Twenty Years After.pdf

The author recalls a lunch conversation about 20 years ago where people discussed rising prices and remembered when everyday items were cheaper. A retired English professor warned the group not to play the "remember when" game with him, as they would lose. The author feels a similar sense of age and perspective, having been born in 1941 and having undergraduate students who were born in the 1970s. The author shares a story about a German woman who was surprised by a teabag in a New York City restaurant in the 1940s, but the students were unfamiliar with wrapped sugar cubes, which the author remembers from their childhood. The author reflects on their own memories of historical events, such as the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War, and notes that they are beginning to feel like an "old-timer." The essay then shifts to discussing the founding of the American Printing History Association in 1973, which was started by J. Ben Lieberman, a public relations executive and amateur printer. The author describes the historical events and cultural context of 1973, including the Watergate scandal, the energy crisis, and notable literary and artistic achievements.