Calling Cards: The Social Network Of The Victorian Era.

When I was about the age of 10, I developed a fascination with the "Little House on the Prairie" books. These were a collection of memoirs from Laura Ingalls Wilder's childhood, which inspired the TV show from the 70s/80s.

(Side note: My favorite from the book series actually wasn't Laura's memoir, it was "Farmer Boy"... Which was about her husband, Almanzo.)

In one of the later books, as Laura becomes a teenager and fascinated with teen things from that age (circa 1882-ish), her Pa and Ma permit her to purchase calling cards.

In the Victorian era, "calling cards" were used to network and build friendships. Just like social networks do today.

I never thought much about Laura's fascination and appreciation that her parents let her spend money on them. Back then, you asked your parents permission for everything. But my friend Bail mentioned today (on a social media stream, no less) that she was considering setting a trend, and re-entering the Gilded Age by procuring some calling cards.

These Victorian calling cards (to have Laura Ingalls Wilder tell you about them) were beautifully-crafted cards - similar to business cards - on which only the owner's name was written. Leaving them at someone's house meant that you had stopped by in their absence.

I guess if you stopped by and they were home, you didn't need to leave a card.

So different from today.

So different, yet similar too.

A co-worker was telling me a few weeks ago about his daughter - who is nearing her teen years - and how she wants a Facebook account. (If I had a dime for every parent with a child between 8 and 12 who tell me this same story...) They told her (as most parents do) that Facebook's terms of service require you to be 13 to have your own account. And even then, most parents are hesitant to give the kids their own accounts. (Who can blame them?)

The kids all seem to respect their parents enough to ask, rather than just going and setting one up themselves. So it is like Laura Ingalls Wilder's time, when she had to ask to have the calling cards made... So that she could network with friends.