SLEEPY EYE - Builders, baby boomers, generation X-ers and millenials discussed likenesses and differences Monday at a workshop hosted by Bridging Brown County in the Sleepy Eye Community Center.
Retired Martin Luther College Professor John Isch of New Ulm, a builder (born prior to 1946), talked about growing up in a small northern Wisconsin town and how his generation differed from later ones.
"We were poor but didn't know it," Isch said. "Every other family except for the doctors and lawyers were just like us - eating lots of chicken and Spam. We wore hand-me-down clothes and hunted deer for food."
Isch compared wars during that generation with current and recent conflicts.
"In World War II, it was very clear who we fought. Not now," he said. "There were no televisions. We listened to the radios, and there was rationing during the war. Most guys had crewcuts, except for some 'tough' guys who had ducktails. Nobody lived together before they were married."
Isch said he thought the "duck and cover" (Cold War) drills in school were rather odd, but like everybody else then, students did what they were told.
"There was no arguing with adults or teachers as children," Isch said.
Baby boomers (1946-1964) talked about Barbie dolls, Pong video games, free tech school, no liquor sold on Sunday, facial hair, corporal punishment, bell bottom blue jeans, fast food, doctor home visits, telephone party lines and the war-time military draft.
"It motivated people to go to college and study hard to stay there," said Dick Seeboth of New Ulm.
Generation X-ers (1965-1980) talked about the Challenge space shuttle explosion, Gulf War I in which the U.S. military won a victory after a 10-day ground war, driving Iraq out of Kuwait; high interest rates, and difficult loans.
Millenials (1980-present) talked about comfort with technology, multi-culturalism, TV reality and talk shows and high-tech sociability with Facebook and texting.
University of Minnesota Extension Educator Katie Rasmussen of New Ulm talked about the ability of all generations to work together, appreciate each other's differences and potential hazards.
"Due to the stress of having so many things at a young age, the youngest generation has some of the worst obesity and mental health issues ever," Rasmussen said. "Some people just do too much at a younger age."
Several workshop participants agreed.
"The best thing we can do is recognize the best things in each generation, learn from them and work together," Rasmussen said.
(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com)
