Click
here for an interesting article (in pdf format) on debt
management
for college graduates
Submitted by Jennifer Rone, Nelnet
The title of this section is ambiguous
on purpose. Occasionally, we need to think outside the box and
take in other perspectives on the state of our being as we see
it. As you review these remarkable statistics and information
tidbits from 1904, just imagine how far we've come in higher
education in that time and where we might be 100 years from now.
Enjoy the break!
The year is 1904, one hundred years
ago... what a difference a century makes.. Here are the U. S.
statistics for 1903....
The average life expectancy in the US
was 47.
Only 14% of the homes in the US had a
BATHTUB.
Only 8% of the homes had a TELEPHONE.
A three-minute call from Denver to New
York City cost $11.
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 tallest structure in the world was
the Eiffel Tower.
The average wage in the US was
$0.22/hour.
The average US worker made between
$200-$400/year.
A competent accountant could expect to
earn $2000/year, a dentist $2,500/year, a veterinarian between
$1,500-$4,000/year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000/year.
More than 95% of all BIRTHS in the US
took place at HOME. 90% of all US physicians had NO COLLEGE
education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which
were condemned in the press and by the government as
"substandard."
Sugar cost $0.04/pound. Eggs were
$0.14/dozen.
Coffee cost $0.15/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 &influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
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.
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced
tea hadn't been invented.
There were no Mother's Day or Father's
Day.
One in ten US adults couldn't read or
write.
Only 6% of all Americans had graduated
from HIGH SCHOOL.
Coca Cola contained cocaine.
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 bowels, and is, in fact,
a perfect guardian of health."
18% 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.
Just think what it will be like in
another 100 years. It boggles the mind!
