Writer seeks interview subjects on Wisconsin life in the 1950s

[erhey]

Hi everyone,

I'm writing a novel that takes place in Central Wisconsin in the 1950s, and I'm looking for interview subjects for research. In particular, I'm looking for people who can talk about some of the everyday aspects of rural/small-town life in the 50s, including:

Farming techniques
Infant/child raising
Social life (church groups, bars, and so on)
Entertainment (TV, radio, etc.)
Homesteading (chopping wood, heating your home)
Kitchens of the 50s (storing food, kitchen technology, etc.)
Landscape (local flora and fauna, lakes and fishing, etc.)

Thanks for reading this post, and feel free to reply if you know of someone or want more details. Each interview should last about an hour, and all subjects will be credited upon publication.

Best,

Erik

[LinksToThePast]

I may know a couple of people that would be interested.

How many people are you looking for?

[erhey]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I'll follow up on any names you got. For my immediate purposes, someone who can talk about baby care and farming are top priority. I can contact them this week, but probably wouldn't be able to do phone interviews till after Thanksgiving.

Thanks,

Erik

[LinksToThePast]

The person I thought of first was a babysitter for her fiance's little sister and brother while he worked out on his father's farm. She often helped doing the milking chores too I think. His siblings are much younger than he is. She should do just fine for you, if she agrees.

I will see her Thanksgiving so I will ask.

[erhey]

Thanks for following up. And just to check, she is a woman who is old enough to speak about life in the 50s?

thanks,

Erik

[Lauri]

That is an ambitious project you are undertaking. Are you looking for anything specific?

Having been born in 1949, I grew up on a farm during the 1950s and remember party line telephones; outhouses; ringer washers; milk cans; running barefoot in warm, recently plowed soils; harvesting both natural and farm bounty; and studying nature up close and personal.

I attended a one room grade school when I was aged 5 -7 and then I joined with five other students and we then attended a consolidated rural school having two grades in each classroom through the seventh grade. I remember kite flying contests; spelling contests; and paper mache, mask-making contests. I vividly remember the Cold War and The Cuban Missile Crisis.
Lauri

[erhey]

Hi Lauri,

Thanks for the reply. You had some interesting and helpful details in your post. I'm pulling together some research sources now, so maybe at some point we could talk more?

Thanks,

Erik

[MrKhay]

I have a couple uncles left that grew up in the depression. One of them had a milk pick-up route, with the numbered cans...stainless steel deals. The guy had arms like tree trunks from loading and unloading the full milk cans everyday. Besides that, he farmed 70+ acres, and operated his dairy farm. 5 kids...all doing well with the life training they learned on the farm.

[jags]

Interesting! As being on the leading edge of the Infamous Baby Boomer Generation, I haven't thought of the 1950's from an historical viewpoint!
Here are a few odd things that I recall: Fear of atomic bombs and the drill in school to avoid harm!!!; Guinea pig for the Salk polio vaccine; 2 room schoolhouse with 4 grades in each room...and when they added a kindergarten, it was in the FURNACE ROOM!!!; School paper drives, with the huge stacks of old newspapers being stored in basement of the school...on the other side of the wall from the Kindergarten/Furnace Room!!!; Lots of pranks in the same 2 room school; Friday night was when the stores, (DOWNTOWN, of course) would stay open until 9pm!!!; Christmas eve mail delivery TWICE per day!
Geez Whiz, I feel old! Have a Swell day! jags