It’s Etched in Stone: We walked when we weren’t running

By RALPH STONE
MVI columnist

Thousands upon thousands of modern-day moms or dads are offering today’s children their own personal taxi service. Off they go to piano or voice lessons, soccer practice, gymnastics, Little League games or day-camp adventures. The list goes on and on, while mom’s services are not only expected but sometimes include the entire team of hopeful future Tom Brady’s or Simone Biles.
In contrast, the children of the 40s and 50s walked if we weren’t running. Of course, there were good reasons for us to walk rather than ride. Unlike today’s families with several cars, the families of the 40s and 50s were lucky if they had one automobile in the garage.
As I look back on those memorable days, I can only recall one Rambler whose father owned an automobile. The great majority of our dads routinely walked to their own destinations, lunch buckets in hand, to the Pittsburgh Steel Mill, Page’s Wire mill, Corning Glass or the Donora Zinc Works.

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