When my granddaughter Rachel talked about boyfriends, then college, then jobs, IÕd occasionally remark, ÒThatÕs not the way it used to be.Ó A story about how it was when I was her age would follow, and sheÕd often say, ÒI didnÕt know that.Ó The changes we usually take for granted today have been far-reaching: from the way we are educated, to how we conduct business, to the manner in which we parent our children. We view our relationships differently, and long-distance travel is now commonplace. WeÕve made amazing strides in medical treatments, our means of communications, and the development of a global economy. And so Rachel became the inspiration for this book, a glimpse of how life used to be for ordinary folks and how, slowly, over the years, it changed.