Really? Ours were all one-speeds, but with coaster brakes. Some of us had the very fancy hubs where you back-pedaled a bit and it selected another ratio. Then we moved on to three-speeds and ten-speeds in high school...

My first bike was this model. (Surprised to find the image.) When in about third grade, I managed to crash it badly enough that the two front down tubes came off the seat tube (brazed on without lugs). Still have the scar from where the handlebar end tried to puncture my lung.