Climbing the Mountain page 2 Reminiscences of Margaret Wuerflein Klammer (1891-1985) Written in 1976, her 85th year Go to Beginning Go to Ending Return to Home page

when I came to the United States. We had very many beautiful wild flowers that I have never seen in this country and I loved them all, also the wild creatures from wood and field. Time went on and school was a must for every child. In those days there were no buses, everybody walked, and if the little ones got tired it was good for them, as they slept well after a march of four miles morning and afternoon. Schools were laid out in districts, perhaps five or six villages going to a cen- tral school. They were taught by men teachers and put there by the government. One teacher would have as many as eight grades, or if the student body was too big a second teacher was appoint- ed who would teach the lower grades. Some were kind, especially the ones with the little folks, but all were very strict and were permitted to use the stick if it was necessary to keep discip- line. Education has changed so much in the years since I went to school. No teacher dare lay a hand on a child these days and consequently there is much trouble and many a good teacher can't take it and goes into other work. The colleges and uni- versities are filled and the cost is tremendous, but nowadays there are scholarships and it helps. The country is full of men with doctor titles. Women go to school for a career, but fail to raise their families. Since I was young the whole world has changed so much. There were no cars, everyone walked except those who could afford a horse to ride, or still better, a horse and buggy. Now everybody has one or two or more cars and instead of horses the tractor is used. People call it progress, but it was more peaceful in the horse and buggy days. People love to fly now in order to get there fast. The Wright brothers sure started something...the jet planes are a far cry from the square box they first got to fly 15 feet above the ground. When Edison invented the electric light bulb the country really lit up and now just about everything goes electric and all is fine until the Lord sends a storm that breaks down the wires...like the big ice storm of March 1 and 2, 1976. Then all is at a stand- still and since people threw away all the old reliable things they can't even cook a cup of hot coffee. In my youth there was no radio and nobody in their wildest dreams thought that some day talking pictures would come out of a box in people's living rooms...but it developed and it is doing more harm than good. News is flashed on the screen al- most as soon as it happens. Crime is shown is all its gory wickedness, and add to that the crime wave we have now all over the world. Some things one might call good. One can learn a lot even from the commercials that pay for the programs. In the kitchens of the homes, oh, what an array of appliances! The lady has a dishwasher, an automatic washer and dryer, a refrigerator together with a freezing machine; not to forget the prepared food she can buy in the big supermarkets to keep her family on a perfect diet. Stores are far removed from the old time country store, where one could buy only as much as the customer wanted and not have to take the package wrapped in plastic. How people ever lived without plastic I'll never know. America, the beautiful!!