I was searching through one of my Grandmother’s scrapbooks tonight looking for some old Christmas cards and ran across these interesting clippings from October 1957.
I can only imagine my response to this headline on the front of my newspaper as I sit down at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee. This was at a time when the Cold War was escalating, so I can just imagine what people would be thinking.
I do know what my Grandmother was thinking, as she wrote down some of her memories when she pasted the clippings in her scrapbook.
This “moon” had an odd beep it came in over the radio several times. It was very high pitched on a very even beep. This radio of ours is a combination battery and electric portable. Went over several times. The Queen Elizabeth and her husband from England made a flying trip over and the U.S. President conferred with them. Her diplomat came over later. Everyone in high politics are worried about all this.
Another clipping in the scrap book was an artist’s conception of Sputnik.
The antennas on Sputnik were longer and oriented differently, but this was what we first thought the satellite looked like. Of course the Space Race escalated from here and it was not long before the U.S. also had a satellite orbiting the earth. Explorer 1 was launched at the end of January only a few months later.
I am sure that some of my readers will remember Sputnik. Feel free to share your memories by leaving a comment below.
Steven
I hadn’t quite made the scene yet but I’m reminded of a fantastic movie “October Sky”. I think you’d enjoy it Steven. It perfectly sums up the era and a young guys dreams in a small town. It’s based on a true story and the guy ended up working at NASA.
I was not on the scene either, although my Mom and Dad would have remembered it. I haven’t talked to them since I posted this I will have to get their thoughts.
This was a some years before me too so I don’t have any memories of it. Interesting post though!
Same for me, it was well before my time :-).
Reblogged this on kjmhoffman.
What a fascinating set of clippings! Great post!
Thanks Kate, it was a nice thing to find in the scrapbook. Of course, it is the tip of the iceberg as to what is in them. There are about 25-30 scrapbooks.
What an amazing find! I look forward to more posts!
Your grandmother left a priceless treasure!!!
See my response to Kate above. There are a lot more treasures hidden in them.
The old clippings are great! Your grandmother’s comments are really cryptic, but it’s obvious that she was struggling to understand (and a bit fearful of) how technology was changing her world.
A bit cryptic maybe, but I knew what she meant since I have seen a lot of her writing. She definitely saw a lot of change in technology in her lifetime.
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