Proper Dating - 1960's Style

In the early 1960's, "proper" dating etiquette for high school students included the outlandish idea of waiting until age 16 for one-on-one formal dates. And what was a formal date? Where the boy politely asked the girl to go out with him on a Friday or Saturday night to the movies or dinner. He picked up the girl at her home, and often met the parents. Curfew was set, often midnight.

When entering the car, the boy opened the door for the girl. She was wearing a dress, by the way! So she got into the car carefully. Cars did not have bucket seats back then, so the long front seat was a place for the girl to either sit close to the boy or close to the door. Her choice.

If they chose to go to the movies for the date, the boy always paid for the tickets. In the theater, the girl was wise not to choose seats in the back. The front was "safer".

If the boy liked the girl, he might put his arm around her chair or even try to hold her hand. (some girls have endured holding the sweaty hand of some boy they didn't care for throughout a long movie...maybe getting hand cramps doing so).

After the movie, they might go to the malt shop or drug store counter for sundaes. Other dating couples might be found there for a chance to "show off" that boy actually had this girl on a date!

At home, it might be okay for a short kiss at the door, but usually the mother was peeking out the window to make sure it was only a short one.

Contrast this scenario to 2009. By age 16, many teenagers have already had sexual intercourse. Nobody wants to wait, it seems. Maybe formal dating 1960's style seems antiquated, but its charm was the suspense of finding someone to actually love before venturing into the world of sex. Or at least like!