0 THE LOST INDEPENDENCE OF CHILDHOOD

I am sure that I am not the only one who is saddened by the fact that children are not allowed the independence to "go about the countryside" that was once common place. The following four excerpts are from children recalling the fun and freedom of childhood more than 85 years ago.

Embroidered Morning 
Glories--1898

"One bright Saturday morning several of my friends and I went on a bicycle ride in search of nuts. The wind was blowing briskly and the bright yellow leaves were blowing all over. It was a bright day. We rode about four miles before we built a campfire where we roasted hot dogs and potatoes. After we had eaten, we played games. It began to rain.

We scooted to a farmhouse. We knew the people and spent a happy hour there playing games. We started for home when the rain had ceased since it was growing dark. We had to go through a great many mud puddles. We reached home safely, wet, happy and without a single nut." By Katherine Moore in 1926

Darold and Eva Huddleston with "Sunshine"

My brother, Darold, and his friend, both seven years old, and I (Eva, age ten) drove our pony "Sunshine" to my Uncle's who lives eight miles from town. This was quite a ways so we started early in the morning before it got so warm. We did not know much about ponies so did not know just what they could stand. So I made the boys get out and walk up every hill and stopped at two or three houses on the way down and back too, and watered him. We stopped at the alfalfa fields and picked alfalfa and fed him several times. While he ate alfalfa we picked flowers and decorated his harness all up till he just looked too cute for anything. Now, I am not going to tell you how long it took us to go down or come back, for we took our time at it and mama and papa have laughed at us so much about it, but "Sunshine" had just as much fun out of it as we did. By Eva Huddleston, circa 1915

Flossie Meredith, "Pat" and Friends

I try to get time to take a pleasure ride with my pony "Pat" every day and I think more of him every time that I ride him for he is such a nice saddler...He enjoys going after the cows and sheep of evenings. I carry a lunch twice a day to the field for my father and brother and he likes to go to the field for they always invite "Pat" to eat with them and he always accepts the invitation...I ride "Pat" to town about twice a week and the children gather around with something for him to eat. The people say he is the finest pony that ever came to town. By Flossie Meredith, circa 1915





Although I (Anna) am so young, I can hitch and unhitch him and do everything for him. I want to do all for him myself, he is so gentle and kind...Sometimes I drive home alone if papa isn't quite ready to come. We only live about half mile from Fair Grounds but I pass a great many autos and other vehicles. I have always been used to horses so that I have no fear about driving alone. Anna Ruth Miller, circa 1915