TEENAGERS

 1820 teen as an adjective or noun; 1895 teener; 1925  teenage – adjective or noun; 1955 teenaged.

 If the word teenage was not used before 1925, what were people from age 13-19 called back then?

My guess is adults. They worked, raised families, went to college and fought wars.

             Teenagers – The word teenage was not even a word before 1925[1]. Teenager did not gain popularity until 1930’s and that was because of rock music. What were people from age thirteen to nineteen called before that time? I think, probably adults. Many of the people these ages were married with children of their own. Some were in college, for school was finished at a much earlier age than now. Some were cowboys or outlaws. The ones who were still at home were preparing for adult life by doing part of the work on the farm or working in factories to help earn money for the family. The people who were those ages did not sit around the house and waste time or complain of boredom. They were busy helping the family or raising their own family.

I believe today many of the people those ages have too much time on their hands and do not know what to do with it. They sit home alone while both parents work to give them things, wander the streets, or hang around in gangs. More young people should strive to help their family and study hard to make something good of themselves for their future family and our nation.

I know we cannot, in our society, have people who are in their teen years doing all that was done back previous to a hundred years ago, but we could give them more responsibility. Then they can feel as if they were part of society and not just in ‘in between years’ waiting to grow up.

Update 2022: During the past couple decades; I have known parents who have looked at their child-rearing years as ‘raising future adults’. Each of those families has succeeded in their effort and I watched their children become responsible adults without a lot of heartache.

I have wanted to share this for a long time but being I did not have a ‘solution’ to the situation, did not know how to do so. But, the last two mornings on the radio show Focus on the Family, there was a man talking about Parenting Teens Toward Adulthood. It was a two-part program. I would suggest that if you have children that you listen to these programs. He has a solution to the dilemma parents seem to be facing today!

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[1] Teenager – teenage – adj – or noun – b1925; teen – adj – or noun b1820; teener – 1895; teenaged – b1955; teen – v – annoy – b 1150 – English Through the Ages by William Brohaugh

Websters: P. 1211

 Cute Note: 1000AD, teen was used to mean injury & 1150AD, teen was a verb meaning to annoy.