avatarBruce Coulter

Summary

The article reminisces about the joy of Saturday mornings in the author's childhood, which were dedicated to watching beloved cartoons and the cowboy show Boomtown, and enjoying a sense of freedom and control over the television.

Abstract

In a nostalgic reflection, the author describes the tradition of Saturday mornings as a time of unbridled joy for children in their household, where the television was exclusively theirs from 7 a.m. until noon. This weekly event was akin to a mini-Christmas, filled with classic cartoons like The Jetsons, The Flintstones, and Scooby-Doo, as well as the cowboy program Boomtown. The children reveled in their sovereignty over the TV, indulging in sugary cereals and milk dispensed from a commercial-grade dispenser, in a home where the open-concept design allowed them to watch their parents in the kitchen. The end of the cartoon block led to outdoor activities or, for the author, watching candlepin bowling, a pastime they eventually participated in through a league. The article concludes by acknowledging that while cartoons eventually faded from the author's life, the memories of those Saturday mornings remain cherished.

Opinions

  • The author holds a fond and almost sacred regard for Saturday mornings, viewing them as a highlight of their childhood.
  • There is a clear appreciation for the sense of agency and choice that came with controlling the TV schedule for a few hours each week.
  • The article conveys a positive opinion about the cartoons of the era, suggesting they were universally enjoyed and rarely caused disputes among siblings.
  • The author expresses admiration for the cowboy show Boomtown, emphasizing its longevity and impact by revealing they watched it into their teenage years.
  • The piece reflects a sense of comfort and nostalgia associated with the family's milk dispenser and the abundance it represented.
  • There is a subtle nod to the importance of the open-concept house in facilitating family bonding and supervision while allowing the children some autonomy.
  • The author seems to have developed a lasting passion for candlepin bowling, which they discovered through their Saturday morning TV routine.
  • Overall, the article is imbued with a warm sense of nostalgia and a celebration of the simple pleasures of childhood.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

What Happened on Saturday Mornings? The Best Cartoons Ever

My parents gave the kids control of the TV every Saturday

The televisions of my youth — and well before. Photo by Peter Geo on Unsplash

This challenge is courtesy of Delaney Patterson, who asked what kids did on Saturday morning.

Imagine having Christmas 52 weekends a year. That’s what Saturday mornings were like in our home. Our gift was the television from 7 a.m. until noon when Mom took over to watch candlepin bowling for an hour.

You could say my folks had an early version of an open-concept house; we could watch our folks cook in the kitchen from the dining room while stealing glances at the TV in the living room. In other words, it was a small house.

Better yet, it was our home.

We were the kings and queens of the castle one day each weekend. If we weren’t eating a hot meal, it was our choice of cereals. We never worried about running out of our sugar-coated snacks or milk. With six kids, Pops was smart enough to buy a commercial milk dispenser that doled out milk from five-gallon plastic bags surrounded by cardboard. It was usually whole white milk, but sometimes he bought chocolate milk, too.

Please don’t ask me how we decided which cartoons to watch. With classics like the Jetsons, the Flintstones, Yogi Bear (and Booboo), Underdog, and Scooby-Doo on television, I don’t remember a lot of arguments.

I can’t forget Boomtown, a cowboy show filmed in Boston, starring Rex Trailer.

BOSTON!

Boomtown debuted on WBZ-TV in 1956 and ran for 18 years. Even as a teen, I still watched Boomtown until it went off the air in 1974.

With cartoons and Boomtown done for the day, most of us would head out to play in the yard or the neighborhood to play wiffle ball, hockey, and even touch football in the street.

I usually stuck around to watch candlepin bowling on TV. I eventually joined a league and was pretty good at it.

As I grew older, cartoons were no longer a part of my life. But memories of Saturday mornings will always be with me.

Thanks for reading.

The Challenged
Writing
Life
Childhood
History
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