In reading an article that told of things we who lived in 1935 had never seen back then, seemed to really fit me to a T.

Because at that time I was only 5 years old and ready to start kindergarten and face 13 years of incarceration in our good old Dowagiac schools (ha ha).

Here are some of the things that were not known back then: television, penicillin, nylon, dacron, radar, credit cards, fluorescent lights, ballpoint pens, computers, Scotch tape, M&Ms, Jefferson nickels, Cheerios, disposable diapers, automatic car shifting, Jeeps, frozen orange juice, instant coffee, McDonald’s, FM radio, tape recorders, electric typewriters, word processors, panty hose, drip-dry clothes, ice makers, dishwashers, clothes dryers, freezers, electric blankets, coin vending machines, jet planes and helicopters.

Also, there were no interstate highways.

Back in 1935 there were five-and-10-cent stores where you could buy things for a nickel or a dime.

For a nickel you could make a phone call, buy a Coke or buy enough stamps for one letter and three postcards.

You could buy a 1935 Chevy coupe for $600 and fill it up with 11-cent-a-gallon gasoline.

Back then men didn’t have long hair or earrings.

Folks got married first, then lived together.

Here are some other things that come to my mind.

My first TV remote was held in my hand as I sat in the chair and had a wire from it to the TV.

Also, back in 1935 you had to get up to answer the phone because we had no cell phones to carry in your pocket.

Other things I remember were the old radio dramas and later the live dramas on TV.

Remember back in the days when major U.S. cities had 10 or more newspapers?

We also used to have toys that didn’t need batteries.

Words like “crap” and “suck” were not used years ago, and “pot” and “grass” meant what they really were.

And think back when you could buy clothes that were made here in America.

In my memory, I can’t forget the many Saturday matinees at the old Century Theatre.

On each side in the front of the building, Mr. Larkin had an office on the north side and Allie Geer had his office on the south side.

I’ve written about Jack Pollock and Mr. Geer before.

I also recall Wayne Clark had a Texaco gas station on Penn Avenue, where later Matt Amersdorfer put in his insurance building.

Well, a lot of water has gone over the dam since my life started in 1930, huh?

And how did we make it without all the things I listed?

“Cardinal Charlie” Gill writes a nostalgic weekly column about growing up in the Grand Old City. E-mail him at cardinalcharlie@hotmail.com.