Do You Remember? Article Of The 50's, Memorabilia, Tarot

Going to Marshall Field's with friends on Saturdays, to listen to the latest 45's - that we couldn't afford to buy. Opening the window in the 'listening booth' and dropping penny candy on the heads of passerbys.

Dating allowed only on Friday and Saturday nights - never school nights!

Taking the only telephone in the house in the closet so parents couldn't hear.

No friends in the house when parents were out and neighbors who 'squealed' on you if you broke that rule.

8th grade flirting that consisted of giggles and sideway glaces.

The gang going to the malt shop after school for a 10 cent coke and a shared plate of french fries.

Root beer stands.
Silly nicknames like stinky and pogo that no one seemed to mind.

Freshman girls being asked if they were 'nice' girls or 'good' girls.

Parents restricting how far you could drive and then checking the mileage when you got home.

Roller skating rinks when most of your time was spent flirting on the benches.

Dibs, padiddle, and 'you owe me a coke'.

Single strand pearl necklaces and wearing cardigan sweaters backwards.

Penny loafers with dimes instead of pennies so you could make a phone call if needed.

Photo booths with all your friends piled in trying to get in the picture.

Cross your heart, hope to die.

I remember Sundays the best! I'd meet my cousins; we'd go to church. Ma would give me TWO nickels to put in the church basket. I would put ONE in and save the other for the walk home, when we could stop at the candy store and buy a Musketeers Bar for 5 cents!!

I remember playing with my cousins in the basement of their home. We would build booby traps, and the "victim" would have to walk in the dark through the traps. We had a ball, although my aunt wasn't too fond of it. Going to Dairy Queen was a great treat. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day picnics were so much fun because all the family would be there, and the food was so wonderful. All my aunts, my mother, grandmother made everything "from scratch." My uncle had a hammock in his backyard- what a treat for a city girl like me!

I have searched for quite some time trying to find ANYTHING about TEENAGE DOWNBEAT. My brother and I were on their in early "59". I was barely 13, so didn't remember much on the details. Was so glad to find your site. I truely enjoyed your memorabilla and the walk down memory lane. I think you covered it all except the ISIS Theatre in Cowtown, and the Monday night wrestling at the Northside Collisium (my dad always went too.)
Thanks Again for the great feeling.
Sharon

Jingles and slogans, like "Pepsi Cola -- hit's the spot! 12 oz. bottle-- that's alot! Twice as much for a nickel, too; you'll say pepsi is the drink for you; nickel, nickel, nickel..."

Candy Birthday Corsages

I loved this, and wish we were back there now; and that my daughter and granddaughter could have known all of these things.

Thanks alot for your site. It has helped be greatly with home work on the 1950's, and it was a very pleasurable experience viewing your web page. Lucy

I remember May Day, and dancing around the Maypole. How about birthday punches? When you bought your new school shoes, you would get a free pencil case with a ruler and 2 pencils inside! Decorating your bike Red, White and Blue for the 4th of July. Hopscotch, shows we would make up in the backyard. Trips to the lake. There was an ice cream dairy near us that had a huge ice cream dish, called a Pig's Dinner. If you could finish the whole thing you got a pin that said 'I was a pig at Greenwood Dairies". Usually only the teenage boys could finish it.

One of our Saturday chores was scrubbing the marble steps outside our house. We had to do the neighbor's too. On Sundays when we went to church, my mother would get the hat boxes down from the shelf to pick one that matched our dress. You had to wear a hat to church. How about the May procession at church, when there was actually a 'May Queen' and her court.

Sticking pop tops to your shirt. Remove the cork liner, put the cap out side your shirt and the cork inside, and press together; paper kites with nylons for a tail; and just being a kid.