1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 57

   
  As I've said before, I come across all kinds of interesting stuff doing the A Madman Turns 40 articles. For today's look at 1977, I travel to Stubenville, Ohio. In an article posted 40 years ago today in the Herald Star, kids were asked to predict what life would be like in the year 2000.
    I remember these sort of projects at school. They were always fun and they always revolved around kids expecting the world to be full of flying cars, robots, and things like that. So, let's see what the kids of the Stubenville area were thinking the year 2000 would be like.

This prediction was really wrong!

• 
  One little girl predicted another Great Depression. Well, she was only off by about 7 years with the Great Recession that plagued the Bush and Obama administrations. 
• Another young lady predicted more oil would be discovered. In the late 70s, everyone was afraid of running out of oil, but several key discoveries have been made since. Can you say 'Fracking?'
• The same child also predicted global peace. Well, last week, when the Colombian government and a group of rebels settled on a peace treaty it was the first time that the entire Western hemisphere was at peace in, well, ever. Sadly, things still aren't so good in the Eastern half of the world.
• One youngster predicted robot teachers. Well, telecommute teaching is a very real thing. So is the ability to get anything you need on a small personal computer (the iPhone.)
• The same kid predicted that you could get anything you wanted at the push of a button. If Amazon has their way, that future is almost now!
• Several children predicted women astronauts. These same kids thought we'd be living on the moon by the year 2000. So, they're batting 500...
• And of course several kids predicted flying cars, robots, jet-packs, and even more robots. Hey, they're kids. That's what we want when we are little- flying cars and robots!

Personality wish, I think this 1968 article was on the money.

    Well, that's my look at my favorite year for today. In 2005, the Smithsonian Magazine reviewed the Herald Star article. If you are interested, click on this link to read the full story. It's got some really neat stuff.

Every child's dream- a flying car.

      Until tomorrow...