Farming flashbacks
Jim had tried married life a couple times, but decided being a bachelor is more fun. Mike is now crippled, but with such a strong constitution continues the manage the farm, while Betty is the chief cook and handy man inside and out. Arthur worked on his dad's farm for many years till the time of his marriage to Evelyn of Wadena. From 1947 to 1951, we remained on the farm in a one room dwelling. This soon became too small after the offsprings begin to arrive. When the third child was born, we had to add an extension to the shack. The reason to stay was often a stormy night or it was too late for them to travel home. Our mother received encouraging letters from her brother in Canada telling about their new homestead in Fosston. The future in Sask looked very promising. Left their home in Lublin for their great adventure in Canada. Milking the cows and doing other choirs had to be done before we went to school. Horse and toboggan were used during the winter months by many families in the area. Religion was an important part of family life. We were active members of the St Mary's roman catholic church in Fosston. Mom would see so that everyone attended mass on Sundays whenever possible. The many long hours of hard work and the hardships these pioneers endured in the early 1940's were well rewarded. The farm prospered. Over a period of time we purchased a quarter of land from a retiring bachelor who was moving into town. This proved a great opportunity for a cup of coffee and visiting other neighbors. When they moved in, their shack was sparsely furnished. They had no chairs first, so when they sent to Eatons for four chairs, it was like Sunday every day. She took her formative grades at Orpington like the rest of t...
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...he cows were brought in from the pasture, we milked them. Homework was a pleasure compared to the normal, everyday chores we had to do. We heard of very little theft or crime. We created our own games, gifts, and clothes. It was unheard of to counteract our parents, teachers or the law. We were taught respect, first at home, then at school. We were a happy generation. Even though not too many of my school mates completed grade eight due to poverty, they all helped at home. We never heard of government grants, welfare, or any kind of financial support. I remember going to Fosston with my dad by horse and wagon. Freight trains pulled in and there were as many men on the freight cars, used gophers in the fields. Our shopping list was never too demanding, usually sugar, salt, syrup, yeast, and such. With eggs selling at five to six cents a dozen, this was no problem.
Mary Eugenia Surratt, née Jenkins, was born to Samuel Isaac Jenkins and his wife near Waterloo, Maryland. After her father died when she was young, her mother and older siblings kept the family and the farm together. After attending a Catholic girls’ school for a few years, she met and married John Surratt at age fifteen. They had three children: Isaac, John, and Anna. After a fire at their first farm, John Surratt Sr. began jumping from occupation to occupation. Surratt worked briefly in Virginia as a railroad contractor before he was able to purchase land in Maryland and eventually establish a store and tavern that became known as Surrattsville. However, the family’s fina...
Family was a place of gathering where people met to eat, drink and socialize. The people in the story were also religious as shown by Mrs. Knox as she prayed for her family. The narrator described th...
Compared to people in the twenty-first century, with all their modern conveniences and technological advances, the life of any early-American seems difficult. However, the lives of children were among the most arduous. Linda Pollock states in her book Forgotten Children that between 1660 and 1800 families -and society in general- became more affectionate, child-oriented, and permissive of uniqueness and unstructured time (67). Although this may be true, many other sources depict the lives of children as taxing and oppressive at best. Children of the time were either forced to abandon education for their family contributions, or had to balance school with a full day's work ("Education"). Even when they were not in school or doing manual labor, their day-to-day lives were uncomfortable and harsh (Kids). Social status, as is expected, was a key factor in determining how hard a child's life would be (Murray 9). Although many children at the time had it easier than others they were all asked at an early age to take on adult responsibilities. The lives of all children in 1800 were mundane and difficult due to family and societal expectations for labor, schooling, and maturity.
When it came time for Mary to go to school, she often walked several miles everyday to get there. The McLeod family owned a family mule that they loved but sadly, the Mule got older. When it died, money was now needed to support their family. Unfortunately, their family quickly grew into bankruptcy and debt. Even though they owned a farm and worked on everyday. Some of the people in her family strained cotton in the fields, but most people picked cotton.
Perhaps the biggest variation from life in these stories and life today in the small town concerns the role of the Van Tassels. As the prominent family in Sleepy Hollow, they serve as the social center. Baltus Van Tassel has more the air of an English country squire during harvest time than he does an American farmer. He is hearty, down to earth, and full of largesse (“Sleepy Hollow” 549, 556-557). The “’quilting frolic’” (553) is really a potluck dance. This type of community gathering continued throughout American history in rural areas. We have barn-raisings, fall festivals, holiday celebrations. However, the nature of the gatherings has changed in that the role of the prominent family now goes to the city or civic groups (such as a church). Rural America still has wealthy families and farmers, but rarely do they open their homes to the community for dancing and potlucks. The closest we still see of this is the ranch barbeque, but the outside nature makes it far less intimate. In my experience, these events are...
