Most of us, somehow, somewhere have heard the words, “When I was your age, I walked two miles, uphill, in a snowstorm to get to school.” Whether exaggerated or not, descriptions like these have been used over the years as a way for older generations to paint a picture for younger generations of how things were in days gone by.
This particular phrase has been used over and over as a way of saying things were a bit less convenient than they are today.
As I grow older, whether I’m struggling to explain something from days gone by to my children or I am trying to paint a picture of a specific time period, a stereotypical character, or historical event to help students in preparation for the One-Act play or a speech competition, I often find myself referencing what I consider iconic moments in pop culture thinking it will help them in making that connection. I often mention famous television characters, famous lines from movies, and songs from specific time periods to help them relate. I recently referenced the character June Cleaver from the well-known television series, “Leave it to Beaver,” only to be hit with the reality that I am getting old, and these kids have no idea who June Cleaver is. Realizing “Leave it to Beaver” first aired in the ‘50s and ended its syndication in the early ‘90s, I found it fair that a group of students born in 2000 could not make that connection.To read the rest of the story turn to this weeks edition of the Elgin Review.
