

I forgot to name the school. It was Fortier.

<grin> I was getting ready to ask which one! :-)

Well, I never claimed to be perfect, but when something nags at me, like forgetting to include particulars when I should have, I retrace my steps to find out where I fouled up. (-:


Regards,

Roger
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna - (1:3828/7)