In 1985, the idea for Back to Basics Learning Dynamics was just getting off the ground. The concept of a tutoring service, dedicated entirely to 1-on-1 learning, was the brainchild of Director Beverly Stewart.
This year, as Back to Basics celebrates its 30th anniversary in business, we take a look back to where it all began. Where were you in 1985?
1985 was a year of historic events worldwide. In the US, President Ronald Regan took the oath of office for a second term. Around the globe Soviet leader Chernenko died at age 73 and was replaced by Mikhail Gorbachev. Numerous terrorist activities set the globe abuzz including the capture of a TWA airliner, the hijacking of Achille Lauro, an Italian cruise ship, and the seizure of an Egyptian Boeing 737 airliner.
At the box office, perhaps in response to the increasingly dark reports on the nightly news, lighthearted fare was the order of the day. The top three grossing films for the year included Back to the Future, The Breakfast Club, and The Goonies.
On the radio, Wham!, Madonna, Foreigner, Chaka Khan, and Tears for Fears captivated us. Music video channel MTV got a little competition when upstart VH1 began in the United States, setting up an ongoing rivalry for supremacy as music videos continued to grow in popularity.
And, on television, we watched Angela Lansbury solve an extraordinary number of homicides for a small town in Murder She Wrote, sighed over the budding romance between Cybil Shephard and Bruce Willis on Moonlighting, and wondered just how McGyver was able to craft a bomb using only paperclips and some chewing gum!
If you were a child in 1985, you will surely remember the hottest toys of the year. from Cabbage Patch Kids, to Transformers, to Atari, to Teddy Ruxpin. Toys for bigger boys and girls included the Polaroid 600 instant-print camera, the original Macintosh computer, the Sony Discman, Nintendo NES, and Windows 1.0.
But, do you remember how much those toys and other everyday items cost “back in the good old days?” You might be surprised…
- Median Household Income: $ 23,618.00
- An average new home: $ 100,800.00
- A new car: $ 6,495.00
- A loaf of bread: $ .74
- A gallon of gas: $ 1.24
- A first-class stamp: $ .20
Stay tuned throughout the year for more trips down memory lane, as Back to Basics celebrates 30 Years of Excellence in Education!
Celebrating 30 years of excellence in education! Back to Basics Learning Dynamics is the undisputed leader in 1-on-1 tutoring in Nationwide and southeastern Pennsylvania for over 60 subjects. The company offers a unique Department of Education-approved 1-on-1 K-12 Private School in Wilmington, Nationwide and a Nationwide Business and Trade School for ages 16 and older. In addition, the company offers translating and interpreting in 16 languages throughout Nationwide. Back to Basics is the winner of numerous awards for academic and business excellence including the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.
