So a little (and I do mean little) research was done and here goes:
"Courtship in America"
Dating in the 20th Century
Dating, a new form of mixed-sex socializing, arose in the nation's growing cities during the second decade of the twentieth century. It replaced earlier kinds of socializing that had been found in small towns and rural areas, both casual forms of mixing - such as church outings, picnics, sleigh rides, hay rides, and community dances - and also the formal process of calling, in which a young man paid a visit to a young woman's house and was entertained in her parlor.
Both casual mixing and calling were overseen by adults - parents, kin, church members, and others in the community - and took place in mixed age settings.
The word dating entered the American language during the 1910s. It was connected to the emergence of new kinds of commercial amusements, such as amusement parks, ice cream parlors, and especially the movies, and to the rise of the automobile. As early as the 1890s, young people in the rapidly growing cities had begun to spend more of their leisure time in commercial settings, such as amusement parks, dance halls and nickelodeons.
......
Dating, unlike calling, was not about finding a mate. It was about having fun with a member of the opposite sex. At a time when gender relations were particularly distant, dating provided a way to bridge the gap. Also unlike calling, which was monitored by adults, the dating system was overseen by peers and set rules for dating. Through gossip and teasing, it helped determine who one could go out with and how much sexual intimacy was allowed.
Dating was highly gendered. A boy was expected to ask a girl out, pay for a date, and provide the transportation. In return, he expected physical intimacy: a good-night kiss or petting. A young woman was responsible for resisting any inappropriate sexual advances.
During the '20s and '30s, a young woman's popularity was measured by how frequently she was asked out on dates. ....Sociologist later discovered that those young woman who dated the most were the least likely to pursue an advanced education and were especially likely to marry young.
......"
The question I pondered was "what happened to courting". I guess since courting had a lot to do with "responsible" adults in the community and mature parents chaperoning events and gathering, and there has been a breakdown of that in the community and the community itself, courting has possibly become extinct to most.
So now dating has become, like most things, on-line. There are plenty different websites to choose from. There are chat rooms galore. I wonder if I am too old fashioned for this new dating method.
But a gals gotta get here feet wet sometime and the fishin' hole I am in seems to be all out of good bass and full of little perch.
I am learning how to "surf" the web and choose only the "righteous waves". Let's hope I can find a good one without being sucked in by rip tides or fall prey to lurking sharks.
(man I am pretty good with these analogies, wouldn't ya say)
Well, for those out there ridin' the waves, have faith that a good wave will come in eventually. You just kinda have to ride out a few little ones till your right one comes along. (I don't much about surfing so this may not be a good analogy). In the meantime, enjoy the view and wave hello to me out there waiting with ya!
