When Children Were Children
What is Wrong with Simple
By Sharon Hopper
Senior Scribe 

I was pondering over the season we are now in and wondering what it is that kids do today? 

I am trying my best to remember what it was that I did as a child of about 11 to make the days pass during the winter when there was no snow or ice to play on. I did not have a cell phone so I could not text, no I-phone so I could not play on the Internet, no computer to search out whatever, and no television in the house. My only outlet was a radio and I used it faithfully to listen to my favorite programs like Sky King, Lone Ranger, Lux Theatre, and of course The Shadow. One had to use a lot of imagination to picture in the mind what the readers were telling us on the radio. 

And we did not have structured activities to take up our spare time, like gymnastics, volleyball, or ping pong. I remember mom purchased a ping pong net and paddles and we put them on the dining room table and played with our parents or friends. Another thing was our gymnastics consisted of a rope or a metal pipe that was usually in a barn, and games like volleyball were played with a rope across a basement, garage, or outside and a kick ball. And of course there were card games for the lazy days. You know Rummy, Slap Jack, Old Maid, or Hearts. And there were always books. I went to the Library at least once a week and I loved to read stories about settling our nation. Stories about the wagon trains and the settling of the cities in the west always fascinated me and still do to this day. Of course there were always the books that were just fiction stories about people, children going on an adventure, or pets saving something. 

Last but not least there were music lessons. Many of my classmates took piano or were in the instrumental programs at school. Practicing was not too difficult because we did not have the distractions that children have today. Guitars had not made the main stage yet. Rock and Roll did not evolve until I was in high school and it was a lot different than today. You could actually understand the words. Like Blue Suede Shoes. Well these are just some of the activities that I remember back in the day when I was a child. There are pros and cons for every age or generation, but I prefer to think that I grew up in the best of times. Things were advancing and yet my life was rather simple and to the point. But then again -- what is wrong with simple? 

By Sharon Hopper

Senior Scribe