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The Old-Sibley High School Unofficial Alumni Site Travel Down 50 Years of Events Parallel to Sibley's Own History Authored and Contributed by Brenda Wettengel-Lentz - Class of 1984 50s
The majority of Americans in the decade of the 1950s followed traditions set down by our parents. We had a sense of right and wrong, obeyed authority, respected the flag. We didn't burn draft cards or march on Washington. The period was often referred to as the "Ozzie and Harriet" era, after the television show. When the powerful new medium, television, took over, Americans ate TV dinners on TV trays in front of 10-inch black and white TVs. Betty Furness sold refrigerators and Dave Garroway hosted the Today show; Dinah Shore blew a big kiss to everyone at her show's end after singing See the USA in Your Chevrolet. America's two most-popular TV shows were I Love Lucy and Dragnet. Nielsen ratings at the time showed than more than 16-million of the nation's 27-million television sets were tuned to NBC every Thursday by the time Jack Webb spoke his character's opening line: "My name's Friday." The women of the era accepted the role of wife and mother as gospel. Magazines told us we would find fulfillment in marriage and babies and staying home. We didn't seem to mind being portrayed in television commercials as a "happy homemaker glossed over by floor wax, a giant in her washer, and a bouquet in her detergent." The man of the house provided food and lodging and expected to be treated like a prince. He didn't help with the children, even when his wife was ill. He counted on having his slippers by his easy chair and his dinner on time. The 1950s were years of unprecedented growth and prosperity. The middle class grew and with it the suburbs, interstate highways, beach and country clubs for the masses, barbecues on the patio on weekends, inflatable pools for the children, and for some, bomb shelters. And because of the boom in home sales, many of us had telephone party lines shared by some four or five families. One could listen in on each other's conversation, thereby keeping up with the news of the neighborhood. One woman on our line would invariably interrupt our chit-chats by telling us to get off the line because "I have a condition and must use the telephone at once." Newlyweds expected gifts of sterling silver, although not as lavish as that of the early part of the century. In 1957, a Littleton, N. H. jeweler was selling Reed and Barton sterling flatware in six-piece settings of "Silver Wheat" or "Classic Rose" patterns for $33.75 and $35, including tax. The bridal couple's thank you notes were informal. The Courier office at Littleton advertised a hundred Rytex-Hylited informals with a hundred envelopes for $2 in their Oct.3, 1957 issue. The war was behind us and we had money in our pockets. If a neighbor got something new, we had to have one too. It was akin to "keeping up with the Joneses." The 1958 line of Norge 'completely deluxe automatic washers' with two wash cycles was $199 and up. Philco advertised their television as having "Hyper power" with "wrap-around sound." Nearly all automobiles got bigger during the 1950s ---- the era of chrome grilles and exaggerated fins. According to Modern Maturity magazine in their August/September, 1993 issue: "The Big Three manufacturers leapfrogged over each other to come out with the most powerful engine." In 1957, the A & P supermarket advertised legs of lamb at 62 cents a pound; loin lamb chops, $1.09 a pound; rib lamb chops for 89 cents a pound; and shoulder chops at 69 cents a pound. Ready-to-cook chickens, 2- to 3- pounds, to broil or fry, were 39 cents per pound. Four pounds of Bartlett pears were 49 cents; MacIntosh apples, U. S. No. 1fine, were 39 cents for a four-pound bag; and A & P quick-frozen green peas, four 10-ounce packages, 55 cents. The proper American housewife continued to wear a hat, white gloves, and a nice dress to market. 1960 President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
The Frantics, Wailers, Kingsmen, Sonics and other bands fuel a vibrant Northwest Music scene; the rock festival is born and reaches its cultural zenith with the 1969 Woodstock Festival 1960 Loretta Lynn records her first song, "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl," while living in Custer, Wash. The Brothers Four, featuring four fraternity brothers from the University of Washington, record the national hit "Green Fields." Chubby Checker creates a national dance craze with "The Twist." Instrumental-rock group The Ventures, founded in the Northwest, record their debut hit, "Walk Don't Run."
