What was happening in the Fifties?

Red Skeleton

We moved across the entire state of New Mexico in 1953 - one day before school was to begin as I entered my sophomore year. I just knew I would not have the type of dear friends I had in Tucumcari, New Mexico. I just knew I would not have any friends at all in Farmington, New Mexico. Well, school girls do survive a move across the state during their high school years and one has friends everywhere you live (and now in the internet age - where you don't live - but encounter electronically).

This was probably the last of the polio scare years (my husband was unable to attend Louisiana Boys State in 1952 - for that event was cancelled due to this crippling disease affecting so many). [In 1955 Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine.]

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Ah - the Fifties!!!

The Dirty Bop. Chinese Fire Drills. Kidnap Breakfasts. Sock Hops. Juke Boxes - moving the tables and dancing in the drug store and sipping on cherry cokes. Rolled up jeans and wearing my dad's long sleeved white shirt (sleeves rolled and collar up).

Poodle skirts. Penny loafers. Saddle oxfords. Letterman sweater. Going steady (wearing your beau's college or class ring on a chain around your neck).

Skinny dipping in Jackson Lake (same sex) after a slumber party.

Rebel Without A Cause (James Dean). The Wild One. Seventeen magazine.

Elvis!!

Television.

Burma Shave signs.

Copy machine (with the purple ink)

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The word Teenager was created in the 1950’s due to the tremendous population of those in this age category and because teenagers started gaining more independence and freedoms. Teenagers were able to buy more things like food, clothes and music because of an increase in spending money.

The fifties were times of joy and excitement - and I'm thankful for the memories.

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Two uncles were in the Marines
and both served in Korea.

One was wounded

(and left for dead)

but lived.

The other

- who had served in World War II -
didn't come home.

Life began to change.