1. What were some of your own personal experiences in the 1960's and early 1970's?
I grew up in a small town in Ohio and graduated in 1965. My high school years were a fun, innocent time...school dances (TAC (Teen Age Canteen) every Friday night. Music from Elvis, Bobby Darin, Fabian. My first date was walking to the movies to see Breakfast at Tiffany's with Audrey Hepburn. Everyone thought she was so elegant! We only had black and white TV's, no dishwashers, one family car and most of the boys went into the military immediately after graduation, sometimes getting married before they left. Most of the girls got married (as did I) and only maybe 5% or so went on to college. However, by the early 70's, college became much more important and most of us (at least those of us who worked outside the home) ended up going to local colleges in later years. Most high schoolers started smoking because it was "in" to do so and parents didn't object. We didn't know about the harmful side effects then. There was a lot of beer drinking but I was not aware of any drug use. That started in later years.
My generation is called "Baby Boomers" because we were born shortly after WWII, when the men returned from the war and started families. We also started the "Now Generation". We worked hard but we also played hard. We wanted a nice home, a nice car (or 2 cars if both parents worked) and that is the time that credit cards became widely available. Thus, the slogan, "Buy Now, Pay Later". Unfortunately, many did not do this wisely. The use of credit cards pretty much eliminated the layaway plan which was available from most stores and a system that I grew up with. We might find a dress, skirt, or winter coat and anxiously have to wait to get it until it was paid for on the layaway plan.
2. Do you have any opinions about what was going on in this period of time?
ex: the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, JFK, Nixon, Watergate scandal.
I remember vividly when John F Kennedy was president. He and Jackie were so glamerous. The newspapers always referred to his administration as "Camelot". Although, my parents were aghast that a Catholic was elected as President! There was still a lot of discrimination when I grew up. I had a girl the same age as me who lived across the street and I wasn't allowed to ever spend the night at her house because her family was Catholic. I was in English class on Nov. 23, 1963 when JFK was assassinated. It was announced over our school PA system and we were all sent home. Everyone was crying and hurried home to watch the news on TV. We didn't have to go back to school until after the funeral so we could watch.
We had no Mexicans in our city, but Polish people were always called Pollacks, Hungarian were Hunkies, Italians were Greasers, and Blacks were commonly called "niggers". All the blacks in our city lived in an area next to the railroad tracks, called Snydertown. I remember in high school when my brother was in a motorcycle accident and my mother commented that his nurse was "a really nice person", even though she was black.
Even though my parents generation were very prejudiced, I feel there was a breakthrough with my own. We were more educated, went to school with all the nationalities and were aware of the injustices done to these people. I remember going on vacation to South Carolina with my family when I was 16. I was shocked to see that all the gas stations had restrooms marked "White Only" and a different one for "Colored". Same with water fountains. The NCAAP became very important during this time and was widely supported in the North but the Southern states fought it for many years. I remember when Gov. George Wallace was shot and ended up in a wheel chair for the rest of his life.
3. What style of clothing was popular?
Well, I certainly laugh at some of the pictures of what I wore! In Jr High and High School, there was a clothing line called "Bobby Brooks". They had matching wool, usually a plaid, knife pleated skirts and angora sweaters. I worked as a tray girl at the local hospital making 60 cents an hour just to buy these clothes! I got an allowance of $5 a week and admit to spending all my money on clothes. Panty hose came out when I was in high school and we thought they were wonderful. We always wore white tennis shoes and pantyhose. Never would we be caught wearing boots....even when it was below zero with 2 feet of snow! It's amazing that my toes didn't freeze off! After high school, the mini skirt became popular. Skirts would never be longer than the end of your finger tips. Again, not the best thing to wear in cold weather but that didn't stop us.
4. Were you or someone you knew involved in the war? How did it effect your life?
The Vietnam War was a big part of my life from the mid 60's to the early 70's. My oldest brother did 2 tours in Vietnam. The draft was being done at that time and many of my friends and coworkers were drafted. My 2nd brother had a low draft number so enlisted in the Navy and ended up not being sent there. It was a major hardship for the families left behind. Many of my married friends had small children when their husbands were drafted. It was very common for the mom and kids to have to move back home until their husbands returned. At the time the Vietnam "Police Action" was going on, most people in my town felt we needed to be there. It was in later years that the attitude changed and the feelings that it was always a lost cause or a no win situation became more prevalent.
