The Old Days had good points and bad points.
What is important is that we learn from them to help make our lives better now.
The good of the Good Old Days
In general life
was slower paced and less hectic than now.
There was in most families Love
and Kindness and cooperation.
Most people had respect for each other.
Everyone
acted responsibly and took responsibility for their actions.
Everyone worked
and took care of their family.
Most people helped each other.
The Air and
Water were Pure.
People worked harder physically but were usually happier.
Many people were happy. There was singins and barn dances and preachins
and
barn raising Bees, and plowin and quilting Bees.
If you read Daniel
Stewart's Diary there was even a farmers traveling band.
If you visited a
neighbor you would most likely be invited for dinner.
Train trips on the old
Steam trains
Less pressure and stress.
Few if any bills to pay
No
telemarketers
Good Hunting with lots of wildlife
What was bad about the Old Days.
Good medical knowledge and care were nonexistent. No hospitals.No police, fire, public safety protection. No ambulances or paramedics.
No 911 to call when help was needed
Prior to the revolution, people were ruled by brute force rather than by Laws
weapons had to be kept nearby for protection.
There was a general lack of knowledge about health and many other important areas.
There were few if any stores and little choice of things to buy.
Most people were farmers and had to raise or make nearly everything themselves.
They usually had very little money to buy things.
There were few conveniences that we take for granted now.
No electricity or electric appliances, No TV Radio or Internet
No washing machines or dryers or electric irons or electric heaters.
No toilet paper, No flush toilets.
One had to go outside to cold outhouse even in winter.
but some people were rich enough to have a chamber pot which eliminated the trip outside at night.
It was unwise to travel or go outside the safety of a cabin at night. There were wild cats, wolves, bears etc. roaming around at night.
Our pioneers often reported howling at night from outside.
Most cabins were dark inside at night because people did not have candles or oil lamps or fireplaces.
The best place to be at night was in your bed as primitive as it was.
If pioneers had domestic animals they had to build a barn as soon as they could to protect them.
There were no cars, busses or airplanes
No fast food places or restaurants.
No TV dinners, freezers, refrigerators or microwave ovens.
No telephones
No gas, oil or coal heating. You had to build the fire first to get warm.
And just how was that fire started without matches?
Cabins were drafty, and often did not have windows.
Many did not have fireplaces so there was no heat or drying fire inside.
Cabins usually had dirt floors and were at ground level which meant that insects, spiders, mice, snakes and other vermin shared the living quarters.
Beds were primitive, small and in general not comfortable. They often consisted of piles of grass or straw. This may have been soft but it meant that you had to share your bed with various other creatures. Usually with four, six or eight legs. Later a stuffed mattress was placed on top or a suspended lattice work of rope. This meant a lot less sharing with other creatures. Beds often had canopies. This was to prevent creatures who inhabited or traveled in the roof which may have been made of straw or wood from falling onto you during your sleep. Husband and wife slept on a twin size bed. The man often insisted on "his" husbandly rights. Women often had to bare and raise 8 to 15 children all without the help of a doctor.
Discipline in pioneer families was extremely strict. Children did what they were told. If they disobeyed they were severely punnished.
Roads were dusty or muddy trails navigated by foot, horse or wagon.
No movies or places of entertainment.
No hamburgers, pizza, MacDonalds, Taco Bell etc.
The average person owned two pairs of clothes one for Sunday.
Underwear was generally non existent for men and no bras for women.
There were no heated showers ot baths. If you were lucky to own a tub it was usually about three feet in diameter and the whole family took their baths in the same water with the father usually going first.
Shoes were awful for the most part. All were hand made. Most were home made.
Newspapers were not home delivered.
Magazines for the most part did not exist.
There were no libraries in our area and most people could not read or write.
There were few if any jobs available you worked your farm or starved and
many people worked long hours and still had little food.
There was no welfare, food stamps or medicaid.
There ware no medications, painkillers, pills to relieve problems.
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