Things That My Grandchildren Will Never See

Since I am fast become vintage, for I am a 19 and 52 model, there are some things that I have beheld with my baby blues (which forthe record are a lovely shade of green) that my Grandchildren will never encounter. Some are good memories and some are just memories of times gone by.

I present my list:

1. Going to downtown Cincinnati and seeing raggedy looking men or women selling newspapers by screaming "Extra" or "Times Star".

2. The organ grinder that stood across from Fountain Square, playing his barrel organ and hoping for some spare change.


3. Two mail deliveries per day.



4. Two editions of a newspaper per day.






5. Unregulated X-ray machines in childrens shoe stores that showed parents how close the child's toes were from the front of the shoes.


6. Iron lungs





7. Old ladies thadressed in print dresses, wore white gloves and funny hats with netting and orthopedic high heeled shoes.

8. Mass in Latin and mandatory Latin class in school.

9. Movie theaters that were works of art with huge screens.

10. Saddle shoes

11. Learning to make a lanyard during the summer at camp

12. Being able to play outside from 8:30 am to 7 pm anywhere in your neighborhood without fear.

13. Cars with fins



14. Cars with rear mounted engines.





15. Respect for politicians and public officials


16. Peddlers that came around your neighborhood selling fruit and vegetables.



17. The Fuller Brush man.



18. Home milk delivery

19. Home potato chip delivery (Mr. Chips)

20. Riding your bicycle everywhere.

21. Sonic booms

22. Duck and cover

23. The Iron Curtain


24. Locally produced television shows that invited you to be part of the audience



25. Mom and Pop grocery stores



26. Service stations that had attendants that pumped your gas, checked your oil and fluids and washed your windshield. All this was done for 23.9 cents a gallon or less.

27. Ministers that visited your school and gave a Bible lesson to your class.

28. Morning prayer at school.

29. The Pledge of Allegiance


30. The dreadful paddle in the principal's office.

31. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter being celebrated at school with parties and singing of hymns.

32. Yellow vinyl rain coats with locking clasps and a matching hood with a small brim.

33. Shoes made from actual leather.





34. PF Flyers

35. Radio Flyers

36. Schwin bicycles if you were rich and Huffy bicycles if you were not.

37. Banana bicycle seats with high handle bars.



38. Chatty Cathy and Patty Playpal

39. Raggedy Ann & Raggedy Andy

40. Little girls toy ovens that had an electric element.

41. Toy cars made out of lead

42. Toy guns that looked authentic

43. Patches for jeans

45. Soft drinks/Pop that was made with real cane sugar

46. BB Guns


47. Boy Scout knives that you would carry everywhere, even to school.

48. Returnable pop and beer bottles that were sanitized by the pop manufacturer and resued.

49. Dad's that smoked pipes

50. Dad's fedora hat