The Beatles 1961 The Beatles perform their first show at Liverpool's Cavern Club. 1962 Presley comes to Seattle to film "It Happened at the World's Fair." 1963 Northwest group The Kingsmen record a hit version of a Northwest rock favorite, "Louie, Louie," written by Richard Berry. Tacoma band The Sonics record a Northwest classic, "The Witch," and later open shows for the Byrds, the Kinks and the Rolling Stones. 1964 On their first U.S. tour, the Beatles play the Seattle Center Coliseum and hysterical fans mob the Edgewater Inn.
Bob Dylan 1965 President: Lyndon B. Johnson
1965 Bob Dylan records "Like a Rolling Stone." 1966 The cassette tape is introduced commercially. 1967 Hendrix sets his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival and is on his way to stardom.
Jimi Hendrix 1968 The Sky River Rock Festival and Lighter Than Air Fair, one of the first outdoor rock festivals, takes place on a farm near Sultan. The lineup includes Country Joe and the Fish, Muddy Waters, John Fahey, It's a Beautiful Day and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Singer Merrilee Rush, who fronts Northwest group The Turnabouts, records her first single, "Angel of the Morning."
Merrilee Rush 1969 The Seattle Pop Festival in Woodinville features Chuck Berry, Santana, The Byrds, Ike and Tina Turner, Led Zeppelin, the Guess Who, Chicago Transit Authority, Bo Diddley, the Doors and Seattle group Floating Bridge. The Woodstock Festival draws 400,000 to a 600-acre farm in upstate New York. 1970 President: Richard M. Nixon
Heart launches its career in an era when rock concerts become larger, louder and more lavish 1970 Hendrix performs a homecoming show at Sick's Stadium. He dies two months later in his sleep in London at the age of 27. 1971 Northwest rock band Paul Revere and the Raiders records its biggest hit, "Indian Reservation." Bumbershoot, the Northwest's top arts festival, makes its modest debut as Festival '71 at Seattle Center. 1975 President: Gerald R. Ford
Northwest rock band Heart releases "Dreamboat Annie," featuring the hit songs "Crazy on You" and Magic Man."
Heart Tacoma-born jazz and pop singer Diane Schuur makes her first appearance on "The Tonight Show."
Paul McCartney 1976 Paul McCartney and Wings perform the Kingdome's first rock concert. Saxophonist Kenny G, a student at Franklin High School, gets his first professional gig playing with Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. 1977 Elvis Presley dies. 1980 President James Earl Carter, Jr.
In Seattle clubs, the seeds for an underground rock revolution are being sown. 1980 John Lennon is assassinated. 1981 MTV begins broadcasting music videos 24 hours a day. 1982 The compact disc, or CD, is developed by Sony and Philips.
Queensryche 1984 Bellevue hard-rock band Queensryche releases its first full-length album, "The Warning." 1985 President: Ronald W. Reagan
Feather your hair, turn up your collar, splash on some Polo, and head back to the time when Reagan was King. 1985 Madonna opens her first national concert tour with a show at the Paramount Theatre.
Madonna 1986 Mark O'Connor, who grew up in Mountlake Terrace, is named top fiddler by the Academy of Country Music. Blues guitarist Robert Cray, a Tacoma native, records "Strong Persuader," which wins his first Grammy. 1987
Robert Cray Sub Pop releases Soundgarden's first album, an EP titled "Screaming Life." 1988 Seattle rock band Mudhoney records "Touch Me I'm Sick," the quintessential "grunge" song. 1990 President: George Bush
1995 President: Bill Clinton
2000 President: Bill Clinton
Sibley Class of 1971 ** President- J.Bowen **Mail Our WebMstr - C.Brunschon! Last revised: June 27, 2004.(Created and Sponsored by the Class of 1971- Other Classes Encouraged to Contribute or submit Links.) |