5. What are your thoughts about the hippies and the Feminist movements both then and now?
My generation didn't have a lot of hippies but we heard about them. They were all in California where the fruits and nuts lived. We saw the demonstrations in San Francisco and thought all of California was like that. But we did have the braless movement and concerts with a lot of marijuana smoking. I did not ever smoke it, but learned the smell of it at a Three Dog Night outdoor concert in Cleveland, Ohio....a big city compared to my small town.
I strongly supported the Feminist movement. In fact, when my younger son was born, I was working for a national company in the Engineering Department as a secretary. I took a pregnancy leave and while I was off, one of the estimators got drafted. The manager of the department called to offer me the position when I returned to work. However, the offer was over $100 a month less than the guy I was replacing. I knew the salaries of everyone so I asked for the same pay. I was able to get it but the general attitude at that time was that women didn't need to make as much money as men because they were not the sole family provider. I do feel that the Feminist movement went overboard in many areas, but equal pay for equal work was important to me.
6. Did you participate in any of the boycotts, strikes, marches or protests? If so which ones?
No..I read about many of them but did not participate.
Interview 2
1. What were some of your own personal experiences in the 1960's and early 1970's?
I graduated from high school in 1965 and felt obligated to enlist in the Marine Corps, training in San Diego. During high school, most boys got their drivers license at 16 as did I and I had my own car at 16 also. Gas was 25 cents a gallon. My insurance cost of $118 per year which I had to pay myself. There was very little drug use, meaning marijuana, but LSD became available. Most kids were afraid to use LSD because they were afraid of what might happen. Hard drugs were not used then but all the boys drank beer. We would pay people to buy the beer for us. The winos would buy us beer if we gave them a dollar to buy their wine. Our most frequent activity was going to drive in movies, sometimes twice a week. Friends would park together and talk back and forth.
2. Do you have any opinions about what was going on in this period of time?
ex: the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, JFK, Nixon, Watergate scandal.
I grew up with lots of prejudice in the 60's. Their was so much discrimination that it almost caused another Civil War. In California, blacks were hated by whites and whites were hated by whites. Neither ever went into the other's neighborhood, stores or restaurant. We had only 3-4 blacks in my high school of 2400 but we never socialized with them. We had very few Mexicans at the time. They came later. Long Beach was 90% black which shows how much segregation was in force. Blacks had their own cities and whites had their own.
As to Watergate, I felt Nixon should not have been impeached. He was the president and could do what he wanted. I didn't feel his aides should have been presecuted. Nixon was a brilliant man and didn't do anything that other presidents had done. He just got caught and the newspapers covered it all whereas in previous years, this type of thing would have been covered up.
3. What style of clothing was popular?
Levi's were the only jeans that were worn. We wore them with button down, Pendleton, shirts. We never wore belts, that was out. Our hairstyles were pretty short...long hair became popular later. At school dances, we wore new Levi's. I always kept one pair which I wore only for special occasions. Shirts were $3.95 and tennis shoes cost around $5. You could buy a new car for $1100. Minimum was was $2.11. I went to work at a hamburger joint so I could meet girls and was paid $2.11 per hour. We thought we were rich!
4. Were you or someone you knew involved in the war? How did it effect your life?
I was sent to Vietnam in 1966 after completing infantry and recon training. I was there 2-1/2 years. I was very dedicated to protecting our country as were all Marines. We felt we were providing a very vital service to protect our citizens. By 1967, I figured that this war would never be won, not because we couldn't win but because we weren't allowed to win. Now I feel like we accomplished nothing and that the "Police Action" didn't stand a chance. The people we were protecting were mostly from the northern part of the country, however they would work on their farms in the day with our protection but go get guns and shoot at us at night. I feel we should never send our troops to fight unless war is actually declared. Police actions only cost lives.
I was sent to Vietnam when I was 18. It made me grow up fast, a matter of survival. It changes your priorities in life. Makes you forget all the petty things and be thankful that you are alive at the beginning of each new day.
5. What are your thoughts about the hippies and the Feminist movements both then and now?
I agreed with the Feminist movements both then and now. I always felt that women had a raw deal and deserved to be treated equally. As to hippies, they believed in free love, drugs and peace. Most were draft dodgers looking for a free ride. I would have liked this lifestyle but felt a moral obligation to the country so joined the Marines instead. I was disappointed when I got out of the military because the hippies led the movement against Vietnam and we felt like criminals for having served time there. Vietnam was not a popular war.
6. Did you participate in any of the boycotts, strikes, marches or protests? If so which ones?
No, I couldn't when I was in the military and when I got out got married and had children. I was ashamed that I served in Vietnam and wanted to forget that I'd ever been there.
