From The 50's

[jimras]

Fender Skirts

I haven't thought about "fender skirts" in years. When I was a kid, I considered it such a funny term. Made me think of a car in a dress.

Thinking about "fender skirts" started me thinking about other words that quietly disappear from our language with hardly a notice.

Like "curb feelers" and "steering knobs." Since I'd been thinking of cars, my mind naturally went that direction first. Any kids will probably have to find some elderly person over 50 to explain some of these terms to you.

Remember "Continental kits?" They were rear bumper extenders and spare tire covers that were supposed to make any car as cool as a Lincoln Continental.

When did we quit calling them "emergency brakes?" At some point "parking brake" became the proper term. But I miss the hint of drama that went with "emergency brake."

I'm sad, too, that almost all the old folks are gone who would call the accelerator the "foot feed."

Didn't you ever wait at the street for your daddy to come home, so you could ride the "running board" up to the house?

34 Ford Here's a phrase I heard all the time in my youth but never anymore - "store-bought." Of course, just about everything is store-bought these days. But once, it was bragging material to have a store-bought dress or a store-bought bag of candy.

"Coast to coast" is a phrase that once held all sorts of excitement and now means almost nothing. Now we take the term "worldwide" for granted.

This floors me.

On a smaller scale, "wall-to-wall" was once a magical term in our homes.

In the '50s, everyone covered his or her hardwood floors with, wow, wall-to-wall carpeting! Today, everyone replaces their wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors. Go figure.

When's the last time you heard the quaint phrase "in a family way?" It's hard to imagine that the word "pregnant" was once considered a little too graphic, a little too clinical for use in polite company. So we had all that talk about stork visits and "being in a family way" or simply "expecting."

Apparently "brassiere" is a word no longer in usage. I said it the other day and my daughter cracked up. I guess it's just "bra" now.

"Unmentionables" probably wouldn't be understood at all.

It's hard to recall that this word was once said in a whisper -"divorce."

And, no one is called a "divorcee" anymore. Certainly not a "gay divorcee."

Come to think of it, "confirmed bachelors" and "career girls" are long gone, too.

I always loved going to the "picture show," but I considered "movie" an affectation.

Most of these words go back to the '50s, but here's a pure-'60s word I came across the other day - "rat fink." Ooh, what a nasty put-down!

Here's a word I miss - "percolator." That was just a fun word to say. And what was it replaced with? "Coffeemaker." How dull. Mr. Coffee, I blame you for this.

I miss those made-up marketing words that were meant to sound so modern and now sound so retro. Words like "DynaFlow" and "ElectraLuxe."

Introducing the 1963 Admiral TV, now with "SpectraVision!"

Food for thought - Was there a telethon that wiped out lumbago? Nobody complains of that anymore. Maybe that's what castor oil cured, because I never hear mothers threatening their kids with castor oil anymore.

Some words aren't gone, but are definitely on the endangered list. The one that grieves me most - "supper." Now everybody says "dinner." Save a great word. Invite someone to supper. Discuss fender skirts.

Someone forwarded this to me, and I thought some of us of a "certain age"

would remember most of these.

Jim

[jlwohac]

Oh oh...I still call it an "emergency brake:, not a "parking brake". What does that mean? (Don't REALLY say it, I'm in denial...I can't be THAT old!)

[bar5]

I remember all of these, except food feed. Instead of accelerator, we called it gas pedal.

My how time flies. I forgot about these. I'm sure there are a lot more.

Barb

[bozodog]

You got me... Yep I'm that old. I remember all of them. What about Hi-Fi? 78 rpm records? Opps! records. Transistor radio.

[bar5]

You got me... Yep I'm that old. I remember all of them.  What about Hi-Fi?  78 rpm records? Opps! records. Transistor radio.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about the 45 and 33 rpm. I still have them all. The 8 track (tape) , finally threw these away. Transistor radio, I think I still have one in a closet or attic somewhere.

Barb

[bearskin]

how about the term "the rabbit died"

set the spark and crank it.

press the starter button and the foot feed at the same time.

how about...leather band around the drive shaft for brakes.

double tree...single tree

oak bows on the covered wagon.

10 cent movies and 5 cent popcorn.

dick and jane...first grade reader.

I can come up with a million more but I'm telling my age.

[handplane]

From The 50's, How many of these do you remember??

Damn, too many!!!

[blim]

I grew up in the age of saying "turkey", but ohh how I remember "rat fink"

Sigh, still call CD's records or albums, the remote is the clicker, I dial the phone, I can still sing the Brady Bunch theme (but hated the show).

Captain Kangaroo!!!

Liz

[tenmm]

You got me... Yep I'm that old. I remember all of them.  What about Hi-Fi?  78 rpm records? Opps! records. Transistor radio.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about the 45 and 33 rpm. I still have them all. The 8 track (tape) , finally threw these away. Transistor radio, I think I still have one in a closet or attic somewhere.

Barb

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you forget the 78rpm's??

I can remember watching my dad comming up the driveway in the studabaker(I forgot how to spell it ),and It has been so long I forgot what year it was....