WALES-LINCOLN
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Wales-Lincoln Alumni Association

Wales-Lincoln Alumni Association

The Year Was 1951
1951 Unemployment dipped to 3.3% in the US and new roads were built to take the ever increasing numbers of cars including the New Jersey Turnpike. Children were given more than any other time in previous history with guitar lessons and sets of Encyclopedias to improve their minds . The average family income was $3,700 per year and people had money to spend so cars became more luxurious and had more powerful engines with options for two tone paint, during this time things like turn signals were still an extra and most drivers still used hand signals to tell other drivers which way they were turning. Television continued to grow with popular programs like "I Love Lucy" and the first tests for Color Television Pictures were broadcast from Empire State Building . Europe continued to export many cars to the US including Volkswagen's and Austin's

How Much things cost in 1951

  • Yearly Inflation Rate USA 7.88%
  • Average Cost of new house $9,000
  • Average wages per year $3,510
  • Cost of a gallon of Gas 19 cents
  • Average Cost of a new car $1,500
  • Loaf of Bread 16 cents
  • lb of Hamburger Meat 50 cents
  • Bacon per LB 52 cents
  • Eggs per dozen 24 cents
  • Water Jacket Heater ( Asbestos ) $4.59
  • Baby Diapers ( Cotton ) From $2.79
  • Children's Tricycle From $14

Technology in 1951

  • First oral contraceptive ( the Pill )
  • Direct dial coast-to-coast telephone service.
  • First Color Television Pictures broadcast from Empire State Building

What Events Happened In 1951

  • 22nd Amendment is ratified which limits US presidential term of office to 8 yrs ( 2 terms )
  • First nuclear bomb tests at Nevada test site
  • President Harry S Truman fires General Douglas MacArthur as commander of United Nations Forces
  • United Nations forces recapture Seoul during the Korean War
  • World Population: 2.593 billion
  • Seoul falls first to Communist forces (Jan. 4), then to US-led UN troops (Mar. 14). Despite peace talks in July and October, the Korean War continues.
  • Pop Culture of 1951
  • The term Rock N Roll is coined by Cleveland Disc Jockey Alan Freed
  • The Dennis the Menace comic strip appears in newspapers

Popular Films in 1951

  • An American in Paris
  • The African Queen
  • A Streetcar Named Desire
  • The Day the Earth Stood Still

Popular Music in 1951

  • Perry Como
  • Mario Lanza
  • Nat King Cole
  • Tony Bennett

Popular TV in 1951

  • I Love Lucy
  • What's My Line?

Born This Year of 1951

  • Sting
  • Phil Collins
  • Jane Seymour

Economics of 1951

  • US GDP (1998 dollars): $339.7 billion
  • Federal spending: $45.51 billion
  • Federal debt: $255.3 billion
  • Consumer Price Index: 26
  • Unemployment: 5.3%
  • Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.03

Sports in 1951

  • World Series - NY Yankees d. NY Giants (4-2)
  • NBA Championship - Rochester d. New York (4-3)
  • Stanley Cup - Toronto d. Montreal (4-1)
  • Kentucky Derby Champion - Count Turf
  • NCAA Basketball Championship - Kentucky d. Kansas St. (68-58)
  • NCAA Football Champions - Tennessee (10-0-0)
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