NELSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1954

Memory Lane

Remember When?

Hit Parade Songs of Our High School Years
September 1951 – June 1954

Verna Mae sends us this list of

PERKS OF BEING OVER 60
by: Yvonne Holmes Mott

• Kidnappers are not very interested in you.
• In a hostage situation you likely will be released first.
• No one expects you to run into a burning building.
• People call at 9 p.m. and ask, “Did I wake you?”
• There is nothing left to learn the hard way.
• Things you buy now won’t wear out.
• You can eat dinner at 4 p.m.
• You enjoy hearing about other people’s operations.
• You get into heated arguments about pension plans.
• You have a party and the neighbours don’t even realize it.
• You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.
• You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
• You sing along with elevator music.
• Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.
• Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.
• Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can’t remember them either.

RULES FOR REVERSAL DAY 1951

GIRLS:

1. Must wear straight hair or pigtails.
2. Must have that “Irish-Shiny School Girl Look” – no make-up or jewelry.
3. Must carry boys books from room to room and at no time avoid gallantly stepping back to let the boys through doors first.
4. Girls are requested to wear heavy boots, odd shoes and socks, jeans or slacks, plaid shirts, hats or caps, etc.

BOYS:

1. Must wear skirts (Here’s a chance to bring that “old look” back boys, and show off those legs!)
2. Must adorn themselves in any available jewelry, and at no time be seen without make-up on.
3. If nylons are worn there must be no less than 3 runs.
4. Here’s a chance for the boys to show the girls how to wear hats, heels, gloves, etc.

EVERYONE:

1. All grade 10s must have ’54 written on their foreheads in lipstick.
2. All others must have the year they plan to graduate written on their foreheads.

This law will be enforced by Cabinet Ministers.

P.S. This is all fun so let’s see everyone cooperate and have a good time!

HOW DID WE EVER MAKE IT?
(Sent in by Alyse Mathisen)

According to today’s regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s or even the early 80s, probably shouldn’t have survived.

• Our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint, the slats were apparently too far apart, and there were no bumper pads.
• We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets.  Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.
• As children we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.  Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
• We drank water from a garden hose and not from a bottle.  Horrors!
• We sampled cake batter and cookie dough with raw eggs in it, and survived.  We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, ice cream, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were not overweight because we were always outside playing.
• We shared one soft drink with four drinks, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this [some of us even exchanged bubble gum].
• We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.  After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
• We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.  No one was able to reach us all day.  No cell phones.  Unthinkable!
• We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones, personal computers or internet chat rooms.  We had friends!  We went outside and found them.
• We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.  They were accidents.  No one was to blame but us.  Remember accidents?  We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it.
• We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
• We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s home and knocked on the door, or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.
• Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team.  Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment.  Some students weren’t as smart as others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade.  Tests were not adjusted for any reason.
• Our actions were our own.  Consequences were expected.  The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of.  They actually sided with the law.  Imagine that!
• This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem-solvers and inventors, ever.  The past 50 years have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas.  We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. ... And you’re one of them!  Congratulations.

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