Message from the Dean

Bob Wood

Welcome to 2021.  I’m sure that you’ll agree that 2020 has been a challenge for multiple reasons—the continuing pandemic, a  nasty election cycle with an even more disgusting  post-election riot (I have to hope that we as a nation are better than that), and just the other day-to-day happenings that make life interesting (a nice way of saying taxing).

Rather than rehash the bad, I’d like to take these words to look at how far we have come in the last 100 years.  What a difference a century makes.  In 1920:

  • The average life expectancy for men was 47 years
  • The five leading causes of death were 1) pneumonia and influenza 
    2) tuberculosis 3) diarrhea 4) heart disease and 5) stroke
  • Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO college education. Instead, they attended “medical schools”, many of which were condemned in the press and government as “substandard”
  • Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were available over-the-counter at local drugstores
  • More than 95 percent of all births took place at home
  • Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub
  • Only 8 percent of homes had a telephone

  • Two out of every ten adults couldn’t read or write
  • Only 6% of all Americans had graduated from high school
  • The average U.S. wage in 1919 was 22 cents per hour
  • The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year
  • A competent accountant could expect to earn $2,000 per year
  • A dentist earned $2,500 per year
  • A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year
  • A mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year

  • Sugar cost four cents a pound
  • Eggs were 14 cents a dozen
  • Coffee was 15 cents a pound
  • The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower
  • The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph
  • The population of Las Vegas was only 30
  • There were less than 250 reported murders in the entire USA

Perhaps we should all resolve to concentrate on the good things that we have in life this year and let others focus on the negatives.  It’s worth a try.

Until next month…

 

Bob G. Wood

 

Back to Mitchell Report | January 2021