With the 1950 census indexing project coming to a close on many genealogy websites it's time to take a look at myself in the census. I missed being counted in 1940 because I was born too late, but I turned 10 in 1950. And, after years of seeing my ancestors in the census, I am finally looking at myself.
I was a little disappointed at first but as I learned more about pop culture in the 50s I became more disappointed and I just wanted to bang my head against the nearest wall. I didn't realize what life was like back then. Compared to now!! As I started to relive my memories my mood improved a little but I was now becoming aware that I totally accepted the misogynistic society that I was born into. Seventy-two years ago as a 10 year old girl I guess it was just life. The 1950 census was a wake up call that made me realize why I am who I am today.
I decided that the best way to get a good view of the census would be to take a trip back in time.
1950
In post WWII the perfect family was born. Father was the breadwinner and disciplinarian of everyone in the household. Mother stayed home, cooked, cleaned, took care of the kids and tried to look like a movie star all day. Sure!! Men were back from the war and needed jobs so women left the workforce and went back to being "just housewives". Young couples graduated from high school, got married, started a family and moved to the suburbs. I remember in 1958 many of my friends were engaged and planning a summer wedding when I graduated from high school
In the early 50s we all walked to school in the morning, went home for lunch, and finally walked back home in the afternoon. We played outside, rode our bikes and as we got older talked on the phone. Boys took shop class and girls took home economics. We survived air raid drills, bomb shelters and polio. There were no drugs, no alcohol, and no sex. We were totally innocent.
And then it happened! Television!!
It took a while to catch on. Many were still listening to the radio since those families couldn't afford a tv. Department stores offered a free home demonstration, you could rent a set for a dollar a day, OR you could grab a lawn chair and sit on the sidewalk outside a store display window and watch for free. Remember those days?
My parents had a television so all my aunts, uncles and cousins came to our house. We turned out all the lights and sat in the dark and watched 15 minute shows. Plus a lot of test patterns. Why did we sit in the dark? Because anything else would ruin our eyesight and let's face it we were used to watching movies in dark theaters.
A New Generation.
During the early 50s television began to be available from coast to coast, unless you lived in the country. In the fifties my dad retired and we moved to Florida. We had a tv but there were no tv stations. We lasted 6 months and moved back home. There you have it -- tv had us under control and we weren't alone. As our own lives were changing in the 50s, a new generation that had been born in the late 1940s was beginning to appear in our lives. Baby Boomers!
Marketing.
Television's evil twin had all of us in her cross hairs. Yup! Marketing was here to stay! Soon we were learning how we should look and act. How to look, diet, dress, live. What we just couldn't live without in our lives. Sitcoms and advertising were shaping our lifestyle.
Baby Boomers were targeted and taught to "need". Their teacher was Miss TV. But as these Boomers were growing up, the teenagers of the 50s came into their own.
*Next: The Rebels.
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