Then and Now

November 13, 2001

Grandparents and great-grandparents are always telling their grandchildren how different life was for them when they were teenagers. Our elders are constantly telling us that they would never act the way that some of us act, and they tell us how privileged we really are. My grandfather has always jokingly said to me, “I had to walk twenty miles in the snow to go to school.” I have always thought my life is so much different from other generations, but after interviewing Vonda Sowders, a 70-year-old woman from Tipton, I found that our lives are not as different as I thought.

Vonda Sowders said that as a teenager she was much like other teens. She went to school, did her homework, did her chores, and spent time with her family. Vonda came from a family with two brothers and three sisters. Her mother died after giving birth to her younger sister, so Vonda lived with foster parents. Since her foster father worked on the railroad, they were allowed to ride the train for free. In the summer her family traveled to Colorado, and on the weekends they went to visit cousins in a nearby town. Her family was not rich, yet they did not live in poverty.

Like most teenagers, Vonda had chores that she had to perform before she was allowed to go out with friends. Some of her chores were to help clean the house and to wash the dishes. Her family also had a coal-burning stove, so she had to bring in the coal and clean the ashes as well. Some teenagers had after school jobs, but Vonda did not have to get a job until after she graduated from high school.

Vonda grew up in Tipton and attended Tipton High School. Everyone dressed nice for school. Girls mostly wore skirts and sweaters. Students always showed respect to teachers. Almost everyone walked to school. Cars were not as popular because money was scarce. In fact instead of receiving a car for her sixteenth birthday, Vonda was given a bicycle. Many people road their bicycles wherever they were going.

When teenagers were old enough to go on dates, they walked almost everywhere they were going. A date in the 1940s usually consisted of going to a movie, eating at the hamburger stand, and eating ice cream. If Vonda’s date happened to be lucky enough to have a car, her foster mother had to ride in the car with them. Some of the popular places to spend time were at the basketball games, the skating rink, or the movies. Vonda usually went with her family on Saturday nights to the theater because they would show a movie for free. Afterwards, they would go to the drugstore or the department store and buy candy before going home.

The life of a teenager growing up in the 1990s and 2000s is much different from when Vonda was a teenager in the 1940s, but there are also many things that are similar. I go to school, do my homework, do my chores, and spend time with my family. I have many responsibilities to take care of at home before I am allowed to go out with my friends. If I want to go out on a school night, then I must have my homework done before I can go. I also have to help clean up around the house, keep my bedroom clean, do dishes, help take care of my siblings until my mom gets home, and help with the meals. I had an after school job last year, but I do not have one this year.

School has changed in many ways. Technology plays a large role at our school. Most of the time everyone dresses in casual, comfortable clothing. About the only time anyone dresses up for school is if there is some kind of a special event happening. Most students do not show their teachers the kind of respect that they deserve. When teenagers turn sixteen, they usually go out and get their driver’s license as soon as they are allowed. Many teenagers receive cars as well.

Now teenagers start dating before they have reached high school. Everyone goes in a car whenever they go on a date. Even if they do not have a car or their driver’s license, then they will have their parents chauffeur them wherever they need to go. Teenagers have a variety of things to do on a date, including anything from going to the movies to going out with friends. Many teenagers spend their free time at school games or organizations, at their after school job, or at the mall. Most teenagers spend their weekends out with friends. I usually go to the movies or go over to a friend’s house to talk. I also spend a good portion of my time on the Internet sending e-mail to friends. Vonda and I have grew up in completely different time periods, but surprisingly enough, we are not that different. Family is still a large part of most teenagers’ lives. Times are always changing, but one thing has always remained the same; teenagers enjoy the freedom of their youth.

Back

  

© 2006 . All Rights Reserved. aloneinthepretense.org is proudly powered by WordPress.