GenChat-L Archives

From: (by way of Tracey <>
Subject: Bath Time
Date: Mon, 01 Sep 1997 18:21:19 -0700

X-From_: Mon Sep 1 13:27:48 1997
Old-Date: Mon, 01 Sep 1997 15:31:32 -0500
From: Wanda Irby <>
Organization: Family Research/Genealogy
To:
Subject: Bath time
by way of Tracey wrote:

> X-From_: Mon Sep 1 06:45:37 1997
>
> To:
> Subject: Re: Chamber Pots
>
> Yes, indeed, I remember those days well. We didn't have indoor
> plumbing at
> all when I was young and I'm 54. My mother was sometimes in a dither
> to have
> it taken out 'early' so the neighbors wouldn't see her carrying it all
> the
> way to the out-house. We lived in a tiny village so we had neighbors
> on both
> sides and in back. If she thought it was too late in the day, she'd
> make one
> of us kids do it. It wasn't the embarrassment of the slop jar, but
> the idea
> that someone might think she slept 'late' that she wanted to avoid.
>
> And how about those pre-bathroom baths! Come on now, fess up, weren't
> those
> a hoot? We had the big bath-size galvanized tub. Every Saturday
> afternoon,
> whether we needed it or not, we'd spread out newspapers on the floor
> behind
> the Warm Morning stove, drag in that big tub, and fill with a few
> inches of
> water. I remember it took a lot of work to heat enough water for just
> a few
> inches. And we had to watch the stove carefully in the winter because
> we
> were right beside it.
>
> And I know none of you will mention this but me, because it is so
> discusting
> (so those of you of a gentle nature, delete now) , but we all took a
> bath in
> the same water. And we kids always fought over who went first. There
> were
> only three of us, but you'd think the fate of the Free World depended
> on who
> got scrubbed first. Actually, I think Mom finally made the order of
> girls
> first, by age, then boys. Actually I let my older sister go first
> because
> she was always fussy about it. Then me, then Mom, then my brother
> because he
> was always filthy from playing who-knows-where and then Dad, who
> farmed and
> worked in oil fields. We saved water before it became in vogue.
>
> Talk about religion, I thanked God for years after I grew up and had
> in-door
> plumbing just for the facilities. I really did. It seems to me when
> I was
> growing up, that people who had an indoor toilet were considered
> higher in
> social status. It's so funny to think of those things now but I'm
> sure there
> are some places where it still exists.
>
> Enough about bodily functions. And we women won't even hint at how we
> dealt
> with other problems back then. Yuck! Those were not the good old
> days!
>
> LaDonna Leavens Walen

We did that too! But we had to haul our water in barrels from a
nearby tank (pond to those who aren't lucky enough to be Texans). There
were two where we could get water....a neighbor named Ben Hunt and the
railroad. We also fished & swam in both of them. Mother bathed first
then me then brother and Daddy last. Then Mother scrubbed ALL the
floors with the bath water. And if any was left, she carried it to the
garden and watered it. Never wasted a drop! My mother could witch
water wells but after going all over the farm where we lived, said there
was no water there. There is still no well on that place which is only
a few miles from here, so I guess she was right. We moved to another
place and it had a wonderful spring...we kept milk and butter and things
in it but it was too far from the house. She located water nearer and
we dug a well, Daddy & I in the well, Mother & brother hauling up the
dirt in the bucket. We had dug a hole about 12 feet deep and Daddy said
he didn't think there was any water there. Mother insisted--he swung
the pick and water started coming in so fast that he had to hoist us out
by tying the rope around him & me and pulling on the other end. It was
up to my neck before he got me out! We still had to line the hole with
rock so worked in the water to do that but we had a good well with
plenty of water. Water is scarce in our neck of the woods. Hubby
always says "Whiskey is to drink, water is to fight over."
Wanda in Texas

This thread:

• Bath Time by (by way of Tracey <>