The Observation Deck

Gary's recent post (and song) about "stale" posts got me to thinking. We talk a good deal about current problems in Lakewood, Greater Cleveland, the world. It's a wonderful exchange of viewpoints and has shown positive energy towards some solutions and programs. But, I wonder.....

If the Observer had existed 50 years ago (and for that matter, the internet) what would we have been discussing? Problems with unruly kids, the greasers and "racks"....Housing issues? Political problems? How much of the discussion is new and how much is just a refrain from an age old song?

Jeff

I suppose they would be talking about the Indians and Browns since they were major winning teams in those prior years... probably asking about available jobs post depression as the revitalization continued throughout the later 50's. Cleveland was definitely in an upswing during that period... they say history is cyclical and I think we are due for another turn

1957

A hypothetical 'Deck poster:

"Golly wolly!

What's the matter with these kids today?

What was wrong with the good old-fashioned newspaper bike? These kids today with them new-fangled 3-speed English racers are tearing up and down our street, nearly driving the poor old knife-sharpener's bike off the roadways. Don't they know, with all our big elms on the tree lawn, that drivers have no idea who's coming down the street when they back out?

Those bikes slide all over our brick streets too!

Whadda 'bout those ice-cream trucks too, and all those children? Where did they all come from? Our schools are bustin' out at the seams!

And these new people coming in all the time. So many folks are immigratin' in from Pennsylvania and West Virginia! The way they talk and dress! These people seem so different!

At least I can still go up to Prange's at Hilliard and Madison for a good grilled cheese with those upside-down hamburger buns toasted golden brown, and that cheese spilling out all over!

Before catching a good movie at one of our theaters, that is.."

(disclaimer-Gary was one of those Pennsylvania immigrants in 1958)

Ok. I am doing a phone "interview" a bud of mine who is 9 yrs older than I, who therefore was a teenager in 57.( LHS class of 59) He said there were gangs, ala James Dean/Brando movies. The one he was in was the Razors, wore corderoy jackets with a logo on the back. All they did was hang out and talk cars and girls, or with girls. Fights were nearly unheard of in Lkwd, as far as he remembers, or far and few in between.
He said it was pretty much like either you were living like Beaver Cleaver, or you were a 2nd gen from an immigrant family and the neighborhoods most populated by the slovaks and polish was slovaks north of Madison, from Clarence east and polish south of Madison from Halsted east.

(Years later I bought his 57 Chevy Bel-Air Convertable, with rochester fuel-injection and a RARE factory 4 speed and even more rare, factory installed Stuart and Warner gages. Harbor blue metallic paint, with a white top, and it just didn't get any cooler. )


He had to go eat, so I'll wing this from here on.

We might have debated what car was faster, the '57 Plymouth Fury (had on of those too but later) or how cool the '57 Caddy Eldorado was. It truly was beautiful. Also, the '57 Lincoln Mark III. Awesome, let alone the obvious, the 57 Thunderbird.

The USSR launched Sputnik, and the space race began in 57 too.
I guess we'd be talking about how the commies might be preparing to come at us from over the polar cap and watch us from space.

Bogey, my favorite male actor of all time passed on, and these were his last words : Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957) "I should never have switched from scotch to martinis."

We might be giving kudos to Ed the barber who was the hot barber back then too.
Question to Kenneth: Did you ever find your straight blade shave from a fine handed barber?)

Mark Allan Crnolatas

1957 " Good Golly Miss Molly" I wasn't even born then!