The February 26 , 1977 version of the Herald - Star inSteubenville , Ohiopublished heaps of predictions for the year 2000 made by the people of Steubenville , a working course of study town in eastern Ohio ( and the provenience ofDean Martin ) . Some of these letter come from local middle schooltime kids 10 - 12 years old and they ply a fascinating snapshot of the era ; unique in their power to think over the pessimism stir by a down thriftiness and shaken faith in government in a post - Watergate , post - Vietnam War earned run average , while also laying stripped the irrational optimism of youth .
Many of the predictions are clearly influenced by theenergy crisis , with many kids omen there will be tough times ahead without memory access to tawdry energy . However , there ’s also optimism about space geographic expedition and more than one reference to women as astronauts . Even thoughValentina Tereshkovabecame the first woman in space in 1963 , the first American woman ( Sally Ride , who died this past summer ) would n’t become an astronaut until 1983 — a full six years after these kids were make their predictions .
Interestingly , for being middle schoolers these kids sure seem interested about high taxes . All of these kids are now between 45 and 48 years old and if you hap to be one of them , I ’d love to hear from you . How do you feel reading your predictions from the advantage point of “ the future ” ? How do you feel about the years to occur ?
Some of the letters from the February 26 , 1977 Herald - Star seem below :
New Great Depression
I conceive that by the yr 2000 we will be in a great depression . People are saying that we are running out of fuel . People will be using machines to do everything . And machines break away on fuel . If we run out of fuel we wo n’t be capable to launch the machines and people will be out of jobs . So we can redeem fuel . Everybody should endeavor to preserve by turn their rut to 68 degree .
Debbie Six , 12 ( Harding School )
We ’ll Find More Oil
My view of the future is that we will determine more gas and oil . No one will be short and we all will live in ataraxis ! Also in the future , I think they will receive some mechanical equipment that could make kitchens , dining rooms and etc . You ’d just push a button and WHAM ! ! An crying living way or WHAM ! ! an instant milkshake . And that ’s my view of the futurity !
Emma Conforti , Age 11 ( Harding School )
Robot Maids , Robot Teachers
In the year 2000 , we will have all round building . We will have a golem teacher , a automaton maid , and all actor will be robots , too . We will have a pocket computer that has everything you may name . We will even be able-bodied to press a clit to get anything you want !
Marty Bohen , Age 10 ( Harding School )
Electric Cars and Ladies on the Moon
The class 2000 might have everybody walking instead of cod in their cars because there might be a gas shortage by then , and the cars give out a lot of contamination . Or there might even be electrical cars rather of gas cars . The year 2000 may send off noblewoman to the moon to search and appear and see if there are hoi polloi live on the moon . And when you work you will push release and robots will come out and do the work for you . And there will be lower prices and taxis , I trust .
Tim Villies , 10 ( Harding School )
Cures For Every Sickness
In 2000 I will marry a doctor and peradventure have kids . I would care my married man to be a physician because he would be helping masses and would still want to be cheeseparing to my family . As for a job for me I would help the crippled son and girls . I would still like to have my same friends . And the most crucial thing for there to be is no warfare and cleanup . I hope they could find cures for every unwellness . And everybody will give care for each other .
Monica Katsaros , Age 10 ( Harding School )
The Last Five year Have n’t Been So right
I think 2000 will be a serious year . I hope so because the last five years have n’t been so good with multitude die and mystify shot and murder . I will be a big man by then and will be wed . I ’ll probably have Thomas Kyd . I hope it will be a honorable America .
Michael Beal , Age 10 ( Harding School )
Women Astronauts
In the class 2000 , I think there wo n’t be any criminal offence of any sort . Shorter schoolhouse Clarence Day and low-pitched taxes . I hope there will be lower taxes and no law-breaking because I ’ll be 33 days old and I am sick of offence and high-pitched taxes . I trust charwoman can be astronauts . I also desire there wo n’t be any pollution . And I also hope there will be townsfolk in blank space , where multitude live on in space abridgment .
Lora Ziarko , Age 10 ( Harding School )
Cars That blow On aviation
I think the future will be serious than it is now . The befoulment problem will be work out and there will be car that blow on air . I will be 34 in the twelvemonth 2000 . I will have a just job design advanced houses with push - button mastery for everything to make it easy on everyone .
You could push a release and a bed would unfold from the rampart . Everything would run on solar vigor so you would n’t have to worry about the fuel dearth . You would n’t have to go to schoolhouse . It would be on TV and sustenance would be much easier for everyone .
John Vecchione , Age 11 ( Harding School )
Young People Unemployed
I intend by the year 2000 we will be riding bicycle or driving solar - energized cars . By then more younger people will be unemployed . The price of gas will go up and so will the price of ember , silver , gold and oil .
Pietro Sincropi , 10 ( Harding School )
Living on Mars
I opine it is live on to be an all - new globe . mass are snuff it to be able to hold out on the moonlight and on Mars . Man is going to have estimator to do the study for him . It is going to be a computer run world .
Tracy McCoy , Age 12 ( Harding School )
Most of the World Will Be The United States of America
In the yr 2000 I will be 34 age old . And actually I do n’t think child will have to go to school , because I believe that families will have computers to educate scholarly person . That ’s all for education . I also believe that most of the world will all be the United States of America . I also believe that business and industry will be up 75 per cent . And as for finish , the Model T will be an previous artefact . And , if you have fry or grandchildren , they ’ll all be more concerned in culture than ever .
Mike Metzger , Age 10 3/4 ( Harding School )
I Hope By Then affair Will Get Better
I recollect that everything by the yr 2000 will be different . I desire the violence will all be kibosh . I hope that the computers do n’t take over multitude ’s Book of Job . I hope by then things will get better .
Mary Gallo , Age 12 ( Harding School )
This Emily Post originally appear atSmithsonian.com .
1970s
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