Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-01-03
1900.
1900.

1900. 1900.
AS we stand today in the light of the
Twentieth Century, it is good time
to cast an eye backward and recount,
in as short manner as possible, some
of the mighty changes, intellectual,
scientific. and mechanical, that have
taken place during the past hundred
years in the worlds progress; the up
ward stride has been wonderful, and it
seems we have just entered the age
of improvement and grandure.
We remember the time when our
light was secured from or by an old
iron lamp with rag wick aud lard
fluid, the lamp stuck in the chimney
for convenience; next came the dipped
tallow candle age, but many of our
great men of the early ages had not
even these advantages but used the
pine knot or fire light to read and learn
the lessons of life by; then came the
spirm candle, and soon followed the
glass lamp and kerosene oil, and now
we have reached the age of electricity.
The little glass lamp, that cost about
one dollar, would now be dear at
10 cents, and oil at 81 per gallon, now
Is at retail, but very few in the olden
time could afford such extravaganza,
and those who did werelooked upon as
rather aristocratic But now we have
reached the !ncandescent and electric
light age, and still looking for more
light.
Then think of the primative old log
school house of fifty years ago-a log
removed to permit the light to pene-
trate the darkness of the room; the
seats slab, without back to lean
against, the teacher with long CAD
and q heavy rule with which to enforce
order, and very well do we remember
in those early days that if we failed to
receive at least two drubbings per day
we concluded the teacher was remiss
of his duty. Then we had spellings,
recitations, and declamations. We can
never forget that old speech; "The boy
stood on the burning deck" and for all
we know he is standing there yet, but
do you remember with what pride you
received the public applause as you
finished that wonderful defamation,
Henry Clay never felt greater pride at
the success of one of his best efforts.
The pleasure of the old school days
have gone and gone for ever.
Stop moment and think! At the
beginning of the last century there was
not a railroad, telegraph. telephone, or
electric light. steam ship, or electric
car wac known to the world. The old
stage coach was considered great lux
ury, and mail facilities was on par
with other things Of the age. 1t took
q letter three months to go or come
from Liverpool, England, and letter
postage was 81, 1211a. 1891 and 25 cents
and could be sent prepaid or paid on
delivery, envelopes were unknown, the
letters were nicely folded and sealed
with little red wafer. Corn was plan
ted with hoe, and small grain was
cut with q reap hook or sycle, and was
tramped out on barn floor or on the
ground and cleaned up W ith wind
mill, and the farmer boy went to mill
with grain in one end of the sack and
q stone IN the other end to balance;
when the grain cradle vas invented it
was considered the greatest invention
of the age; then came the old McCor-
mic harvester regular horse killer,
but with all its imperfectiens, it was q
wonderful harvesting improvement.
Then our mothers baked the bread
in an iron oven set on Goals and fire on
the lid, and boiled the meat in pot
hung on crane in the chimney, and
we all know that no woman ever cook
ed so good as Mother. The cooking
stove is q modern invention.
The women of the early days spun
the wool and fax, wove the cloth and
made the family clothing, and trav-
long shoemaker made the shoes from
lea, her tanned by home tannery.
We are in new age, almost new
world-the old has passed away never
to return, and we are all rushing on to
the end with fearful velocity, but who
can say we are better OF happier as q
nation OF people? The log school house
has moldered away, and the old school
teacher "went wsst," and now we have
the magnificent edifice, and the pro.
fessor, we read by ircandescent light,
talk by electricity and travel by light
ning-then We went slow and sure
now on the wings of the morning at
the rate of mile minute. The Pony
express is but memory, and the old
stage coach has been retired The
Red Man looks on with wonder ss he
notes the gigantic strides of his pale
faced brother, and sheds tear over