HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED...

While times were certainly different hundreds of years ago, they were still very different only 55 years ago. The following items were taken from “Your Household Guide,” a 1951 booklet of helpful tips sponsored by the North Hector No. 318 Grange chapter at Valois, NY. It was clearly designed for the woman of the house, with some directions for children’s manners included. Display ads for a number of Lodi businesses also appeared. (courtesy of Bill Gates)

            – “When men’s shirts wear out across the shoulders, cut out the whole back and sew in bottom side up.”

            – “When purchasing overalls for young boys, purchase them one length longer than you need and use the remainder to reinforce the knees and seat.”

            – “Do not throw away that old popcorn. If you can’t make it pop, put it in a jar, add 1 tablespoon water and let stand a week or two. It will pop.”

            – “For outdoor lights on camps, etc., soak building bricks in kerosene 24 hours to 30 hours. Hang with wire tied around brick and light with match. Will burn 3 to 5 hours.”

            – “Sprinkling salt into the water in which you are washing fresh vegetables will bring any worms or insects to the surface and make the task easier.”

            – “A child’s sleigh can be made out of an ordinary sled by cutting off the legs of an old high chair just below the seat and fastening the seat to the sled.”

            – (for children) “Never let your mother or your father bring you a chair or get one for themselves. Wait on them instead of being waited on.”

            – “Before working in the garden, or doing other rough work, rub your finger nails over a piece of soap. This will prevent the earth from getting in under the nails, and when you wash your hands the soap comes out easily.”

            – “A clean fly swatter makes an efficient clothes sprinkler (at ironing time). You can do several pieces at once.”

            – “Old felt hats make attractive hot pads for the table and pot holders for the kitchen. Wash, iron and bind edges with bias tape.”

            – “When scalding a chicken, add 1 teaspoon soda to the boiling water, then the feathers will come off easier and the flesh will be clean and white.”

            – “To make geraniums bloom, use bloody chicken water.”

            – “When tying up a package for mailing, wet the cords. They tighten as they dry, holding the package more securely.”