EDUCATION
In the 1950's education was different to education now. For example at schools if you have done something wrong you would get caned (beaten on the hand with a ruler) but in nowadays we get told off or get given an after school detention. Also they didn’t have fancy technology like we do today. They didn’t have electronic or computer games and you only had an hour a day of TV to watch if you were lucky enough to have one.
In the 1950's teens used typewriters, had phonographs to play records and were able to go home or stay at school for lunch. Most secondary schools had a library and most teens lived within walking distance of their school and friends. The typical desk in the 1950's was one with a desk table connected to the chair with a basket meant for holding books underneath. Today only some secondary schools allow students to leave the school grounds for lunch. Computers are probably the most important new technologies for secondary schools students because most of their assignments must be typed in order to be turned in. Teens today not only get to go to libraries to do research but they are also able to use the Internet to research and do homework. Catholic high schools had uniforms and the teachers were usually strict nuns who smacked you if you did anything wrong. Schools rarely took field trips and they did not have lockers.
Some of the subjects taught in schools were: biology, Latin, Spanish, English, Grammar, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Reading, History, Geography and Economics (sewing and cooking).
Teen boys had baseball and basket ball and the girls had cheerleading squads.
The girls wore skirts and dresses everyday. It was not common for a girl to
ware shorts or pants to school. The only time teen girls wore shorts or pants
was to lounge around the house or play outside. The also were jeans which were
then called dungarees.