Sweet jello/gelatin "salads" - I did - and still do - consider them to be "desserts."
The first time I tasted the broccoli salad was about ten years ago.
I think we made macaroni-tuna-onion-green peas-Miracle Whip salad fairly often. I remember giving the leftovers to one of our dogs and he carefully left the onions and peas!
I like my version of chicken salad - ring macaroni - onions - celery - cooked chicken - Hellman's Mayo or Miracle Whip dressing -
I like to add craisins and cashews or slivered almonds to this - but I am pretty sure that crasins were not "in" during the 1950s. Or serve with grapes when craisins not available.
It is another of those "forgiving" types of concoctions that seem to become "indiviudalized" to each family that makes it.