Has Underage Drinking Problem Changed in Six Decades?

Recently, headlines in this newspaper recounted stories of high schoolers partying with liquor at parents homes. Now, the Morgan Hill City Council wants a stronger “social host” law to fine an adult who hosts a party with three or more underage revelers drinking alcohol.

In fact, a recent Morgan Hill Times article on this issue stated that “studies have shown that adolescents who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop an addiction than those who wait until the legal age of 21.”

Really.

Should parents, today, be more worried about their children’s drinking, than parents 60 years ago? Is the foregoing “early drinking” paragraph believable? Have times really changed? 

The past holiday season brings back many fond memories of my growing up in Enid, Okla., during the 1940s. 

My high school “Class of ’47” thought the whole world went dancing on Saturday night. We had formal dances in the ballroom of the local hotel. The girls donned formal dresses and the boys sported suits and ties. 

We also danced in less formal venues, even when we were sophomores at 15.

On most Saturday nights, whether with band or jukebox, we casually danced at “The Rat,” although out front, the neon sign called the place the “Mickey Mouse Club.” No matter, this large one-story concrete block building, with a rounded metal roof resembling an oversized Quonset hut, was always called “The Rat” by us. And, we loved the experience.

It seems that at the end of World War II the drinking rules were relaxed because it was difficult to know the age of a serviceman. However, the owner of “The Mickey Mouse Club” was the father of one of our classmates and he couldn’t have cared less what your age was. He served a cold Seven-Up with a glass of ice for 50 cents. Seven-Up retailed for 10 cents, at the time. Surreptitiously, we brought in our bottles of bourbon and hid them under the benches of our table unit. Then, quickly, we lit up cigarettes and mixed Seven-Up and bourbon in our glasses; then drank and danced!

Oklahoma was a “dry” state, meaning no liquor was sold legally in the state. However, at any age, we could buy liquor from “bootleggers.” Actually, the liquor was mostly Seagram’s, Four Roses or other legitimate liquor that “bootleggers” could purchase in surrounding states.

Nevertheless, we danced and drank at “The Rat.” And, smoked our cigarettes.

Acknowledging this past; here is another experience from 60 years ago. For 1946 New Year’s Eve, my buddies and I managed to get dates with girls in Oklahoma City, 90 miles away. Actually, I had previously known one of the girls, Sally, and Ross, one of my buddies, had often dated her after I had introduced them. So, Sally planned our party.

The morning of Dec. 31, 1946 dawned bleak with forecasts of snow. As planned, 17-year-old Ross got his dad’s permission to use their ’39 four-door Chevrolet. (No cars were manufactured from 1939 until the end of World War II).

Then, he picked up his buddies, Bill, Burt and Jerry at their homes. (In the 40s, we dressed in suits, ties and overcoats for these special occasions.)

At last, we drove to the highway and headed south to Oklahoma City. Jerry, however, had a pint of Bourbon in his overcoat. Early on, he began to nip.

The rest of us didn’t. But, we smoked our cigarettes.

And, we continued on down the 90 miles to Oklahoma City. 

That morning, around 11am, the group arrived at Penn Square in Oklahoma City and decided to frequent Andy Anderson’s Sporting Goods Store. Jerry was intoxicated.

As the group milled around the store, Jerry centered himself next to the cash register. In fact, here, his lifeless arms hung down and around a box of advertising match books and a water-filled gummed-tape dispenser. As the group left Andy Anderson’s, Jerry simply turned and moved to the door.

His arms did not. Those appendages dragged everything; box of matchbooks, as well as a water-filled, gummed-tape dispenser, splashing and banging to the floor. The group was so embarrassed, they all ran for the door.

They ran down the block to Beverly’s Broasted Chicken, found a table and ordered lunch.

Later, the group finished their lunch and found Jerry outside, next to the entrance, heaving into a snow drift.

Since Sally had set up this New Year’s party, in the afternoon, the group went to Sally’s house and

visited. Nevertheless, it was almost

dark when this fun-loving group approached the home of one Oklahoma City Classen High School girl and her two friends for the New Year’s Party.

These four buddies and Sally went to the door, rang the bell. Surprisingly, the mother’s boyfriend answered the door. He said, “Don’t bring liquor in here.”

(Secretly, Bill had purchased a fifth of Bourbon from a “bootlegger” for the evening’s party.)

The adults paid no mind whether we had liquor or not and left. So, then, the group got down to the basics of love making and Bourbon drinking … with an occasional cigarette. 

This is the way the buddies, Ross, Bill, Burt and Jerry with the Oklahoma City girls ushered in the 1947 New Year.

Parents, that was 60 years ago. How does that compare to today? 

Of the four of us 1947 New Year’s drinking buddies, Ross, on oxygen, died at 75 from smoking. Jerry, 77, the former alcoholic who quit, early, is on a ventilator from smoking. Bill, who quit smoking more than 20 years ago, is alive at 77 and is a wine connoisseur. And, Burt, 76, who quit smoking 22 years ago, still loves Chardonnay on a Saturday afternoon.

Have times changed? I don’t think so. But, beware of smoking.

No matter, you had better check your kids out. Right now! 

We did.

Burton Anderson, a U.S. Marine veteran of the Korean War, has lived in California for about 50 years. He has a background in aerospace industry. He can be reached at

ba****@ao*.com











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