Jaywalkers - Main and Franklin Streets - who knew they were such a source of trouble! Writing up this post - I am just wondering how many of you younger readers even know what jaywalking means. It's one of those words that isn't used much anymore - along with cloakroom, lavatory, davenport and even terms like street car and trolley. Now I will try to use all the words in a paragraph: I woke up on the davenport and realized I was going to be late for school. So I ran for the street car, but tripped over the trolley tracks. By the time I got to class, I had to wash up in the cloakroom and use the lavatory before sitting down at my desk.
Until the day my grandmother died - she always called a couch (a davenport). If you can think of more unused words - please feel free to send them.
9 comments:
How about parlor for living room?
Babushka = the scarf worn on your head.
Interesting how they thought that the real problem was a diagonal entrance to central park.
Sister Ernestine, my second grade teacher, always called coats "wraps." As in, put your wraps in the cloakroom. My grandmother always said "davenport," too.
And jaywalkers ARE a PITA. At some point all pedestrians decided it was no longer part of their responsibility to watch out for cars when crossing a street.
Remember that us Johnstowners referred to rubberbands as "gumbands"?
I had a teacher for 5th & 6th grade at Bheam school that used the word shan't. As in no you shan't. Also us kids used to have to go to the lavatory. Also I didnt even know what a couch was when I was little, always thought it was a davenport.
Dungarees and Frigidaire
I have learned so many of these old time words from my grandmother, my father, and mother! We use them all the time because it's what we were tought growing up. My family did not want us not knowing our heritage and knowing what it was like in the olden days in Johnstown! I know what jaywalking means my dad uses it all the time. My mother often uses studabubba so old fashion words I am accustom too and I love them. I only hope to teach my children the same. Along with preserving old family photos. Can anyone give tips on doing that? I know if you write on the backs of them the ink soaks through. Just want some friendly pointers. Would be appreciated!
I have learned so many of these old time words from my grandmother, my father, and mother! We use them all the time because it's what we were tought growing up. My family did not want us not knowing our heritage and knowing what it was like in the olden days in Johnstown! I know what jaywalking means my dad uses it all the time. My mother often uses studabubba so old fashion words I am accustom too and I love them. I only hope to teach my children the same. Along with preserving old family photos. Can anyone give tips on doing that? I know if you write on the backs of them the ink soaks through. Just want some friendly pointers. Would be appreciated!
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