HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-03-15, Page 79Farm Proaresa '95'-Pag• 21A
Community, sociability lost with advent of cars
•from page 20A
not moved ahead. 'There was a great
sense of community and sociability
in olden days, said Jim, and that
was lost sometime after the advent
of cars.
"Today every farmer has got a
couple of cars in the yard."
He recalls a time when religion
was very important in the commun-
ity. Churches were full and every-
one went to church, whatever their
individual denomination might be.
Then, theatres were started and
Saturday -night dances. People also
began to work Sundays.
"I didn't approve of it but I
wasn't a farmer at that time," he
said. "A lot of people get away
from their religion I think...I think
they're starting to see the light in
today's society, a lot of the younger
people have come back to church."
It might seem that before the
advent of television there would be
little entertainment in rural com-
munities. Although Jim remembers
a time when there was no TV and
very little radio he also remembers
school concerts where the whole
school would take part and fill the
town hall. In the summertime there
might be an enjoyable jaunt to
Bayfield.
Labour was scarce around the
family farm so Jim would work
from the end of March through the
summer getting the grain ready and
planted. In the fall of the year
father and son would go out and cut
the wood for winter. Children
would often quit school early so
they could help on the family farm.
In the early days there were no
township roads crews and in lieu of
taxes farmers would have to do a
certain amount of road work as
statutory labour.
A notable feature of rural life, Jim
recalls, was the regular barn
raisings. Ile remembers attending
two barn raisings, where a new
bam was erected in a day. The
women would gather together and
make quilts. Afterwards there
would be a barn dance and all the
neighbours would join in. -
In the wintertime there would be
house dances held where fiddles
were prominent and a caller would
call the Square Dance. People
would arrive by sleigh and cutter
and young women and young men
would snuggle under the large fur
called a 'Buffalo robe.'
"It was prctty nice driving in the
wintertime," said Jim, with a
twinkle in his eye. "There was a lot
of courting done in those days."
By the 1930's radio was coming
in and listening to the CKNX barn
dance provided good, cheap enter-
tainment.
Jim remembers the Depression as
a time when there wasn't a lot of
money to go around.
"You hear the kids today say,
'Things were cheap in those days,'
but at the same time they were dear
enough with what you were mak-
ing."
Pork might be 20 per Ib. and beef
might be 30 per Ib. but it might
take 20 pigs in the fall to pay taxes.
In about 1948 Jim decided it was
time to leave the farm and work in
town.
"You were lucky on the farm if
you had a dollar in your pocket," he
remembers. "It was getting to a
time you needed more money to
start living."
He began work at a furniture
factory for 58o an hour. Every year
he got a raise and 13 years later he
was making about $1.05 per hour.
The Seaforth resident, who is
active in his community, has con-
cerns for the future of small towns.
He says stores are empty and big
farms are putting small local farms
out of business.
"You don't see the crowds on the
streets that there was then."
Roots of Bruce
needs help
Roots of Bruce is an Agricul-
ture In The Classroom activity
for Grade six students. Agricul-
ture related activities are being
planned by various organizations
to increase students' knowledge
of agriculture. There is a need
for additional volunteers to help
with general organization and
activity stations. If you can help
for a half or full day, April 11,
12 or 13, please cal the
OMAFRA office (1-800-265-
3023) or Jayne Dietrich, chair-
person (367-2740).
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