My oh my, how times have changed

When in the country-rural areas, you could bring a gun to school, put it in the corner of the classroom. Then, after school, go hunting. I have heard about this from several older people and older relatives of mine. Today, you would go to jail for even haveing a gun across the street from the school.

Next, during WW2, when the nation was at war, the nation, regardless of political party, united together and stayed together until total victory was established, even after over 350K KIA's (US). Today, with our nation at war, and even more divided than ever, you have a split nation, divided, and now, after 3-4K KIA (3K+ based on US military dead, nearly 4K if you also include contractors), many call for us to "cut-n-run"....

WHEN YOU COULD FILL YOUR GAS TANK WITH $10. WHEN PARENTS TOLD CHILDREN WHAT TO DO. WHEN CHILDREN COULD PLAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT THE FEAR OF GETTING HIT BY A STRAY BULLET. WHEN EVERYBODY REALLY COULD AFFORD A COLLEGE EDUCATION.

When school was dismissed for two weeks for cotton pickin. When the only place to get gas in Florence after 11:00 pm was at the Zippy mart on the corner of Huntsville rd and Cox creek. When you could go to the drive in and and light the mosquito repellent ring and get some luvin from your gal. When know one thought twice about not wearing a seat belt. When it used to snow and school would let out. When kids used to fight fair with nothing but fist after the school bell rang. When the best night club to go to was Johnny's at the Tennessee state line. When the rule of thumb was enforced and it was cool
When there was a chance at getting a good paying job in the Shoals.

Remember when as kids we could leave home in the morning on a hot summer day, stay gone ALL day and parents didn't have to worry. When you could walk to the store with 50 cents and get a coke and bag of chips or a BIG sack of penny candy. My kids have no idea what penny candy even is. When we played outside and our 'toys' were things we found in the yard, sticks, rocks, and if you had a bicycle you had it made! We also actually had imagination!!

When they four-laned Florence blvd. and Cox Creek Parkway was just an isolated two lane road waaay out of town, or so it seemed.
When Veteran's drive was Union st. and when that was a two laned dirt road.
When the Fair was in Florence and school let out early on Friday so the kids could go to the fair.
When we had emergency drills at school to see how fast we could get home in case the big-one was dropped.... and we wore dog-tags.
When you could go to the Saturday matinees at Shoals theater and pay to get in with so many empty potato chip bags or drink caps. And the line to get in strecthed all the way down the block.
When FSC students would dress up for Hallooween and be seen walking up and down Court st.
When Sears was downtown and every year at Christmas the large back display window became "Toyland" with a huge toy display.
A much anticipated family night out was a trip to town to see the Christmas decorations (not put up until after Thanksgiving), stopping to drool over the toys in the Toyland window then on to the Shanty (or Sammy's cellar) for dinner.

wow....i just showed my age bigtime didn't i?
and it felt goood

When Rogers had great Christmas displays in their Florence store. When it was hard to find a parking place in downtown Sheffield. When over a hundred ROTC would march out of FTC weekly, complete with color guard, band and good looking lady sponsors. When Olims was the best clothing store.

When bottles had a deposet of 2 cents.If you could find a penny an a empty bottle you could sit in front of the country store drink a RC an plan adenture.

I remember at Thanksgiving my Grandmother would give me $20.00.I thought I was rich, I would use that money to buy my whole family Christmas presents that $20.00 seemed to stretch and go along way back then. Now it wouldn't buy one present. My Grandmother taught me the spirit of giving and to this day I get more enjoyment at seeing others happy then recieving anything myself.

Those 2 cent deposits were a gold mine. I spent a lot of time scouring the neighborhhod for empties to return, but my brother tried the fast track to riches by selling "Grit."
He spent a lot of his money at the corner store buying two for a nickel cigarettes.

quote:

Originally posted by (aka)PuckerupFrog:
Those 2 cent deposits were a gold mine. I spent a lot of time scouring the neighborhhod for empties to return, but my brother tried the fast track to riches by selling "Grit."
He spent a lot of his money at the corner store buying two for a nickel cigarettes.

Goldmine for me too! A friend had a horse and a ground slide. We would put a box on the ground slide and go up and down the highway collecting empties. The go to the country store and cash them end and get a coke and candy bar.
Horse didn't get anything!

other than a lot of exercise....lol.

Makes me SIGH... never worried about the keys for door locks, because most doors were NEVER locked... kids could play outside well after dark in the summer months...

Things were good, yeah they really were...

quote:

Makes me SIGH... never worried about the keys for door locks, because most doors were NEVER locked... kids could play outside well after dark in the summer months...

You're right, KS....and we slept with the doors open (no AC) and never worried about it.

When's the last time you heard someone outside yelling for their kids to come home?

. . . when folks were optimistic about the future, rather than finding fault with everything going on around them.

A single man had to get dressed up wash his car on the weekends and hope to run into some good looking girls,but now all you do is place your ad from your computer, with your hair sticking up and don't have to wash your car until you meet her.

Good one, PBA! as for me, not only is my hair sticking up, but i'm also wearing sweats while typing out the ad and perusing all the wonderful catches that are available.

quote:

Originally posted by excelman:

quote:

Originally posted by (aka)PuckerupFrog:
Those 2 cent deposits were a gold mine. I spent a lot of time scouring the neighborhhod for empties to return, but my brother tried the fast track to riches by selling "Grit."
He spent a lot of his money at the corner store buying two for a nickel cigarettes.

Goldmine for me too! A friend had a horse and a ground slide. We would put a box on the ground slide and go up and down the highway collecting empties. The go to the country store and cash them end and get a coke and candy bar.
Horse didn't get anything!

The neo con formula for success, and it works, unless you're the horse. Don't take it personal, you were just kids, but the Horse deserved at least part of a carrot.

quote:

Originally posted by country:
When bottles had a deposet of 2 cents.If you could find a penny an a empty bottle you could sit in front of the country store drink a RC an plan adenture.

There were two small stores near me as a child, one sold Vernor's Ginger Ale the other sold Hires. I like Hires, my brother drank Vernor's but both stores sold A 1 Beer and that's what the gentlemen of the area drank. SO, with three A 1 Bottles my brother and I would go first to the Dupa Villa Market, turn in two bottles and get a bottle of Vernor's, and then go to the Portland Street market, turn in the other bottle and the penny and I got my Hires. We also got a few more empties on the way from Dupa Villa to Portland Street. All this ended when the state legislature made it illegal for minors to turn in Beer Bottles. The Chruches thought it was demoralizing to allow children to handle the empties.

The number of injuries caused by broken beer bottles on the vacant lot baseball field closed the baseball field.

The Kids went to stealing sodapop from in back of the stores.

At Christmas, our mom taking us to see the only Santa around at 7 points shopping center. He was in Santa's house on the sidewalk. Walking to the store with .50 and buying a coke and a pack of doritos. Riding bicycles all over town, going to the creek by ourselves at the age of 8 or 9, not having to worry about drunks or druggies. Staying out playing with the neighbor kids until late at night and hearing your mom call you (not by cell phone)and tell you it is time to come in...