What we did before TV

When a storm takes out our power and we are without electricity for all our usual activities, it feels very strange. However, when our oldest citizens were young, their daily routines relied on strictly mechanical power — it was a world that was not turned on, illuminated, humming, beeping, buzzing tools or TVs, ringing phones or CDs. When autumn shortened the days into winter, dark came early. Oil lanterns, gas lamps, and candles provided a gentle light for families after daytime work ceased. During the evening leisure time, a variety of pleasures could be shared: reading aloud, music, games. Individuals could knit, work on quilts, organize scrapbooks and hobbies, carve toys. The pace of activities then seems “another world” from today when we look to a screen rather than a page, and flick a switch rather than a match. But, as seen here with these old objects, many of our current activities are direct descendants, adapted today to function with electricity. The stereoscope of 1906 and TV of 2006 share the same attraction of showing us a new picture. “What did we do before TV?” is hard to imagine, but, in fact, things from our attics enjoyed by our grandparents reveal a time that is not so very different from a power-less snow-day.