Interview 3
Background: I was born in 1955. During the 60's I lived with my family (Mom, Dad, older sister, younger brother) in suburban Columbus, Ohio. In 1970 my father resigned from his post-World War 2 job in aerospace, and we moved to Southern California where I attended high school (class of 1973) and college (UCSB class of 1977).
1. What were some of your own personal experiences in the 1960s and 70s?
This is a huge question. You realize that you are asking about many years of my life. I will give you a couple of historically relevant comments: (1) At the tender age of 5 years old (Kindergarten, 1960) I was very upset by our Civil Defense Drill during which our teacher took us to the basement of Colerain Elementary School and showed us the rooms where we could escape nuclear fallout and radiation. I remember being worried sick about what would happen to my mommy and baby brother who would be at home if/when the "Commies" (creepy adults' term then) launched an atom bomb at the U.S. I also heard about neighbors down our street who had hired a contractor to dig and construct a bomb shelter under their backyard. I always remember this fear and this public mentality of impending doom when people today talk about the "good old days" and naively mention the Cold War 50's/60's. I don't think there ever have been any "good old days." The brutal nature of humanity is always present, and children will always be secretly terrified due to their innocence and lack of understanding. (2) I remember my father, a decorated WW2 fighter pilot, expressing disgust with the "hippies" of the 60's and their point of view. He considered them to be lazy, dirty, and spineless spoiled brats. He considered their PEACE message to be weak and naive. He would remind us that we can't face evil by simply placing a daisy in the barrel of the enemy's gun or staging a "sit in" to promote brotherhood and love -- both common images on popular posters and television. He had been in combat. He understood what it takes to defend freedom and to rescue the truly oppressed from a violent, tyrannical power.
2. Do you have any opinions about what was going on in this period of time?
You might be able to tell from my first answer that I was raised in a very patriotic and politically conservative (Republican) home. As a child, I simply copied my parents' point of view. As I became older, I became confused. My teachers and professors were Liberal. My parents were not. I understood and respected all of them, and they all sounded right when I was in their company. Now I see that there is truth on all sides. We must always consider each political issue independently. We must look at evidence and not just spout "the party line" as that's the easy way out that will get us in trouble. After careful examination of fact and thoughtful decision-making, we must vote our conscience.
3.What style of clothing was popular?
I remember my favorite look in the late 60's, early 70's was one outfit I wore consisting of brown corduroy bell bottoms with a flowy-sleeved, beige muslim blouse (rather Renaissance looking). I had long, straight red hair that was parted in the middle. My mother (born in 1918) would have died if my sister and I had worn mini-skirts. We did, however, roll our skirts up at the waistband when we left the house to make our skirts shorter than knee length. Girls never wore pants to public school in 1960's -70's Ohio -- except snow pants under our skirts. We took the snow pants off in the "cloak room" before school and wore skirts in the school building. We didn't have uniforms. Pants were just not considered lady-like. In California we maybe had one "jeans" day at the end of year. You could wear nice pants to my high school in California, but never jeans, capris or shorts, except for baggy P.E. uniform shorts during gym class. We were always "covered"!
4. Were you or someone you knew involved in the war? How did it effect your life?
I assume you are talking about Vietnam. All of my male friends registered for the draft when they turned 18. I knew the son of a family friend who fled to Canada to avoid the draft. I don't know if he ever came back to the U.S. No one I knew well was called to serve, but you did hear about all of the terrible deaths -- massive slaughters, cruel guerilla war tactics, Agent Orange, Friendly Fire, inhuman massacres -- on the evening news each night. Everyone froze and worried when the new draft numbers were announced by the government. We knew our friends and boyfriends might have to go to a terrible, terrible war no one really understood. My husband (boyfriend in 1973+) had draft number. We didn't talk about it.
5. What are your thoughts about the hippies and feminist movements both then and now?
I have absolutely reaped the benefits of the feminist movement. I was raised to be "a lady" at home, but I was also encouraged to have my own opinions and voice. Girls were encouraged to go into nursing or teaching, not technical math/science careers. Many went to college to "get their MRS. degrees." In retrospect, I do think it's curious that I was "given" to my husband at our wedding, but no one "gave" him to me. My mother was worried that I didn't think it was natural to "serve" my husband during buffets. He accepted me on equal terms. I used to subscribe to and read MS. MAGAZINE in my twenties, but I always felt that I was treated equally so that fascination wore off. My mother was not treated equally in the world, but those are stories of another era (1940's). My generation is the transitional generation for women's rights in many ways. Some progress and freedom; some backlash and self-imposed guilt.
