WHAT WE DID FOR FUN...

When I look back at my memoirs, stroll through photos, vintage web sites and so on I find it difficult to try to capsulize what folks in the Village did for entertainment.  Distilling it down, however, I find a lot of it centered on the art of conversation, impromptu gatherings by children or adults.  We learned the art of banter at our parent's knees.  We learned to rely on ourselves, our imaginations to pass the time.  I invite you all to help me with your own comments and memory banks as I set out to do these posts justice.  I thought I had written them sufficiently but there is always the challenge to dig deeper.

        Dr. Seuss wrote: "If you never did, you should.  

These things are fun and fun is good."

                                                                     Here we go:

Gaggles of children could be found all over the byways of the Village. You started with a few, then
others linked on and the days search for fun could begin.  It might start in someone's backyard, or at
an empty lot. Maybe a stop at Jigger's or Bernadino's.  But, the times were few and far between when a child was spotted alone.  You were known and knew each family in each house.  You felt safe and
secure as did your parents who let you roam about. You left the house in the morning and other
than lunch stayed out til late afternoon when the calls of mothers could be heard in the Village.

David Semas sent us this photo: he is in the second row first from the left.  A good example of the little groups of children we were all part of in those days.  I find it heartwarming that the friendships we made as youngsters still warm our hearts.  

You remember this favorite summer past time? A good way to cool off and laugh a lot, too.

Thanks to Pinterest for this photo.  Hours could be spent in noisy fun right on your front lawn.

With luck your Mom would come out with Koolaid (the right kind) and some homemade cookies.

Hours could also be spent with your roller skates. This was made even more interesting

as the sidewalks in the Village were not exactly smooth but rather rutted and bumpy.

That meant skinned knees and elbows 

and then it was time for this:

I stil can see and feel the glass applicator that when applied to your wound of courage

would sting but what a glorious red badge to wear the rest of the day!

If you needed a bandaid it would come from this tin.  I can still

hear the satisfying click when it shut tight.  

Much more to come in the What We Did For Fun Series.  I have been looking forward

to these posts.They were a joy to research.  What's more, as an increasing number

of comments are coming in, it helps to keep my fervor going.  Although I am using my memoirs I

am still researching such great web sites as the history category of Pinterest and

online memoirs by others. Everytime I find something new, or you send in a comment

and even a photo, it helps to enliven the blog,  Keep it up!

PLEASE PLEASE jump in with your photos and memories.