Leonard at large

There will be several segments on TV today, tomorrow, and perhaps some additional days on rewinding 2003 and bringing to you the good and the bad things that have occurred. In September, I received an email from Don Henderson, executive director, Missouri 4-H Foundation, which provided information about the year of 1903; this information ought to boggle your mind.

During the year of 2003, Bob Hope celebrated his 100th birthday and later reached the end of this life experience. My Uncle Orville Hawk was in his 100th year of life when he reached the end of his life experience, only 32 days before his 100th birthday.

Many of you remember Burton Hoffman when he worked at Farm and Home and was an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He is now a resident at Moore-Few Care Center and only a few months ago celebrated his 100th birthday. It is always a pleasure to visit with him. When told about the communication regarding life in 1903, he commented that he wanted to see the information. I had to go back and find it, which I just recently did and I will share it with Burt and with you.

We have seen many things, which occurred in the past year. A century really made a difference. Following are the US statistics for 1903: The average life expectancy in the United States was forty-seven. Only 14 percent of the homes in the US had a bathtub. Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars. There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000.

More than 95 percent of all births in the US took place at home. Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo. Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the US were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza, 2. Tuberculosis, 3. Diarrhea, 4. Heart disease, and 5. Stroke. The American Flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet. The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30. Canned beer and iced tea hadn't been invented. There were no Mothers Day or Fathers Day.

One in ten US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowel, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health (hee hee).

Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic. There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US

I thought this was in there, but apparently it is not. That is the year that the Wright bothers flew an airplane for the first time. Since that time when the first flight was only a few feet, man is now going into space. The other day there was a major celebration located where the Wright Brothers took their first flight. An attempt was made to duplicate the plane that was used in 1903 as well as the flight, but the re-enactment was not successful. Apparently the weather conditions were a factor and they were better for that first historical flight.

Looking back at '03 -- 1903 that is -- has been interesting. With all of the changes that took place during the last century, a person's mind is boggled -- but what will the boggling of the mind be like in another century as they look back to the year that is coming to an end today. Don't you wish you could be here to see it all? There is a good chance that some of the young children of today will see 2103.

We do not know what the new year of 2004 will bring. In only a few months we will be looking back and reviewing the year. It is my hope that you will have a good year -- Happy New Year.