It’s difficult to realize that many of our current citizens don’t have real awareness of many changes that are taken for granted. How can it be that good string is now a luxury? Seventy-five years ago nearly all packages were tied with string securely tied. As soon as the buyer unwrapped his purchases the string was carefully added to the ball of string to be used as needed.
Who among our teenaged population would make certain that he had a tire patching kit – or an easily attached jack, for that matter? Anyone capable of driving a car was expected to know how to change a tire. And in case no good inner tube was available, there were the supplies for mending a small puncture.
Kerosene lamps and lanterns were standard household items until the luxury of Coleman lanterns became common. And those required spare mantels lest one in use became damaged.
Insulation did not come from the building supply companies. Should the unpadded wire bed springs need to have a warm and more comfortable layers of newspaper will improve the rest of the sleeper. of course there were always a number of luxury covers or preferred feather ticks.
As a child I spent much time pretending to make doll dresses although needing some way to close them was a constant problem. Buttonholes were much to difficult so pins were inserted where needed. Of course most of my own clothes were well provided with buttons of all sizes.
Today’s children have more choices. Even a small child soon learns how to use a zipper. Other fasteners are being developed, machines provide the buttonholes, and buttons are fast becoming decorations.
A nightly chore in most households was winding the clock along with any watches or alarm clocks. It is now common to have batteries replaced in our wall clocks, our [blank space] and our watches. It sometimes feels that we have been deprived of a privilege, an adult responsibility, a pleasant [blank space] no longer being able to as, “Did you wind the clock?”
