Memoirs of a Baby Boomer

So often I hear people say, "I should have been born back when...," with a myriad of explanations justifying their viewpoint. I am one of the more fortunate that can say with conviction, "I was born in the right place at the right time."

I was born after the second world war and prior to the Korean conflict, within a family of six. It consisted of a father and mother, an older brother and sister, and me and a younger sister. We lived in what we called a neighborhood, which by today's standard may be considered quite suburban. This provided us with an area of nearly limitless proportions in which we could learn how to live, and we were always encouraged to make full use of it. The catch phrase of the day was, "Go outside and play"! Play was not just a means of self entertainment but also included valuable lessons shared among peers. In this manner we were not far removed from the typical form of training provided throughout the animal kingdom, and as a result we generally stood in great conformity with nature.

Schools were a place that we went to for the structured accumulation of the tools and skills that we would need to enable us to both earn sustenance and contribute back to our society. It did not focus on our moral posture as that was provided by family and religion. It did not teach us how to live. We learned how to live - by living. This allowed the teachers to focus on education and not be hampered by our level of confidence or our self image. The system actually seemed to work quite well.

Though it is probably considered an overly used phrase, we actually did walk a long distance to get to school (just not uphill both ways). For me it was nearly three miles if I utilized the shortcuts. But then, we were not burdened by the social fears that prevail today, primarily because the men that lived then could be counted on to observe and react to danger in a manner that precluded its potential. This allowed us to roam rather freely, being responsible only to our obligations which at times were numerous. But aside from school and chores, we were essentially free beings, and as such we were held accountable for our actions. However, this was not usually directed by the activity of civil authorities. That form of intervention was rarely necessary as the demands of family and peers generally set a higher standard of behavior.

Technology played a less influential role in our existence. Black and white television was available to the masses, but interestingly the vast majority of families did not include even one. It was a form of entertainment, not an integral part of downstream communications. I can remember many days when it was not even turned on because there was nobody there to watch it. Most families did own one automobile and yet we walked or bicycled nearly everywhere we chose to go. Exercise was not a form of recreation, it was a fact of life.

There was a traditionally celebrated distinction between male and female from birth. Boy babies were blue and girl babies were pink. Little boys were made of snips and snails and puppy dog tails. Little girls were made of sugar and spice and everything nice. These distinctive roles were reinforced throughout the growth process and into adult life. And while these roles may now be considered as a form of inequity, this system supported well the structure of the family.

One of the things that I find most amazing was the balance and justice of our economy. As a boy, I could mow someone's lawn with a push mower for fifty cents, in about two hours. With that same fifty cents, I could enjoy an afternoon at the movies, complete with a snack and a beverage. However, If I wanted the company of a friend or young lady, I needed to mow two lawns. Or, I could shovel the snow in a neighbor's driveway for a quarter, and go to candy store or soda shop for a quick reward. Of course, the benefits of saving was always reinforced by the ever present piggy bank promised to burst upon filling for more exorbitant rewards. But there was always a balance between your labor and your gain. In fact the only reference to credit that I can recall from my youth was Wimpy's famed request of Popeye "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today," but that was just considered to be the humor of the funny papers.

I'm not trying to convince you that these were "the best of times" or even "the good old days." I just hope that for some this prompts fond remembrance, and for others it portrays an interesting glimpse of a gone by era.