The Year is 1917

The below item arrived in my emails yesterday, courtesy of Charles Z. His message was “Otto - enjoy and use as you see fit!” Thanks, Charles.

It compares the present day with 1917. A quick search on the internet shows that it has also been posted as being for 1915 and 1902.

I checked some of the “facts” given:

“The American flag had 45 stars ...” 

In fact, the 45th star was added in 1896 for Utah, the 46th star was added in 1908 for Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, and 2 more stars were added in 1912 for Arizona and New Mexico. (Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th stars in 1959 and 1960).

“There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.”

Owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all US states observed the Mother’s Day holiday. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.

So either take it with a grain of salt, look at it as of interest or go with the earlier date, but don’t hold me to the facts as given. Or use it as an illustration not to believe everything you read.

What some of our parents and grandparents experienced in 1917

This will boggle your mind!

The year is 1917, "One hundred years ago."

What a difference a century makes!

Here are some statistics for the Year 1917:

The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.

Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.

The average US worker made between 200 and 400 per year.

A competent accountant could expect to earn 2000 per year.

A dentist 2,500 per year.

A veterinarian between 1,500 and 4,000 per year.

And, a mechanical engineer about 5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home

Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, 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.

Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

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

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

The Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza

2. Tuberculosis

3. Diarrhea

4. Heart disease

5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars ...

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.

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

There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write and, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores.

Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!" 

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. !

I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself. From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD all in a matter of seconds!

It is impossible to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

We’ve come a long way, baby!