Tuesday, February 26, 2008

In 1907 (received in email)

My dad was born in 1907.  In this picture, he's the kid on the left.



 
                One hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes!
                Here are some statistics for the Year 1907 :
                ************************************
                The average life expectancy was 47years.

                Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

                Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

                There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 milesOf paved roads.

                The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
                The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel  Tower!

                The average wage in 1907 was 22 cents per hour.
                The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year .

                A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
                A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

                More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME .

                Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
                Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which
                Were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."

                Sugar cost four cents a pound.

                Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.

                Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

                Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used
                Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

                Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from
                Entering into their country for any reason.

                Five leading causes of death were:
                1. Pneumonia and influenza
                2. Tuberculosis
                3. Diarrhea
                4. Heart disease
                5. Stroke

                The American flag had 45 stars.
                The population of  Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!

                Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea
                Hadn't been invented yet.

                There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

                Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
                Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
                Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said," Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."( Shocking? DUH! )

                Eighteen percent of households had at least
                One full-time servant or domestic help.
                There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE !  U.S.A. !

                Now I forwarded this from someone else without typing
                It myself, and sent it to you and others all over theUnited States, &  Canada
                Possibly the world, in a matter of seconds!

                Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
                IT STAGGERS THE MIND, EH ?



----------------
Now playing: Kasey Chambers - Last Hard Bible
via FoxyTunes   

Tags:

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a sweet looking bunch of kids. The mother looks quite young and looks worried. Who wouldn't be with several kids to take care of. I wonder if it ending up being several more children. There were nine children on my mothers side and eight on my Dad's side. I am sure with so many kids the parents were worried about feeling and clothing them. I don't suppose they knew very much birth control in those days. My dad said he used to work for 50 cents a day when he and mother were married, he was born in 1913. By the time they had their families they were not as large.  I don't have any pictures of my parents that young. Well one of my mother when she was a baby in arms not of my dad. Sorry I got carried away by history here after reading how things were back then.  Helen

Anonymous said...

We've come such a long way (or have we?).  How strong this generation was.  Eye opening to say the least.  Vicki

Anonymous said...

WOW this is amazing...This made me grab my fathers ols paycheck stub from back 1957 and his total yearly income was 1,129.00 and i'm wondering what the "average" wage earned back then was.  Will have to check that out!   I know he had 6 children to feed.  I was not born yet.  This really does make you wonder what it will be like for our children or their children.  This was really interesting!  

Anonymous said...

Some things are better...some arent. Guess thats the way it will always be.

Anonymous said...

Hey, we have more in common.  My Pa was born in 1907 also.
In fact last year on his birthday, July 7.  I really thought a lot about him because if he was here, he would have been 100 years old.  He would have loved that because he liked to make lists and count things and remind me that today is such and such  day.  So my Pa and your Dad, 101 this year.  Happy Birthday you two.
                                      Marlene
http://journals.aol.com/domsmom27/one-day-at-a-time

Anonymous said...

I love the picture.  Wow!  One hundred years ago?  I love the comparisons in the email you received.
Lori