As I sit at my typewriter as our year 1923 is now coming to its close and I look to the new year of 1924 I give thought, maybe foolish speculation, of what will be in one-hundred years from now when the calendar turns to the year two-thousand and twenty-four. Even the thought of time reaching to the year 2000 strains our imaginations but some of our children, and our grandchildren will be there for it.
I wonder if...
Almost everyone who desires one will own a motor car. Mass production should keep prices affordable although likely higher than the $300 purchase price for a new 1924 Ford Model-T.
Roadways will continue to improve as will the average motor car speed and traveling 50 miles in an hour will be possible- Pocomoke to Salisbury in less than an hour; Pocomoke to Baltimore or Philadelphia and back easily in the very same day. New paved roadways will be built connecting to many states. A bridge over Chesapeake Bay possible?
Although gasoline supplies seem limitless in our time, increasing demand and questionable availability of supply will result in the price exceeding 50 cents for one gallon. However, wages will be higher than today's and a worker may earn 100 dollars for a week's labor.
Aeroplane travel will surpass that of the railways and the flying machines will transport up to 100 passengers at a time.
Rocket propelled machines will travel high in space possibly even to the moon.
The typical family will be smaller, probably no more than four children, and therefore less dwelling space will be required. Although by the year two-thousand and twenty-four the cost of even a smaller dwelling may exceed $10,000.
College will be a consideration for many if not the majority of students completing the higher grades of public school. (In my 1923 Pocomoke graduating class of 30 pupils who crossed the stage at the Empire Theater to receive their diplomas last May 31st there may have been four or five that I was aware of who were preparing to continue their education in college).
There will be encouraging advances in medicine and medical care. But the cost of care will be higher than today. The cost of today's prescription of 50 cents may well rise to two dollars or more. A visit to your doctor might exceed ten or even fifteen dollars and even more for the typical at-home visit. With better care many persons living to the age of 60 will no longer be considered to be old.
Electricity will be available almost everywhere. Improved devices and new inventions using electricity will prevail. Home receivers will capture pictures, maybe even moving pictures, transmitted over radio waves. Every household will have a telephone, and service will connect every state in the union.
Blues and jazz that's overtaking traditional popular music is here to stay and will be preferred over other genres. The younger generation will push for their own likes in music and dance such as today's Charleston to the chagrin of their parents and grandparents. As the growth of urban areas encroaches on the countryside and the nation becomes more cosmopolitan the country music genre will all but disappear.
In sports baseball, our "National Pass Time," will continue to lead in popularity. The best Major League athletes will be paid $500 and more a game! There will be more teams than there are today. Professional football and basketball will still be here but with a lesser degree of popularity while fan interest in those sports on the college level will continue strong.
Politics, unfortunately, will not change for the better. While some good public service minded people will be elected and serve their constituents well, still prevailing will be those whose self-interests will dominate as now in 1923.
World peace will continue to be sought but not without times (too many) of wars and unrest.
These are some of my speculations about the world a hundred years from now in the year two-thousand and twenty-four.
Yours truly,
1923 Worcester Countian
The primate keepers may have wanted to rig the vote, but they didn’t. Eli was just being an orangutan.