Sometimes I get caught short for time to write an article. Such was the case this weekend. So, I stole a story from my latest book, “Stories of Us.” These books are available at Stone House Antiques Center and The Framery of Vermont. The following story was written by Danny Clemons.
The Era I Lived In
I can remember the word “helpful.” If someone needed help you pitched in and did what was needed. You asked for nothing in return.
There was another word, “thoughtful.” If someone was sick, or their lawn needed to be mowed, you would do it, and never mention it was you who had taken care of the issue. Then there was the word, “courtesy.” I was taught to treat others as you would want to be treated.
You took off your hat when you went inside. You held the door for someone. A lady was always given the right of way to go first.
Your neighbor was not just someone who lived next door, or on your street, it was the whole area you lived in. If your neighbor’s barn was damaged, by storm, or fire, people would come from miles away to help repair, or rebuild. Men would talk to each other, and a day would be agreed on to gather where the work was needed to be done. Men would bring their tools.
Mallets, hammers, saws, ropes and tackle blocks, chisels, plus any tool that might be needed. Material that would be used was already on site. Every man had a skill that would be put to good use. Men who were known to have the sharpest saws would be put to cutting. Someone would be very skilled at mortise and tenon work. Others were clever at fitting tenon, mortise joints. Others knew just how to place the wood pegs that held the joints together. Progress was slow to start, but the pace would pick up, and progress would show.
Now it was not just the men that were working. The ladies were putting together a noon meal that would make a French chef blush!
Also, midmorning would bring a break. There was coffee, doughnuts, pies, cakes, and many other items. A break would last a few minutes, then back to work. By noon, much work had been done. At about noon there would be a lunch break. There would be more food than an army could eat. Depending on how many men were working, a barn could be near complete by the end of the day.
Now the barn would not be the monsters that are built today. Any work needed to finish the barn could be done later depending on the season.
What makes this so interesting is the fact that the state was not involved. Checking to see if a structural engineer had checked the plans? There were no plans, just handed down knowledge. Strange as it may seem, these buildings are still standing. Even the town did not show up to check if you had all the permits you needed. Men that did not care for one another would work side by side, or even as a team. They understood what was important!
I started this story with the words, “helpful, thoughtful, and courtesy.” I checked the dictionary, and these words are still listed.
It sure would be nice if people would put these words to work nowadays. Maybe some of the BS that exists today would disappear?
Just think, if we put these three words to work, maybe we could work on two more words. “Honesty” and “integrity.”
It’s the Vermont way.
This week’s old saying: “I made my money the old-fashioned way. I stole it.”