Neighbor Helping Neighbor
The time was 1951,shortly after a fire destroyed our old farm house three days after Christmas in 1950.
Living in a small farming community in southeastern Indiana, the community we lived in was like an extended family.
The local fire department was an all volunteer force which responded even before dad and I were able to arrive home from an early morning errand.
After the fire was distinguished, the task of building a new home was tackled. In those days there was no such thing as insurance and being farmers, money was hard to come by.
Soon neighbors began to help,and battling freezing cold , the old house was dismantled and a new home was soon constructed from materials salvaged from the remaining structure. Work was continued through the long cold winter, probably one of the coldest and snow laden winters in recent memory , until it was finally completed in the spring, ready for us to move into and after the unexpected interruption continue our lives .
The house was pretty basic, as in those days there were no modern conviences such as we all enjoy today. No TV, micro wave ovens, computers , etc. We did have a bathroom, but for a time it was just an empty room, the normal appliances of a bathroom were only added later as money allowed. Outdoor plumbing was still the only option, so in really cold weather, I would wait until I arrived at school so I could use warmer facilities. At school the restroom was located in the basement, so it wasn't much warmer than at home, but every degree helps.
We left the farm in 1963, and at that time a bath tub still had not been installed. We were poor, but we had fun and it was a great way to grow up, we have much today, but in many ways those times were better as people were closer and always willing to help in a time of crisis. No one even thought of asking government for help, it would have been a disgrace to ask for public money to assist someone in need.
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The local fire department was an all volunteer force which responded even before dad and I were able to arrive home from an early morning errand.
After the fire was distinguished, the task of building a new home was tackled. In those days there was no such thing as insurance and being farmers, money was hard to come by.
Soon neighbors began to help,and battling freezing cold , the old house was dismantled and a new home was soon constructed from materials salvaged from the remaining structure. Work was continued through the long cold winter, probably one of the coldest and snow laden winters in recent memory , until it was finally completed in the spring, ready for us to move into and after the unexpected interruption continue our lives .
The house was pretty basic, as in those days there were no modern conviences such as we all enjoy today. No TV, micro wave ovens, computers , etc. We did have a bathroom, but for a time it was just an empty room, the normal appliances of a bathroom were only added later as money allowed. Outdoor plumbing was still the only option, so in really cold weather, I would wait until I arrived at school so I could use warmer facilities. At school the restroom was located in the basement, so it wasn't much warmer than at home, but every degree helps.
We left the farm in 1963, and at that time a bath tub still had not been installed. We were poor, but we had fun and it was a great way to grow up, we have much today, but in many ways those times were better as people were closer and always willing to help in a time of crisis. No one even thought of asking government for help, it would have been a disgrace to ask for public money to assist someone in need.
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Posted by The Florida Hoosier at 2/15/2012 7:00 AM 
Categories: common Sense
Tags: common sense conservative values big government good old days
Categories: common Sense
Tags: common sense conservative values big government good old days
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