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Sunday, December 17, 2017

One hundred years ago...Some fun stuff, but true!


The year is 1917, one hundred years ago!!!! 
Here are some statistics to bend your mind a bit. Also to relax you after all that Xmas shopping!


The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub.

Only 8% of homes had a telephone.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was ten miles per hour.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average US wage in 1920 was 22 cents per hour.

A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 a year.

A dentist $2,500 a year.
A veterinarian between $1,500 to $4000 a year,

And a mechanical engineer about $5000 a year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.

Ninety percent of all doctors had no medical education.
Instead, they attended so-called medical school, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as “substandard.”

Sugar cost four cents a pound.

Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Sugar cost

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet.

Two out of ten adults could neither read not write.

Only six percent had graduated from high school.

Morphine, heroin, and marijuana were all available over the counter at the local drugstore.

Eighteen percent of households had at least one full time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A.

Aren't these amazing?


And may all of you have a happy holiday, whatever you are celebrating..


5 comments:

Tina Donahue said...

Fascinating as always, Jean!

If the US government continues as it is, we'll see these stats in our current lives. Decreased life expectancy, minimum wages in the pennies, etc...

Cara Marsi said...

Wow, how interesting. I agree with Tina that it does seem as if we're going backwards.

Paris said...

I love your post! These interesting little tidbits have helped me see a clearer picture of the time period (which I happen to be researching for a series:). Thank you so much and Merry Christmas!

jean hart stewart said...

Glad you ladies liked this....I simply couldn't not pass it on, even though it's hardly a Xmas-y column. These facts fascinated me...

Melissa Keir said...

What a fun list! I think sometimes we forget what life was really like back then.

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