What did we do?

What did we do to keep cool before all homes were cooled with central air, or before that window air conditioners? 

What did we do before we could head to the library on the pretense that we were going to read, when in fact we just wanted to keep cool?

What did we do before there were malls in which to roam about, which were air conditioned?

How did we survive the 4/60 air conditioning coolant we had in our autos back then (four windows, 60 mph)?

I'll tell you what we did.

The church where dad was pastor had a basement.  It wasn't air conditioned, but it was much cooler than outdoors or upstairs or in our house, so we did indoor things down there.  DVBS was held in the basement as well, so we didn't swelter in the late June heat.

We sat on the front porch and prayed for a breeze which made us feel cool.

We dipped a wash cloth in cold water and wrapped it around our neck.

We didn't move once we found a "cooler" position in which to sit or sleep.

That's what we did.

 I am so thankful that we have an air conditioned home and an air conditioned automobile.  I am so pleased that I can drive to an air-conditioned restaurant in my air-conditioned car, which sits in my cooler-than-the-driveway garage, and which cools very nicely by the time I am ready to back out of the garage.

I'd be interested to know what you all did to keep cool back in the days before A/C was a common commodity.

ttfn