The Old Timer was the 3rd child of 10 children living, one child, a daughter named Beatrice Jane, died at birth. This is when I learned the true meaning of life and hard work on a farm that was operated by mule power and man power, with no modern conveniences, such as electricity, running water, indoor plumbing, or your own room. We had a battery operated radio that would play good till you actually wanted to hear something, then it would be makin' all kinda squillin' noices and racket, but from this battery operated radio is where I was 1st introduced to the Grand Ole Opery and Uncle Dave Macon. We finally got electricity in the mid 1940's, (electric lights ONLY) and we only had one outlet plug and Daddy put that there in case he could ever afford an electric radio.

Mother cooked on a wood cook stove for all 10 kids, 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, and milked sometimes as many as 3 cows twice a day. Raised a garden and washed on a rub board(course this was the days before women's lib and Wal-Mart) And when us boys and Daddy would come in from working in the fields, we didn't help with the housework :o) This was a community where folks was concerned about one another and helped one another during sickness and death and child bearing. We walked to a 2 room, 2 teacher school (SpringHill School) down Guices Creek about a mile. This was in the days when the teacher was in FULL charge of the school. With a strong voice and a wooden paddle with some little holes bored in the dangerous end of the paddle. And if you ever got it used on you, you didn't dare go home and tell!! Because this is when Mother or Daddy would put the hickory switch to you! These were the days when guns were used for hunting and killin' hogs, not to take to school! But, You weren't considered "Manly" if you didn't carry a pocket knife and on rare occasions someone might have a sack of Bull Durham or Duke Mixture smokin' tobacco that we'd take a quick draw of when we'd go to the spring to get a bucket of water.

We never considered ourselves poor, we just didn't have any money. We were content with the bare necessities of life. A roof over our head, ham meat to eat, one change of Sunday clothes, and a new pair of shoes before the 1st frost!

My, how times have changed in my life time. As I look back on the past, and if I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing, it's made me who I am today!