Well, we had a great Christmas, and it
helps to pass the winter.
Ina
Dobson to Vance, January 1933
January
1937
Ina
watched the rosy glow of the rising sun reflected on the northern field as she
washed the breakfast dishes. She rejoiced
that today would be a bright day. Her mood was so much better on bright days than
when the sky hung low and gray. Her husband Jack sat at the kitchen table
reading the Clearwater Tribune, Orofino’s weekly newspaper, while he finished
his coffee.
Another
Christmas had come and gone, and now things must return to normal. The Robinson
family left when Ernest received his new assignment as a federal agent, taking
Ethel and Shirley Jean with him. And of course, daughter Shirley had long since
returned to her job in Orofino, where she boarded with friends during the week.
Suddenly the house was very quiet. But – Ina mentally patted herself on the
back because she had stood all the Christmas doings just fine, and now she carried
wonderful memories of a Christmas well-celebrated. She could face the future
confidently, buoyed by the love of her children expressed through gifts for her
interest and comfort. It warmed her just to think of these things.
Ina
loved the exchange of gifts within the family circle. She gave humble things
that she made or gathered from her cupboards. Truth be told, she couldn’t
afford to do better than that, but she loved to “put on her thinking cap” and
come up with something for everyone on her list. To her way of thinking, gifts
should be simple things – useful or inspiring things to brighten the recipients’
winter. It was a concept that was beginning to elude her children, swayed as
they were by the ways of the world.
While
she appreciated the love and loyalty shown by her children in what they gave to
her, she believed that man was meant to live conservatively. Truly, it was the
thought that counted. While the trend of consumerism was to encourage spending
for lavish gifts, Ina thought it a bit of madness that spoiled the youngsters
and wreaked havoc with sensible living and good values.
In
fact, several years ago when her children all said they couldn’t afford to send
gifts – well, she was a little disgusted with them. After all, she gave to them
from her meager storehouse. Why couldn’t they do the same? Receiving from them
was important to her. She admitted to herself that she expected homage as their
mother. She also expected them to show a certain appreciation of their farm
heritage and some support for their parents in this way of life. Things
brightened her lonely existence on the remote farm, but – well – as much as she
hated to admit it, a few dollars was best of all. It seemed to her that only
Vance really understood. 
Ina
sadly shook her head as she dried the last cup and saucer and placed them in
the cupboard. She hated to see the simple values she strove to instill in her
children overridden by the materialism of the age. The world was changing and not
necessarily for the better. Where would it all end? As she and Jack grew older
here on the farm, they had no place to look for the help they needed except to
the children. 
“It’s
useless to think of these things,” Ina said aloud, startling Jack from his
reading. He knew better than to ask for an explanation. He returned to reading
while Ina hung up her apron and moved to the treadle sewing machine in the
corner of the dining room. The kitchen curtains had faded some, and she had
finally convinced Jack that he needed to choose feed sacks of the same fabric
so that she could make new ones. She looked forward to sewing on this nice,
bright day. KW
[The advertising is from Good Housekeeping, December 1936. The last picture shows sample feedsack designs, typical of those Ina might have chosen for her curtains, which I scanned from the informative little book, Feedsack Secrets: Fashion from Hard Times," by Gloria Nixon, 2010.]
9 comments:
Sadly, time marches on and every generation feels that their children are moving into a world the parents don't understand (let alone appreciate). Most sad of all is when a farm family has children who move to the city. The fact that the Dobson farm is still in the family is heartwarming.
When I was in grade school (the 40's), mother made a feed sack skirt for me. It was red with white bunnies on it. At the lower right of the book "Feedsack Secrets" there is mention of the "Kansas City Star," the newspaper in Kansas City, MO. I grew up in that area.
The period magazine ads are so entertaining. The items shown might have been out of reach for 80% of the readers, since they were considered luxury items back then. A watch that sold for $19.00 in Dec. 1936 would be $313.83 in today's money. The $150.00 watch would be $2,477.63 today,
That the farm is still in the family is a testament to Ina and Jack who held on for dear life, then to my dad, who caught their vision, and finally to my mother, who told me never to sell it. But we're not alone. Lots of families hold century farms. My mother commented that the government spent years convincing people to take homesteads and be farmers, then couldn't move them to the cities fast enough.
Interesting price comparisons.
Where did your mother get the feed sack that she used to make your skirt?
Life is so interesting. And it just keeps moving on. I've often commented that when something "lights up your radar", in other words becomes evident to you, it often becomes the standard and we believe it can't (or shouldn't) change. Ah, but life, it just keeps moving and changing.
Kathy: We raised chickens & my grandmother raised turkeys, so the feed sack probably came from those grain sacks. I'm sure I had other clothes made from feed sacks, but the bunny skirt sticks in my mind.
Chris -- such a profound observation! Perhaps we should talk about something other than sewing from time to time. Yes, life does change, and the people move on, and then we can't exactly know what life was like for them. We can only guess. I like to guess. But we must move on, be flexible, go with the flow, or we're left behind. (I be somewhat off your mark in my comments.)
Leah, some of those feed sack prints were so cute. I read -- in my little book -- that once the feed companies (and flour and sugar producers) realized that people were using the sacks for their textile needs, they began to play to it. Sacks were even printed with cut-out designs, such as aprons or dolls. It's such a great history. It was over by my time. I remember my dad emptying flour into the drawer from a 25-pound bag, and my mother used those sacks for dish towels.
I guess my point is that at whatever place we become aware of something, that's what seems normal, or right to us. But people keep inventing new things, towns change, families move, and our "standards" are no longer valid. And lots of times it's hard to deal with. But life, it doesn't stay in one place; it keeps moving on whether we want it to or not. Kinda of like "Ina's" musings as she dried the last cup and saucer.
And the "old" generation sees these changes as negative. Some of them are, I think. The point is that we must remain flexible and keep adapting. My mother evidently said that a time comes when one generation must get out of the way for the next. I don't know if I think that. I think we have to keep going with the flow. Maybe that's one reason people live longer.
Hi,
Enjoyed your Blog notes. I was born and raised on a dairy at confluence of Little Canyon and Big Canyon Creek. My father bought and sold several properties the most memorable being the Dryden Place mentioned in you notes.
What I am trying to do is find a photo of the round barn that used to be at the bottom of the Melrose Grade. We owned the land there before the barn was burned down. Memories are great however a photo or two does help. I live in Thailand now so a bit far away.
God bless, Terry
Hi Terry!
Since I'm unable to contact you directly, I'll just hope you see this response. What was your father's name?
Some years back (in the '90s), Marion Kayler published a book -- I think it was called Big Canyon Country. You would probably enjoy reading it. Unfortunately, Marion had a stroke and I don't believe it's possible to communicate with him, but there are other members of the Kayler family who might be able to supply info and/or pictures.
Good luck in your quest.
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