Friday 4 May 2007

Interview


My grandaughter Brianne had to interview someone who was a teenager in the 50's and 60's for her Grade 10 class project. These were the questions and answers . Brought back lots of memories . Gave me a few laughs and a pile of smiles .
1.What was your relationship with your parents like?
good most of the time but of course they were not as smart as myself, they did not know anything, unlike myself that knew it all, rebelled re time to be home after teen town, got grief if late, some of my friends they did not like and I spent most of my time in my bedroom.
2. Is there a specific activity you always did with your friends?
did go skating, the beach, drive in movies, but the thing I did mostly was Teen Town dances every Friday night, hung out on the post office steps most evenings but that was in the small village with only 4 corners and all the parents knew where we were and who was with us . One other thing I did with friends was baton twirling classes I took and we were majorettes in several small parades.
3. Did you notice a lot of drug activites in your school/community?
there wasn't drugs at our school or the community .The group I hung with indulged in alcohol.
4. What would be the most modern or exciting techonology you experienced?
TV got one in 1956 12 inch screen and in the 60's colour TV In the 50's TV was only broadcast for about 4 to 6 hours a day.
5. Did you ever go on a family vacation?
Florida drove down and stopped at very interesting places in Tennessee and Kentucky .
6. What kind of music did you listen to?
Rock and Roll , Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys , The Beatles, Rolling Stones ,Chubby Checker, Del Shannon,Frankie Valli ,Buddy Holly and Elton John
7. Did you live in suburbia? Or did you notice a big change in the amount of houses being made?
Lived in a small village Glanworth maybe 100 people and no not a big growth in building.
8. Do you remember any unusual law in effect?
There was no shopping of any kind on Sundays all the stores were closed, only thing really open and not many of them, gas stations.
Birth control was not legalized until 1968.
9. Were there gangs in your community?
No had a "gang" I hung with but that was just to hang with , not like they are today.
10. What did you typically wear?
I was 13 in 1959 and wore full skirts with crinolines ,saddle shoes, sweater sets, small neck scarves,pearls,barretts, and velvet headbands. then in the 60's pedals pushers in black and white zebra stripes, bell bottoms, Oxford cloth button down blouses, man style ( usually in white and pink), Platform shoes 2 inch soles with 4 1/2 heels,hot pants in orange, lots of bright colours.

Brianne also needed 10 artifacts that one might find in your room while you were a teenager. (i.e. hula hoop, dolls) You could also ask what Grampa might have had, or if you can' think of 10, any amount would be fine. And just a tiny description of them, like their colour or shape.
In my room ,brown and beige record player with 45's, had to change the record each time a song finished and turn it over to play the other side, transitor radio , posters, psychadelic style with big flowers, mood rings silver with dark stone that changed colour with your mood from black to blue to green, Love beads that you gave friends they were usually white with mod flowers on,diary with a lock and key,lots of books, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Cherry Ames and Magazines like Teen and Seventeen.and Jewellery box with music and a ballerina turning on top. My room was wallpaper in a floral paper of pinks and reds and the bedspread was pink satin quilted top.Had a desk small and a chair and that is where I did my homework it was right in front of my window which looked out on the main street so could daydream a lot.

2 comments:

Rosanne said...

Things have changed haven't they? Except for the hanging out part, kids still like to hang out!
Brianne liked your answers, she and I discussed what the social implications were of a jewelery box with a ballerina, mood rings,love beads, etc were.....was the second part of her project.

Anonymous said...

Great Blog Rosemary, ,love the count down!! LOL, Interesting interview with Brianne.