Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33-rpm LP (long playing) record. The new format could contain 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on a 78-rpm disc, the standard of the day. Columbia president Edward Wallerstein wanted to hear an entire symphonic movement of one side of an album and cajoled a team of a thousand men to bring it into being. (1948) Read More
If you remember listening to your favorite music on either a 78 or a 33 you are closer to one age group in our next story than the other one.
The Clean Cut: Seattle retirement home doubles as preschool
With the help of children, one Seattle hospital is trying to combat the loneliness that often accompanies aging.
At Mount St. Vincent, the Intergenerational Learning Center houses a nursing home and a preschool, where the children receive care and attention from the elderly, and the elderly feel a renewed sense of worth.When I was a kid they had a unique phrase that described this phenomena: "going to grandma's". Going to grandma's was regarded as the highlight to any week for everyone concerned. The grandparents loved it, after all they got to see me. I loved it, I go to see them, do fun stuff and it was nearly impossible for me to do wrong. My parents always seem to be happier afterwards to. Although come to think of it that might have something to do with how I got my brother and sister.
There is something so wonderful about growing up and being able to access the wisdom of the older generation. I realize that isn't a popular notion right now, considering the generation that is in their 40's and younger blame our generation for all their own failures and lack of societal contributions.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, there was nothing better than listening to the stories of the elderly. I was blessed with having parents who attended a church that had lots of older folks who told the best stories.
I also think that maybe a child's willingness to listen to the stories of the elderly has a lot to do with whether they are readers or not. I was, and still am, a voracious reader with a great imagination.
I admit to enjoying a good storyteller so much that I sometimes check in over at Nate's in the hopes that he has been in the mood to write up one of his stories. Like I come here to read your great stuff, especially your religious point of view.
I enjoyed listening to the stores of older folks when I was a kid too. My great grandfather told me second hand stories of the Civil War and third hand stories of the Revolutionary War. I wish I had taped those because I don't remember much of what he told me. Of course when you are that small you don't think of saving what you are hearing you just like having an older person talk to you and tell you stuff.
ReplyDeleteHubby's paternal grandfather and I had a great correspondence going about 15 or so years ago. We did not realize at the time that he was suffering the first effects of bone cancer.
ReplyDeleteBut he decided to tell me his stories, like when he in WWI in a band that played to help morale for the wounded boys on the hospital ships. There were other stories from his youth and such. But what he wanted to do was to pass on those stories to somebody(me) who then put them all together in an album and I read them at a family gathering. He was a high school teacher after the war, and a great speaker.
One of the husbands of a friend of my parents told mom once that he was so surprised that I would talk to him. Normally young teens don't look right at an elderly person and just talk at them like they are people too.
He was so surprised about that behavior according to mom. When she told me, I was a little nonplussed, because to me it was just normal to talk to people, no matter how old or who they were. I never differentiated according to age. When somebody talks to you, you just talk back to them. It really was no biggie. But now being older, and a parent, I can get where he was coming from.
Almost forgot. My late fil told us at dinner one time that a job he had when he was in high school was working for a company that produced the vinyl records at that time.
ReplyDeleteThose records are so warm when they come off the production line that he had very little of his fingerprints left. They did not call it "hot wax" for nothing.
If you ever want to see someone's eyes light up and lose 40 years off their age in a second, do this: When I see an older man wearing what is obviously his old military unit number on his hat I ask him about his service. A simple "was that your unit?" is more than enough. They might have scoliosis but they still come to attention to tell you about it.
ReplyDeleteAnother fun question is to ask a old Marine if they have the right to wear "that hat" or pin or whatever. When they get done explaining (a simple yes if never enough) say something like "I thought so, you looked like a Marine". I did that one time with a old man wearing a EGA hat with his ribbons on it. One of the ribbons was a WWII victory ribbon. He was well into his 80's or maybe even 90's. For a minute he was 18 again.
With the exception of that pig member of Congress John Murtha, you can never take the Marine out of a guy, no matter how old they are. That is why they are "former" as opposed to being "ex". Did you know that actress Bea Arthur was a Marine??
ReplyDeleteI about fell out of my chair when I saw that. I always knew there was something a little different about her, but I never expected it to be that she was a Marine. I found my enjoyment of her work grew a bit higher after that.