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The Superficial Years
Society began to change drastically in 1968 and not for the better, in my opinion. In my day, each neighborhood had its own ethnic identity centered around the school. The students walked to school. Many of the teachers lived nearby and walked too. Driving was a luxury. Only the fathers drove but worked nearby and could walk when the car broke down. Almost every day my mother would send me to a neighborhood store to pick up one or two things. I skipped, ran, hopped to the dairy, the bakery, the dime store, the drug store. My mother gave me a nickel and I'd stop at the soda fountain for a root beer or ice cream. Most homes had three generations of the same family. The grandparents lived downstairs. The parents and children lived upstairs. Some adult was always home, watching out for every child. On Saturday the fathers worked in the yard and made repairs around the house. On Sunday, everyone went to church - everything else was closed except the drug store that was open only a few hours so medicine could be picked up. They sold the Sunday newspaper too - in plain brown wrappers. My dad drove us to church although we could have walked. On Sunday afternoon we visited relatives who lived on farms. I milked the cows! I climbed the trees. I picked asparagus. Now its drive, drive, drive, drive, drive. Driving is now a necessity. No one works in the neighborhood - local companies are out of business. No one shops in the neighborhood - local stores are out of business. Kids are bused for miles to far away schools because the local school has closed. . Mothers work away from home. The grandparents have disappeared. Everyone seems to leave home for the weekend. Nobody knows who they are any more. No one is home. Now schools are being closed, consolidated, given weird names. I know I don't care. Maybe I'll list them here. Eventually. Article: Public Schools Heading: MyGrandRapids Services Page Web site MyGrandRapids
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