People in these Montana prairies had an isolated life where “Every generation relearns the rules its fathers have forgotten”, cursed nature when it threatens their livelihood, yet realized that “This land owes you nothing” [p. 60]. This was a time and region where the difference between what was expected of men and women was paramount. Children grew up working hard, knowing their place in their society and grew up quickly as a result. Being somewhat of a tomboy, Blunt could handle farm equipment and chores as well as her brother, yet was still expected to learn how to cook, clean and care for the men. As with previous generations, it was expected that she follow a planned path to becoming a rancher’s wife. But Judy Blunt always felt there was something more to this hard, bleak life and began a long journey towards breaking clean from the constraints of her upbringing.
...ime period in American history. The country had bounced all the way to its feet and was going stronger than it had in two decades. Men were coming home from war, eager to start families and be good American consumers. One could go on with a peaceful conscience knowing that the automobile that he just purchased was bought in good faith: it would help support the economy, create jobs, and contribute to better opportunities for Americans. Or so one believed. Living in the suburbs suddenly became an attraction that appealed to returning veterans. Neighborhoods near schools and churches were ideal places to raise kids, and start a family. The middle-class family was evolving at a speedy pace that was taking families away from large cities at an even quicker pace. To own your own home, have your own car, and raise your family in the suburbs was the “all American” dream.
Even with the pain of bearing children, raising them, doing household and even farm chores, their efforts have never been truly appreciated. Mrs. Wright was “…real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid—and fluttery…” as Mrs. Hale, her neighbor, describes her (22). This would all soon change after her wedding day. With Mr. Wright’s insipid character and lack of patience of any joyous sound, Mrs. Wright’s spirit dwindled to nothing. It seems she spent hours at a time focusing on her quilts, preserves, and caring for the only life there was in the house, her canary. Even when Mr. Hale offered to get a party telephone, Mr. Wright responded, “…folks talk too much anyway…”(5). This silence he preferred also applied to his spouse. There were no hugs given out much less a smile. He failed to give her even the most minimal sing of appreciation much less the emotional warmth she hungered for.
At the beginning of the 1800’s most laborers worked at home. The family functioned together as a working unit for the common good of all its members. Children would stay at home to help until they got married. They usually did not become contributing members until they reached the age of ten. Girls started somewhat earlier because they would be assisting their mothers with the domestic economy(Gaskell, 91).
The 1920's was a time of change in the United States. “The Roaring Twenties” had an outstanding impact on the economy, social standards and everyday life. It was a time for positive results in the industry of consumer goods and American families, because of higher wages, shorter working hours, and manufacturing was up 60% in consumer goods. But it was also a time of adversity and opposition for others, such as immigrants and farmers. Immigrants had lots of competition when they were looking for work and they weren't treated fairly by Americans, depending on where they came from and what they believed. Farmers were paid very little because the price of food kept going down, they also had the Dust Bowl to worry about. African Americans became further infused with mainstream America during the Harlem Renaissance. They were also able to organize and elect officials who would make life better for them. The Roaring Twenties was a very exciting time to live in and we can all learn what the real world is like, and how we can prepare to be ready for it, today and in the future.
The period following World War One was a very exciting time in American history. It was a time to finally let loose, have fun, celebrate, and enjoy all the wonderful things and “modern conveniences” that had become accessible to a wider variety of people. Since there were so many changes in life style, women’s rights, movies, automobiles, radio and fashion, America was transformed after World War One.
Almost all the households were mama-papa-kiddies: the nuclear family. (The exceptions were My Three Sons and Bonanza: Steve Douglas [Fred MacMurray] and Ben Cartwright were widowers.) There were no prior marriages, no children from prior relationships, no threat or even thought of divorce, and the closest thing we saw to physical abuse was Ralph Kramden's, "One of these days, Alice, one of these days . . . to the moon!" There were no infidelities, no drinking problems, no drugs (not even prescription tranquilizers), no racism (How could there be? With the exception of Hop Sing and Ricky Ricardo, there was only one race; even the Hispanic gardener on Father Knows Best was named Frank Smith). There was no dropping out of school, no political discussion (much less political differences), no unemployment (except for Ozzie's early retirement), no severe economic problem (except for a crop failure on Lassie, when they had to sell all the livestock, including Lassie; but just before being carted off, Lassie pawed the ground and struck oil, and everything was okay again. Except for Lassie, who looked as though the Exxon Valdez had dumped its forward holding tanks on her).
Everyday life in the United States is very different today than it was in the 1700's. Life was harder and the settlers did not have nearly as many luxuries as society has today. Some aspects of the colonial times that were different then are today include family, employment, and social activities. Life in the United States in the 1700's was filled with hard work, cooperation, and dedication to one’s land and family.
spacious farm house with plenty of beds and a fireplace to keep them warm in the winter. Society norms forced them to take on the few wo...
You know how you have a sexual past of all the people you slept, or you thought about all that stuff nobody was doing that. At that time the worst thing you could have was gonorrhea you get a short and it 's done. But, you keep AIDS for life and that brought about the era about knowing who your partner was before you slept with them. It was also a time of decadence and materialism, it was great…. because back then jobs were so plentiful. I could lost the job I had right now and two week later have another making the same amount of money if not more. Everything was a whole lot cheaper and alot more plentiful, it was just a easier time back then to get by and get ahead. When talking about politics of the time, Mr.trickledown himself...Reagan deregulated alot of industries which it improved spending and growth at the same time it made the poor people poorer and the rich people richer and that continues until this