Lubbock Arts Festival April

One hundred years ago: what a difference a century makes

Here are some statistics for 1922:

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 percent of 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 1922 was 22 cents per hour.

The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

An accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year.

A dentist earned $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.

Sugar cost 4 cents a pound.

Eggs,14 cents a dozen.

Coffee, 15 cents a pound.

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

Canada passed law prohibiting poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Leading causes of death: 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 30.

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

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

Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

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

Back then pharmacists said: “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is a perfect guardian of health.”

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

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

Lubbock Animal Services & Adoption Center

3323 SE Loop 289, Lubbock 79404

806-775-2057 or 806-775-2058

mylubbock.us/animalservices

Searching for the perfect addition to your family?

Dogs and cats (and sometimes other furry, scaly, or feathered species, too) of all ages and sizes just waiting for the right home.

When “Star Trek” premiered on NBC-TV in September 1966, creator Gene Roddenberry was no doubt knocked for a loop when his much-anticipated show tanked. It never rose above 52 in the ratings, and that was only during the first season of its three-year run. Yet much of the technology found within those 79 original “Star Trek” episodes resonates now in our everyday activities.

In 1964, Hollywood scriptwriter Roddenberry (he of “Highway Patrol” and “Have Gun – Will Travel” fame) set out to create something unique for television— a sci-fi series different from the usual doom-and-gloom “rocket operas” of the day.

Roddenberry had to work hard to sell his idea. Some NBC-TV honchos were initially lukewarm about Star Trek being a “cerebral” show (which meant probably not generating much sponsor money). Other overly cautious executives objected to Spock’s pointy ears, claiming they looked diabolical and Satanic.

“Star Trek” was set in the Milky Way galaxy in the 23rd century, in a utopian future where divisions of race, gender and nationality have become concepts cast aside. The stories take place aboard the starship Enterprise as it journeys on a five-year mission of scientific exploration and intergalactic diplomacy, zooming to distant planets in response to distress calls and confronting warmongering aliens.

The show’s spotlight fell primarily on Canadian actor William Shatner. He had trained as a Shakespearean actor but was willing to take whatever work came his way, including a stint on “The Canadian Howdy Doody Show.” When Shatner moved to Hollywood, Roddenberry cast him as Captain James T. Kirk, the take-charge commander who guided the Enterprise and its crew.

Boston-born actor Leonard Nimoy spent years struggling for a breakout role in Hollywood, where he once delivered newspapers and drove a cab to make ends meet. By the time he joined the “Star Trek” cast, he had acted in more than 50 “B” movies and in minor roles on numerous TV shows. As emotionless and logically minded Mr. Spock on Star Trek,” Nimoy became almost as popular as Shatner’s Kirk character.

Spock, second in command on the Enterprise, was half-human, half-Vulcan. (Vulcans were the first extraterrestrial species to make contact with humans.) His split-finger Vulcan salute became iconic, with most viewers unaware that the gesture was a Hebrew blessing that Nimoy conjured from his synagogue youth.

The series featured a groundbreaking, racially diverse cast, as well as American television’s first interracial kiss between Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). “Star Trek” never downplayed its “message” motifs concerning war, sex, religion, politics and racism. Yet the show’s ongoing theme seemed to consistently be that, in the end, good will triumph over evil.

As to cultural influences, consider that much of the “Star Trek” technology is commonplace now. Communication devices shown then are akin to today’s cell phones. Earpieces worn by Enterprise crew members have become today’s Bluetooth devices. Universal Translators are replicated by modern voice-recognition software. And “zoom” videoconferencing first appeared on Star Trek’s interactive video screens.

Who says that science fiction is fictitious?

They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions, but before I can live with other folks, I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.

– Harper Lee

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

– Charles Dickens

Lubbock,Texas 806-744-2220

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