Dating: 2000 & beyond/Now that the dark ages of the 20th century are

As we venture boldly into the 21st century, it may be helpful to look at where we've been, as a dating society. Here's a brief history of love and romance during the last 100 years:

1900: The average age for marriage is 21.9 for women and 25.9 for men.

1916: Congress passes the first child-labor law, which restricts the number of hours children younger than 16 can work. Kids can be typical teens, attending high school and going on Friday-night dates.

1920s: The most popular pastime for both high school and college students is dancing. Dancing encourages sensuality rather than sociability.

1924: Closed cars replace open ones. In Middleton, Ind., 30 girls are charged with "sex crimes," 19 of them committed in a car.

1925: Movie theaters offer privacy and excitement, becoming a date hot spot.

1927: Avoiding the father? Teen-age guys let their date know they've arrived by honking the horn.

1930s: Social lives are organized around dating. Most kids are home fewer than four evenings a week.

1937: Men are rated according to the clothes they wear, the amount of money they have and the moves they show on the dance floor. Being "smooth" and having a "good line" are absolute musts. "Good" clothes, a smooth line, the ability to dance well and popularity as a date are all musts for women.

1944: Dating 101. The first issue of Seventeen magazine hits the newsstands, providing teen-age girls with tons of dating tips and advice.

1950: Pre-prom lifesaver: Acne treatment Clearasil arrives in drugstores.

1955: Dollar date? McDonald's is established.

1956: Group dates become popular with junior high school kids. A Saturday night group date includes a trip to the theater and a drink at the Coke parlor. Games of Spin the Bottle are played at private parties, minus the chaperones.

1965: Mary Quaint introduces the first miniskirt in London. A year later, the trend hits the streets of America, causing conflict between daughters and disgruntled fathers.

1979: $12.5 billion is spent on rings, wedding expenses, home furnishings and honeymoons.

1984: 12 percent of teen-age couples admit to saying, "I love you" within two months of becoming boyfriend/ girlfriend.

1992: Popular dating attractions allow couples to get away from the porch swing - and hovering mothers.

1994: Cyberlove? The Internet is born, creating online love.

1995: 45 percent of girls and 55 percent of guys say they graduated high school without ever having been on a date.

1998: Find your ideal date playing Date-O-Matic on the Net. Dating shows and matchmaker Web sites become a popular way to see what's out there.

1999: The average age for marriage is 23.3 for men and 25.2 for women.

1999: The TV show "Blind Date" airs, showing what dating rituals really are.

2000: Girls say that trust and honesty are a must in a relationship. Although guys agree, they admit that good looks are also important.10 ways to tell if your date's a dawg

Her view

1. He has a pager and a cell phone; neither of which actually is activated.

2. He asks you out, and YOU always have to pick HIM up.

3. He only takes you to places he has a coupon for.

4. He met you while he was out on parole; now he's back in jail and you can only go see him during visitation hours.

5. He's always asking you for money.

6. He borrows your car, uses most of your gas and doesn't refill the tank.

7. He never takes you anywhere other than places where you can Super Size your meal.

8. He only lets you Super Size on special occasions, like your birthday or Valentine's Day.

9. He hits on all of your friends.

10. He still can't get your name right after a month of knowing you.

- Tiffany McGee Gazette YoungCity Team

His view

1. She wears so much makeup you've never seen her skin.

2. She wants you to drop off or pick up three or four of her children.

3. She thinks she's God's gift to the earth, and thinks you should too.

4. She is always asking for money but can't seem to find a job.

5. She wears too much hair; sometimes you hear bees buzzing when you're near her.

6. She is very materialistic. She takes a wheel barrow with her everywhere.

7. She is always complaining, especially when her wheel barrow is empty.

8. She always talks about herself, and expects you to also.

9. She is always criticizing others, and expects you to also.

10. She says things that are inappropriate but gets upset when you do.

- Dustin Humphrey Gazette YoungCity Team

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