Word Associations
Call me a word nerd, but while browsing the online Merriam-Webster dictionary (for work, of course), I discovered that the following words—3-D, audiophile, barn burner, brownie point, coffee break, fast food, lake effect, nerd, skort, tennies and whirlybird—first hit the printed page in 1951. That’s the same year featured in this month’s Time Capsule on page 12. And while it’s fascinating to imagine how folks ever got through the early 20th century without coffee breaks, the fast-food phenomenon apparently was already in full swing.
So, too, was the steady stream of women working outside the home. In “Farm Futures” on page 30, you’ll read about one woman who started her career as an auditor. After she married and moved to a farm, she made sure to put her accounting skills to work.
Whether you were raised on a farm, in the city or the suburbs, you probably attended a pancake breakfast, fish fry, potluck or spaghetti dinner to raise funds for your school, church or local charity. Events like these bring people together and cement bonds among neighbors, school groups, church members and local communities. Our readers remember how their efforts made a difference in “Cooking for a Cause,” which starts on page 34.
One story tells about box-supper fundraisers that started with food baskets auctioned to the highest bidder. Often, says the author, real dates would ensue. The setup sounds to me like a blind date, the topic of our feature “Take a Chance on Love,” beginning on page 40. And while going on a date doesn’t mean you have to get married, six out of seven couples in our selection of stories eventually tied the knot.