Generally, in the old format, the Priest was on a step higher than the servers. The Majority of the Mass was done with the Priest facing away from the people.
The servers would either stand or kneel, depending on what part of the Mass was being celebrated. All of their responses were also in Latin. In most cases, there was a laminated card, with all of their responses printed out, that was placed on the floor in front of the servers. Many servers would just read their responses, without really knowing what they were saying.
(The Mass always began with the Priest saying, in Latin, “I will go unto the Alter of God”. The server would respond, in Latin, “To God, the joy of my youth”. Sadly, the majority of servers literally had no clue what those Latin prayers actually meant. Even sadder, the vast majority of the Congregation also didn’t have a clue. It was just a ritual, one that they went to every week, without understanding much of the beauty of the Mass.)
Servers commonly wore an Alb and a Surplice, although this was not necessary. While in the US Army, I served daily Mass many times, wearing my fatigue uniform. I never needed a card myself, as I knew all of the responses for Mass, Benediction, etc.
Communion was done by the congregation kneeling at the Alter Rail. The Priest, accompanied by a server, would work his way down the line, giving each person the host directly on the tongue. The server would hold a patten under the persons chin, just in case the host were to fall… Once the end of the line was reached, the Priest would go back to the other end, and start all over again. Other than at a wedding, no one but the Priest received the Eucharist from the Chalice.
The people would get up after they received the host, and someone else would kneel in their place. This continued until all of the people that wished to receive communion had done so.
In larger parishes, Communion could take a VERY long time. In some churches, there would be side chapels, and sometimes other priests would distribute communion at their alter rails too.
