TRAMPS

Current national financial problems--and worse could probably be ahead—call to mind events of my childhood during the great depression. Fortunately Dad kept his high school teaching job and worked summers at YMCA Camp Wood at Elmdale, Kansas. His dad was a Methodist preacher and Mom’s dad was a Methodist preacher and barber. There were many great aunts, uncles, and cousins on small farms in Northwest Missouri also making a subsistence living.

We visited Grandpa Imes at Stanberry, Missouri. I was four to six during his normal two-year assignment there-– he preached in many small towns, two years each, in Northwest Missouri. The parsonage was always next door to the church.

Almost every evening, around the end of most everyone’s dinner time there would be one to half-a-dozen men appear one at a time at the back door, asking if Grandma knew of any work in town or anyone with odd jobs needing an extra “hand”, or if she had any extra to eat that they might have. Grandma always had something to give them. I was always told to stay back and not to “gawk”, undoubtedly to protect the damaged dignity of the tramps. But of course I couldn’t resist peeking around the corner to watch the proceedings.

Apparently word traveled amongst the tramps where a handout might be likely. And of course the preacher’s house was obviously a logical place to try. These itinerants spoke quietly and were polite. They were referred to by others as beggars, bums, nere-do-wells, and worse, but in polite company the common reference was “tramps.” Probably because most were aimlessly walking (tramping) from town to town looking, hopefully, but with little optimism, for a day’s worth of work for a few pennies and always needing a bit of nourishment. But no one had ability to pay much for a temporary extra laborer or an abundance of extra food, although most everyone had a garden. I don’t recall any female tramps. But there could have been as no one was dressed fashionably and all looked similar—old, worn clothes, hat—unisex style.

During one visit my brother, Gene, and I were playing in the yard using a rake and a hoe as anti-aircraft guns. Dad, Mom, and the grandparents objected always to our playing “war.” We had few if any toys; it was far too frivolous to spend money on toys. That money might be needed later if their jobs disappeared. Everyone was frugal in those days. We boys could take a bent stick or anything lying around and pretend it was almost anything. Who needed purchased toys? Well, the rake was left lying in the grass with tines upturned. Barefooted, I stepped on it, driving the tine into the foot between the big toe and first toe, nearly clear through. I cringe today at the thought of the doctor visit where he used something to probe the depth of the wound to make sure it was cleaned out, and perhaps to deposit merthiolate. No pain deadeners, no anesthesia, no antibiotics, no penicillin.

Even today I shudder on seeing a rake anywhere with the tines up, and go out of my way to turn it over.

We always enjoyed the trips to see relatives, as these were the only trips we made. I do not recall ever going on a vacation as a family, but we did visit Dad at Camp Wood once or twice during the summer between scheduled camps. On these two or three day visits we hiked, swam, fished, canoed, shot .22 rifles at the rifle range, enjoyed archery and horseback riding, caught lizards and horned toads, picked up unusual rocks, etc. I don’t think most others were so frivolous as to take a vacation either.

I suppose the depression experiences have shaped me some to be somewhat conservative and frugal, always differentiating between needs and desires and spending mostly wisely and mostly just for real needs. Since my first real paycheck at age 13, paychecks (as taught by my parents) have always been a minimum 10% saved, 10% to charity first, and never purchasing anything until the money had first been accumulated for it; except a house, for which 20 to 30% was the down payment. In some cases by the time the money was accumulated, the desire had waned or changing circumstances lessened the need. Other times the anticipation during the accumulation process heightened the pleasure of finally obtaining the item. This modus operendi seems to have worked pretty good as I (we) have been extremely blessed and do not feel I’ve missed much or been deprived.

Minimize, simplify, get by with less, less is more, make something out of nothing, use up, wear out, etc, and always be kind to those less fortunate.