OutreachNC asked school-aged children and adults 50 and over the same question to find out their thoughts about life and getting older.
Here are their responses:
What was the world like 50 years ago?
School-Aged Children
“50 years ago, people rode horses.” – Aidan, 7, The Academy of Moore County (TAMC)
“My teacher was a baby, everyone was a baby. ” – Kelcey, 7, TAMC
“All the people didn’t like each other, you know the segregation thing, there were no cars and the stores were rusty. The kids had to wake up every time to see if it was morning or night time to go to sleep because there was no clock. ” – Maggie, 7, TAMC
“I think it was beautiful because there was all kinds of flowers growing and the grass was always bright green and there was pink and purple flowers everywhere and on the flowers, bees always came to drink the pollen.” – Isabella, 6, TAMC
“Maybe they had, like, different vehicles and maybe they looked different. Like, um, police cars were wider than they are now.” – Colton, 6, TAMC
“It was muddy and it was rainy and people didn’t have that many clothes.”- Zackary, 7, TAMC
Adults 50+
“I went to school in my dad’s Packard. We opted to go to school outside of our district (it was public school). At lunch, I walked to my aunt’s house and had a meal with her. When the school got out at 3 o’clock, I walked four miles home alone. It was before bad men stole kids off the streets.” – Joan, 89
“My mom had a bouffant hairdo.”
– Bob, 60
“Fifty years ago, I felt life was simpler. It’s when your friends are true friends and had your back. Your classmates were your special friends at the time. I feel sorry for the young children today and what they’ll go through in the future.” – Bernadette, 70
“It was a lot better. Politically. Morally.” – Toby, 73
“At that time, the American dream was earning it.” – Mark, 58
“It wasn’t as complicated. No cell phones. ” – John, 74
“Wonderful. Everything was so easy. Living was easier. Not as complicated as today.” – Chalermsri, 59
“Two things. It was an optimistic time even though there were problems in the world. I grew up in Chicago and the city was like Mayberry. I don’t see that kind of place today.” – Kevin, 65
“The world was much safer. We didn’t have to worry about all the things we worry about today. We usually never locked our doors unless we went away! Life moved at a slower pace.” – Fran, 74