I shouldn't be taking the time to reply...but...heh heh..

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tim Thompson [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
>Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 5:04 PM
>
>1. The geographical range of children from their homesites, in 
>comparison to 
>their parents. We went miles and miles on our bikes, hiking, running, 
>playing etc. 
>And of course we carried our marbles, pocket change, bus 
>tokens, fishing 
>bobbers and many "in small things forgotten", spreading 
>evidence of our 
>ethnicity and class on a much broader broadcast than our 
>parents. Obviously, 
>that is no longer the case. Middle class kids are constrained 
>by the fears 
>of their parents, and down the ladder, they are constrained by the 
>territoriality of their peers

I had commented previously about the kids of the last couple decades, playing more videos games and such, and also the unfortunate paranoia these days, where parents wont allow their kids to 'roam free' as we got to.  But, I hadnt thot of the "pocket factor"...  Now this wouldn't have affected me after school or on wkends, but girls in the 50s-60s (and early 70s) couldn't wear pants to school, so, I bet seldom we had pockets...as boys did...to lose things out of, etc. Probably not too significant a factor tho.  I guess (typical) girls carried purses at a young age. ?? I didn't, since a backpack served the purpose.


> As a side comment, when the 
>Tomboys, like 
>Carol Serr barged into the boys club, they usually won by skill and 
>cleverness, but were spared the sanction that us clever boys suffered, 
>because their defeatees would never dare "hit a girl". The 
>modern feminist, 
>former tomboy, would not likely admit that they were spared by 
>the boys 
>respect for gender custom, or would say that they were "dumb" 
>to not accept 
>them as equal potential victims of quite painful, if not 
>serious bodily harm 
>that the rest of "us guys" were subject to. If you don't 
>agree, show me your 
>scars! The main reaction to Tomboys in the circles I travelled 
>in, was "let 
>'em play through, and get on out of here". 


I don't think I 'barged in on the boys club' really.  I mostly played games with my brother.  I did play street football and army with the kids in the neighborhood, but none seemed to mind (of course, that's my 'naïve' perspective)....and they werent all boys.  I just didn't see gender that much (or blocked out all feminine stuff?).  Boys generally had it "better"...more fun things, and got away with more...since girls were "supposed to be lady like".  Bleek.  And, um, I had plenty of scars (but they have faded over time), but not from boys hitting me.  I don't think of myself as a feminist...I just wanted to BE a boy.  I don't think preference (or discrimination) should be given based on gender...only actual merit/skill.  I actually have very traditional (old fashioned) values when it comes to gender rolls.  Hard to explain...I'm a messed up 'freak'... Ha ha.

>4. Tiddly winks under FLOOR BOARDS is 
>actually quite 
>logical: marbles, jacks, etc. were outdoor games. Tiddly Winks was, of 
>course, an upper bourgoise activity, depending on a hardwood 
>floor, and confined, as were the children, to the indoors. 

Hmm, I only remember playing tiddly winks on the table, not a floor (perhaps, since ours were carpeted).  According to this website, competitive tiddlywinks has been very much an adult game...since 1954 (but the game was a fad in the 1890s). http://www.tiddlywinks.org/


>What will the EXPLOSION of Ninja Turtles parts and stuff tell 
>the 22nd, 
>23rd, or 24th C. archaeologist about our society, 

I had forgotten all about those little turtle characters!  I have one hanging on my blind cord...left behind from a former roommate's 7 yr old son.  Have found Buz Lightyear parts in the field, besides a one-piece Big Bird...but no Ninja body parts...yet.  And plenty of golf balls...  I know there have to be buried plastic dinosaurs in our backyard...