By Athelia Gibbs
Special to THE DAILY

This is a story of a family living on a farm in Iowa during the 1930s, the Depression years. The author was one of four children whose parents divorced. Her mother then took the family to live with her parents.

During the school year, they lived in a small village in the same house with the grandparents, but during the summers, they lived on a farmhouse across the road from an aunt and uncle.

During these lean years, they learned to abide by the old adage, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” The times were hard, but the love and admonition of her family, teachers and friends made it a time of blessing, too.

I was surprised to discover how similar her childhood on an Iowa farm in the 1930s was to my upbringing on an Alabama farm in the 1950s. Many of the memories that she recounts, I also experienced.

The author admits she may have glossed over some of the bad times, but childhood then gave a security that today’s children don’t have. So mostly the good times are those that remain in her memory.

She mentions that the sanitary conditions were not good, yet they rarely got sick. They had time alone just to explore. If any of the adults caught them misbehaving, they were punished quickly and harshly by today’s standards.

Her grandmother often called her and her siblings “little heathens” when they were misbehaving. I, too, remember being called that as a child.

Despite this verbal abuse, the corporal punishment used on them, and the deprivations they suffered, they grew up to be
productive, successful citizens with a truly blessed life as did I and many of my contemporaries.

The book describes the home remedies they used, how they washed clothes on washday, planting and harvesting times, food preparation and preservation, the use of leisure time and the ubiquitous outhouse.

Although the author is in her 80s and this is her first book, it was very well written and very enjoyable.

I would highly recommend it to everyone, but especially to those of us “older” folks who might have experienced some of the same things.

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