Do you remember the days of no AC?

Question

People are talking these days about the temp. We have had 102 degrees but I remember before AC, the days were hot,windows open, screens in windows. Cool drinks in the shade. I don't remember suffering like people seem to today. What are you remembering?

Answer 1

Since that was just two days ago for me, then I can assure you that people still suffer from the heat....yes you will do almost anything to cool down when you have no air conditioning. (I don't consider it healthy, and refuse to have it installed.)

The truth is that children are more resilient and resistant to extremes of heat and cold. When I was young I was always out and about and it didn't matter how hot it became or how cold.

Now, it seems that I spend half my life either putting on multiple layers to stay warm, or stripping down to almost nothing to cool off.

Answer 2

Well we did not have central AC. But I do remember heat!

When I was in the 3rd or 4th grade (1958 or 1959), we had one window AC in the bedroom only. Everyone slept in the same room. We had 2 twin beds and 1 full bed. Very crowded.

When we moved the AC unit could not fit any of the windows in the new apt. so we suffered. We did have a fan that blew hot air. We would sleep in just our underwear and sweat. But as a kid, you can probably handle the heat far better than someone older. The key is not to move!!!

Answer 3

Yes, I remember. we had an attic fan, that exhausted air into the attic and out the dormers. At night you opened the window just enough to have the air pass over the bed to keep you cool.

I remember moving to a new town and my parents rented a house with no attic fan. They put a block of ice in a wash tub and put a fan behind it to blow cool air.

My father worked for an automobile parts house and he sold a device that you would attach to the window of the car. It had water in it and as you drove, air came into this device and the water took the dust out and the air went into the car from a small slotted vent at the top of the rolled up window. It worked, but not well.

Schools had long floor to ceiling windows which were un screened and left open. Not only did it cool the classroom but it was another way to get in if you were late for class.

Answer 4

Yes & I don't miss them.
Just talking about it w/ some friends.
The only places that had it were some movie theaters & some stores.
I suffered in the heat then & still do.
We did what we could w/ fans & screens , but that was all there was.
When window AC did become available, many homes did not have enough amperage to power them .
Barely enough juice for a washing machine , radio,fridge & lights.
Air conditioned cars were a novelty when they came out & for the very well off.
I remember horse drawn ice wagons, there were still a few "ice boxes " around ( coal in winter) where the driver would give you a chunk if he was in a good mood.
Most fridges could only make a few ice cubes & you could not store frozen food even if it was available.
Heat was not one of my favorite childhood memories.
Looking ahead ..( not that many years I'm afraid ) those of us who are pre AC will be nicely chilled

Answer 5

I remember when the few stores that had AC would advertise the fact on their window signs and in the newspaper.

I also remember before TV we would sit on the porch and listen to the radio drama’s. Burning rags in a bucket kept the gnats and mosquitoes away.

Before AC houses were build differently to accommodate ventilation. Also there is a thing called heat acclimation. A couple of weeks away from the AC and the heat is more tolerable.

Answer 6

Just want to say I've enjoyed everyone's stories. I remember spending time at my grandparents' farm in the 50's. Only a radio and my grandma still had to use a handwringer washing machine in the basement. But they had one room AC! Still upstairs sleeping with the window open was wonderful with the sound of the locusts.
Now I live the coldest part of the US in the summer-northern coast of Washington. We don't need AC and it's too cold most of the summer to open the window at night. (Feel sorry for me in the winter when it rains all the time and one seldom sees the sun.)

Answer 7

The temps didn't bother us kids, but it sure put my mother under! Seems the older you get, the less you can put up with high heat...I know I am certainly that way. And, even as a kid today, if all you know is AC rooms, going outside can be a killer in high heat.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I hated being around my mother when it was really hot...she had a very short fuse.

Answer 8

I'm glad you asked. The children played outside from 8:00am til 6:00pm except to come inside, drink water from a flat glass jar with a red top in the frig. and eat a bologna sandwich for lunch. My tired legs were weak walking to the tiny bathroom for a hot bath. My mother had a "pallet" ready in front of a window fan. It felt ,oh, so wonderful!
What about the air conditioned cars? It was fan blowing over ice in a contraption in the car window!

Answer 9

Acclimation and being spoiled. And in my case, getting old. Didn't have AC in a car or house until I was in my late twenties. Now I love that cool dry air and claim that I couldn't live without it. I could, just don't want to. The really neat thing about us humans is we adapt to what we must.
Of course, AC has been a boon to those with health problems and probably could be considered a life extender or saver in some cases.

Answer 10

Took me ages to figure out what you meant by AC!

I remember loose, light coloured cotton clothes, water to drink, windows open, but curtains drawn to keep the sun out, and trees to sit under outside. Still very much my habit today with a little help from a desk fan and a lot of common sense.