Pick up the phone receiver and hear "Number please?" (Uncle and Aunt, a few miles out of town had a ringer phone until the mid-seventies smile )
Dollar watches, Heaters in cars were optional - as well as radio.
Blackjack chewing gum.
Steam radiators in the classroom.
Kerosene smudge pots at road detours and closures.
Kerosene plumbers torches.
Rope blocks - come-a-longs hadn't been invented.
Metal saddle horns.
Split windshields.
Big Ben wind-up alarm clocks. (clocks and watches that held within ~3 minutes / day were considered "good"
Noon whistle.
Time and temperature by phone.
Paul Harvey at noon, even in the 50's, I liked listening to him.

edited to add -stock racks on pickups.

Last edited by mark shubert; 11/20/17.

I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~