Families were exposed to more violent crimes and poverty in Pleasant Hill and South Suffolk in the 50's and 60's than now (Part 1 of 2)

Article 6 Volume 3        Part 1 of 2                                                     May 15, 2013

1950's and 1960's: Poverty and Crime in the Neighborhood

Until recently, I never gave much thought to the poverty my family and other families were experiencing in the 50's and 60's. I mean, we had food and clothes, but we were still in poverty. Sometimes when you are in the midst of poverty, you just don't think about it. We were deprived big time and just didn't realize it.

The county didn't really care that much about our welfare and neighborhoods. For example:

    a.  Our streets were unpaved. In the 50's they put some rocks on the streets (the rocks became weapons. I was knocked in the head at least 4 times by a thrown rock. Did somebody say that is what is wrong with me today?).  They finally paved the streets at some point in the 50's.

   b.  No running water.

  c.  No street lights until the 50's

  d.  No school bus for my community. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail we had to get out there and walk two to two and a half miles to school every day one way.

These conditions, I believe contributed, in part, to the crime that occurred in the neighborhood. 

Many of us were right in the midst of a lot of crime but just didn't get caught up in it.

We didn't realize it then, but the boys (sometimes as many as 15) would get together early in the morning at my house or some other house or spots in the neighborhood and hang together until night. We played horseshoes, basketball, softball, or football somewhere in the neighborhood during the day. Together, we felt safe.  Though we didn't talk about it.

Seemingly, the girls stayed in the house until the cool of the evening. But they had to be back in their homes before dark, unless they were accompanied by a boy. It was seldom that girls walked alone

The most glaring statistic from the good ole days is the number of homicides that occurred in the community. In my blog, Grady E. Bryant Expressions I cited at least 12 in a short span of time. These homicides included or involved men, women and children.

There is still poverty and crime in the neighborhood, but it was a lot worse in the good ole days. We just didn't fully feel it because, perhaps, we were conditioned to think that whatever came our way was the way it was supposed to be.

Part 2 will be published on June 12, 2013

See Grady Bryant's Expressions.website. 

                      Copyright 2013. Grady E. Bryant, Sr. All Rights Reserved.