The Rural Voice, 1991-09, Page 42THE OUTHOUSE: FAREWELL TO A FRIEND
FEW HAVE ANY SENTIMENTS
FOR THIS ONCE VITAL BUILDING
by June Payne
Pity the outhouse. At one time
vital to life, these tiny buildings that
once liberally dotted the countryside,
are now on the verge of extinction.
Their passing goes unnoticed. No
public interest group petitions for their
preservation or reconstruction.
Lacking the glamour of shipwrecks,
battlefields, and ornate architecture,
the outhouse is passing into history,
forgotten even before the last shingle
falls. Descendants of the common
man should be offended.
The outhouse was a structure
known to all settlers, common to all
homesteads. It is perhaps the true
symbol of our humbler beginnings, of
our heritage. Although its construc-
tion was spartan and utilitarian, life
involving the outhouse was not with-
out colour.
Outhouses provided Hallowe'en
entertainment for the young and the
ambitious. They attracted birds, bees,
wasps, snakes, spiders, mice, and
skunks, many times providing the
momentary inhabitant with a first hand
knowledge of the animal kingdom.
Located a short walk from the house,
these conveniences provided a quiet
setting in which to appreciate the
aesthetics of the outdoors.
Nothing represents the pioneer
spirit or the determination of our
ancestors more than the outhouse. A
visit to this domestic sanctuary makes
young and old akin to the lives and
lifestyle of those who cleared the land
and settled this country. Visiting such
closed quarters in the company of
watchful spiders and who knows what
else, is humbling. The thought of
repeating the experience daily in the
midst of a Canadian winter creates
wonderment and relief. Those days
are no more.
We search family trees for ad-
mirals and dukes, and are disappointed
when we find only settlers who spend
their short lives scraping bush off a
parcel of crown land. The outhouse
reminds us that even their daily exis-
tence was worthy of a plaque or two.
The outhouse remained in use until
this generation. What other facet of
our history has such longevity? Pity
the outhouse as it slides out of exis-
tence without a farewe11.0
38 THE RURAL VOICE