To the editor:

Another by-gone item is the front porch. It was important back then because the house was hot inside during the summer.

There were no air conditioners to keep you cool and no TV to watch so you sat out on the front porch fanning yourself with a hand fan with a funeral home advertisement on the back.

Also it was important for socializing. There were sidewalks in front of the houses so if you got tired of rocking you got up and took a stroll. When you passed by people you knew who were sitting on their porch you stopped and chatted. If you didn’t know them, you introduced yourself and stopped and chatted.

The porch swing also was an important part of a young lady’s up bringing. When her date brought her home it was a perfect place to say goodnight. However, the goodnightings came to a halt when the porch light blinked on and off, an indication that it was time to actually say goodnight.

Today folks raise their garage doors and bring out the lawn chairs. It just isn’t the same. I miss “Justa Swingin.”

Don Hill

Seymour