RURAL CHILDHOOD

The More the Merrier

   

Playing with others always meant more fun.  Mildred Kalish, who grew up in rural Great Depression-era Iowa, and her siblings built their own golf course on their lawn as they knew they could not have anything to play with that cost money.  They also held a pole-vaulting competition, made their own stilts, and built their own swing.  One day, Mildred and her friends decided they were going to “dig to China” as they had run out of other ideas.  Mildred knew, however, that if she complained to her mother or grandparents that there was nothing to do, work would be piled on her and her siblings and their free time would be lost.

 

Children looked forward to social gatherings as a time to get together with other children.  Mildred looked forward especially to going to Sunday school as it meant sought after fellowship with others that was often lacking in the country. Country gatherings were often used by children to socialize as kids never had time to get together to just go play. Mildred never had time to spend the night at her friend’s houses, so she had to rely on Sunday school and family-get-togethers for her "social life."​