Yesterday's Future: The Twentieth Century Begins (Voices of the Wisconsin Past)

"Yesterday's Future: The Twentieth Century Begins, the fifth volume in the Voices of the Wisconsin Past series, shows how the men and women of Wisconsin viewed the approach of the twentieth century. They reflected on America's past accomplishments and speculated on the future.". "Journalists, scholars, religious leaders, and even schoolchildren offered predictions. Some predictions proved quite accurate, such as increased life expectancy through better medicine, central air conditioning, and air travel, while others, such as free university education for all and communication with Martians, did not.". "The nearly one hundred items that appear here are taken from newspapers, magazines, and other materials that were published in Wisconsin at the turn of the century. These articles and essays - some wildly funny and engaging, others somber and thoughtful - offer a window on the hopes and fears of our forebears at a moment of great change."--BOOK JACKET. Although Wisconsin residents gloried in the past, they paid even greater attention to the future. Journalists, scholars, religious leaders, and even schoolteachers offered predictions. Some predictions proved quite accurate, such as increased life expectancy through better medicine, central air conditioning, and air travel, while others, such as free university education for all and communication with Martians, did not. The nearly one hundred items that appear here are taken from newspapers, magazines, and other materials that were published in Wisconsin at the turn of the century. These articles and essays--some wildly funny and engaging, others somber and thoughtful--offer a window on the hopes and fears of our forebears at a moment of great change. A collection of nearly 100 excerpts that show Wisconsin citizens reflecting on America's accomplishments in the previous century and speculating about changes the future would bring. They are drawn from the mainstream press, school newspapers, church bulletins and periodicals.