6. Did you participate in any of the boycotts, strikes, marches or protests? If so, which ones?
No, that would not have been allowed in my family. We were to follow the law, work hard, and be responsible citizens. We obeyed, and it worked out well for us. My mother-in-law did boycott buying grapes for her family during Caesar Chavez's farm workers' strike. My mother didn't see how it would do any good so we still had grapes in our fruit salad at home during that time.
Interview 4
1. What were some of your own personal experiences in the 1960s and 70s?
I had wonderful friends and lived the ideal life. I didn't know anything about drugs or drinking or immorality. In those days, fathers worked and mothers stayed at home with the children. Looking back on it, I feel like my life was like the TV shows of the time -- "Happy Days" and "Leave It to Beaver." It was a simple time. I graduated from high school in 1961 and went to BYU to college. I took secretarial classes there so I'd be prepared to work after college. I never had any trouble finding a job because I had the right skills for the time. Of course, all the things I used (shorthand, business machines, typing on electric typewriters) are obsolete now, but they served me well in the '60s and '70s. I got married in 1964 and quit working when we started our family in 1966.
2. Do you have any opinions about what was going on in this period of time?
I witnessed the "Me Generation" of the '60s, but I was never part of it. It was an era when the drug culture came alive. There were communes and people protesting things, but I was personally far removed from it.
3. What style of clothing was popular?
We always wore dresses or skirts to school -- clear up to the time I left college in 1965. I'm not sure when that changed. There were no short skirts or bare midriffs or low-cut shirts or blouses or dresses. We all dressed modestly because there were no other options.
4. Were you or someone you knew involved in the war? How did it effect your life?
My dad was in World War II when I was a baby. My brother was in the army during the Vietnam War, but he was never in harm's way. I was fortunate enough not to have any experiences or personal distress from any war.
5. What are your thoughts about the hippies and feminist movements both then and now?
I was content with my life as it was, so I never got involved in any of the fads of the day. I didn't have anything to do with the hippies or feminist movements. Hippies lived in communes and liked the "free love" idea that seemed to permeate their groups. It didn't make any sense to me. As for the feminist movement, I never could figure out what the women were upset about. I like that men and women are different. Feminists wanted to be like men. Not me! I liked having men open the door for me and treat me special. I liked men being the ones to go to war to protect us and our country. Feminists wanted women to be a part of all that, and to me that didn't make any sense at all.
6. Did you participate in any of the boycotts, strikes, marches or protests? If so, which ones?
I never participated in boycotts or strikes or anything like that. But I'm guessing you already knew that from my previous answers....
Interview #5
1. What were some of your own personal experiences in the 1960’s and early 1970’s?
I graduated high school in 1965. High school was a lot of fun. There were pep rallies, championships, and sports night. School spirit was a big deal. Everyone just had so much fun. In 1966, I got married to my high school sweetheart and in 1967, I had a baby girl. I was really young and focused most of my time with the baby and I was going to beauty school as well. People in those days had children at a very young age and didn’t wait until they finished college.
2. Do you have any opinions about what was going on in this period of time? Ex: The Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement, JFK, Nixon, Watergate scandal.
I can remember vividly the day that John F. Kennedy died. I was in high school at the time and when we heard the news people were all over the school crying. It was a terrible time. The Vietnam War is also stuck in my head I knew friends that were sent to war. We would go to a weekend party and see the people that came back, and there were several that didn’t. It was horrible. The war was everywhere. You would watch it on T.V. and they showed everything. It was horrific.
3. What style of clothing was popular?
I wore a lot of skirts that were below the knee. They were fitted at the waist. I made a lot of my skirts. We also wore flat shoes and sweaters. Pedal pushers were just starting to come in. For girls, it was not about the clothes but the hair. Girls would tease their hair and it would be perfect. Boys would grease their hair. I was very particular about my hair because I was also a hairdresser.
4. Were you or someone you knew involved in the war? How did it affect your life?
Yes, my husband got drafted but since I was pregnant he did not have to go. We were very lucky because we lost a lot of close friend in the war. We had to live our daily life but war was all around us. It was a sad time.
5. What are your thoughts about the hippies and the Feminist Movements both then and now?
There were lots of hippies in my era. They were very psychedelic and earthy. They were almost like travelers. They moved around a lot. Drugs were a big part of their life. Back then, you definitely knew who the hippies were.
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