Unbelievable Things Kindergartners Were Expected To Do In The 1950s

People always say things were better in the 1950s, don’t they? But after learning what kindergartners were expected to do back then, you might not be so sure. Seriously, would you allow your kindergartner to skip to school alone? Or teach them how to survive a nuclear attack? The stark differences between now and then are just insane! And if you don’t believe us, check out the 1954 report card of a certain Margaret Bramer. These are 20 of the most shocking things on there.

20. Finances

It’s really quite difficult to get ahead in the world without a decent understanding of finances. In fact, it’s probably best that kids are taught about money management from as early as possible. That way, they’ll be more prepared as they get older. Naturally, this was as true during the 1950s as it is today.

Counting those coins

It seems that kindergarten teachers in the ’50s appreciated just how important it was for kids to understand money. Margaret Bramer’s report card from 1954 includes an item that reads, “I know pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, dollars.” Hopefully, this early exposure to the idea of money helped Bramer’s financial management throughout her later life.

19. Table manners

Good manners at the dinner table are important, as teachers of the ’50s understood. That’s why Bramer and her classmates were encouraged to “eat nicely,” as their report card put it. It’s a quaint way of phrasing it, but it’s also a clever way of getting kids to think about dinner etiquette.

Manners matter

Each meal of the day represents a chance for children to learn all about table manners. All that’s needed is a bit of effort from the kid and some patience from the grown-up teaching them. Looking at Bramer’s report card, this was definitely an important value back in the 1950s.