CLIFFORD – Seniors Centre for Excellence program coordinator Helen Edwards welcomed 40 seniors to the lunch and learn session on May 17 at Knox United Church here.
Lunch of baked tenderloin pork, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, spinach salad and French rhubarb pie was served by Donna Gingrich, Edwards and Mary Cain.
Emily Foster, a programming assistant with the Wellington County Museum and Archives, took everyone down memory lane by revisiting the “fabulous ‘50s” and “sensational ‘60s.”
Fashion
The topic generated a great deal of humour and stories as people reminisced about the good old days. Iconic fashion trended to bold colours, shorter hemlines, poodle skirts and hot pants, and the beehive was a popular hairdo.
Wedding dresses changed over the years, but not the groom’s suit.
The golden age of television allowed shows to appear right in a family’s living room and started the trend of eating in front of the TV.
The Queen’s coronation in 1953, the Kennedy assassination in ‘63, and the moon landing in ’69 were among the highlights of the period.
There are photos to prove Pierre Elliot Trudeau was spotted in Guelph.
Sports teams played with less than ideal protective gear and playing table top hockey became a favourite pastime.
The Clifford Swing Skirts dominated the field and drew crowds of 1,500 spectators to their ball games.
Those years weren’t all bobby socks and roses, especially when Hurricane Hazel touched down in 1954, causing flooding and an outbreak of jaundice.
On a brighter note, Foster brought along some hats, handbags and scarves from the museum collection.
She passed around a pill box hat, a police cap, and an evening clutch large enough for a compact of face powder, a tube of lipstick and a handkerchief.
Participation
To sign up for the next program call 519-638-1000. The meal costs $12 but the program to follow is free.
