100 Years Ago

It May Be Hard to Believe but 100 Years Ago...

• The average life expectancy was forty-seven.
• Only 14 percent of households had a bathtub.
• Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
• The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 miles per hour.
• The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
• The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year or 22 cents an hour.
• More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
• Ninety percent of all doctors had no college education.
• Most women only washed their hair once a month and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
• The leading causes of death were: pneumonia and influenza, tuberculosis, diarrhea, heart disease and stroke.
• Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
• There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
• One in ten adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent had graduated from high school.