From back in the day when not everyone had a phone! Back in the late 40s, when we moved from our house o the farm to a house in town, electricity was just being introduced in rural areas – so not everyone had electricity. And those who had “splurged” on electricity were still not so sure about loading up on a whole lot of new-fangled gadgets to go along with the electricity. Even though we eventually got on the bandwagon and had our house wired for electricity – we continued to use our "ice box – rather than splurging on one of those new-fangled “refrigerators.”
And we HAD heard about telephones – but we didn’t jump on the bandwagon and get one right away.
My Dad’s reasoning was pretty direct! Since we did NOT know anyone who had a telephone, he could not see the sense of paying someone else to have a piece of equipment sitting in your house which you would never use because you did not actually know anyone else who had a telephone!
We did have a grocery store on main street which had a telephone and they would let you use the phone if you left a nickel on the counter
However, those phones had a mouthpiece you spoke into, which was mounted on the wall, and the handle was on a separate cord. So you had to be tall enough to reach the mouthpiece, which was mounted on the wall, in order to place a telephone call. !
I remember our kitchen wall mounted phone with the rotary dial – and the extra long handset cord that stretched so you could get to the sink, oven, refrigerator ………
Sherlock Watson over 11 years ago
You see, boys and girls, people used to care about their privacy…
EstrelitaH over 11 years ago
From back in the day when not everyone had a phone! Back in the late 40s, when we moved from our house o the farm to a house in town, electricity was just being introduced in rural areas – so not everyone had electricity. And those who had “splurged” on electricity were still not so sure about loading up on a whole lot of new-fangled gadgets to go along with the electricity. Even though we eventually got on the bandwagon and had our house wired for electricity – we continued to use our "ice box – rather than splurging on one of those new-fangled “refrigerators.”
And we HAD heard about telephones – but we didn’t jump on the bandwagon and get one right away.
My Dad’s reasoning was pretty direct! Since we did NOT know anyone who had a telephone, he could not see the sense of paying someone else to have a piece of equipment sitting in your house which you would never use because you did not actually know anyone else who had a telephone!
We did have a grocery store on main street which had a telephone and they would let you use the phone if you left a nickel on the counter
However, those phones had a mouthpiece you spoke into, which was mounted on the wall, and the handle was on a separate cord. So you had to be tall enough to reach the mouthpiece, which was mounted on the wall, in order to place a telephone call. !
woodwork over 11 years ago
when I was a kid in the early 50’s the little town I lived in in TXstill had the old crank phones, and an 8 family party line
derry1 over 11 years ago
I made my first phonecall in 1969 at age 26; my children regard me as non-bionic man…
derry1 over 11 years ago
What is the design on the lampshade?
w2lj over 11 years ago
I remember our kitchen wall mounted phone with the rotary dial – and the extra long handset cord that stretched so you could get to the sink, oven, refrigerator ………
Tsali-Queyi over 11 years ago
I still have one of those original crank phones on my wall. Course it’s not in use. We used to use the generator out of one to “call up” catfish.
Simon_Jester over 11 years ago
Wait’ll he finds out that Suzie lives in New Zealand
alleyoops Premium Member over 11 years ago
When we finally got a phone out in the country after WWII it was an 8-party line. Some of the other conversations were more interesting than our own.
TheAuldWan over 11 years ago
we had a ten party line that everyone had their own ring for us to listen to, and most evesdropped on your call.
Number Three over 11 years ago
Bad move, Mister.
The size of the phone bill will be as long as your arm.
xxx