Not to say the pioneer ladies did not have trials and tribulations, but they never changed clothes each day like we do now. They sometimes wore clothes several days at a time. They had only one outfit for Sunday School that was changed the minute they got home and not laundered much at all. They did not travel nor go out daily, like we do, so things were not quite as bad as we might think. Again, I am not implying they had a life of leisure, but things were much simpler back then and most likely different than most of us imagine. I used to do 5-6 loads of clothes a day when I had 10 of our children home. I was fortunate to get a washer and dryer when our fifth child was born. We most likely dirtied more clothes in one day than they did back in the old days in three or four days. When I was growing up, we lived much like many did in the earlier days, even though I was born in 1931. My parents did not have electricity, nor even an icebox or refrigerator until 1951, so I do remember the Kerosene lamp light, wood burning stoves, washing on a board, ironing with sad irons, walking over two miles to school and back and the like. Wash day was usually an all day affair, but not near the clothes that a family of 1/3 of their size today has. We used to place the overalls in a wash tub full of very warm sudsy water and we two girls stomped them with our bare feet. We thought it was fun and Mama did not have to scrub them so long. The Oklahoma weather was a big problem for wash day. The rain, snow, wind and dirt could hamper any Monday wash day. Our kids can not imagine entertaining ourselves as we did by playing board games, playing music and singing, visiting neighbors, listening to a battery operated radio, reading books and the list goes on and on. I know many people imagine that raising our 12 children was much worse than it was. Not so, just a few more potatoes in the pot and a few more dishes. The older children helped with the younger ones. There were many more plus than minus things raising our large brood of 12. They were all very well behaved. As Ma Kettle of the "Ma and Pa Kettle" movie series in the1940's said about having so many children. "I would not give a nickel for another, nor take a million for what I have". Nowadays, most wives have to work in order to keep up with their more luxurious lifestyles. I would rather have less in order to be home with my children than have the luxury they have. Lois Caywood Guffy mother of 12...

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Created December 20, 2020

Updated: 14 June, 2021

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