Memories for Those Born in 1955

I was born in 1955, so I thought I would add a few memories here - an idea I got from one of the Yahoo Groups I am a member of:

One of my favorite toys was the hul-a-hoop.

The first Barbies came out in 1958 or 9 and I got my first one in 1959.

I remember being in 1st grade when JFK was assassinated. Everything stopped to watch the news.

When I learned to drive gas was 19 cents a gallon.

I remember phone party-lines where you could listen in on your neighbor's conversations!

The Monkees and Herman's Hermits were popular musicians when I was in Jr. High.

There were many corner stores that sold penny candy- things like wax lips, necco wafers, candy dos and more

Milk came in glass jugs

Disposable diapers were just about unheard of

Other popular toys- Tiny Tears, Chatty Cathy, Raggedy Ann, Radio Flyer wagons, metal skates with keys, tea sets, Easy Bake Ovens

In grade school we all learned the drill procedure in the event of an atomic bomb attack – duck under your desk and cover your head

Many places did not have an area code, and telephone numbers were often associated with names and letters .Stanley eight and so on

All phones were rotary dials will bells for ringers

Most children’s records were done on heavy vinyl and played at 78 rpm

No video recordings- cartoons waited till Saturday morning

No air popped popcorn- it was in a pot with oil or the new invention of Jiffy Pop.

View Masters were new toys and cool

Silly Putty was new and cool

Etch a Scetch was cool

There were pinball games but no video games

Microwaves were incredibly expensive and very few owned them. Same was true for air conditioners


Car seats were unheard of and most of us rode around in the back of the station wagon, free as a bird

Everyone played in the neighborhood- softball, kick-the-can and hide and seek were spontaneous events

real paper dolls

milk being delivered to door

Captain Kangaroo

black and white tvs, we got 3 channels

portable record players

stingray bikes

clackers

Cocoa cola came in glass bottles

drive in movies

Drive ins - they put the food tray on your car window