Kerrs Mill - Sloan Park

It’s a cold morning and the forecast says there may be a mixture of rain, sleet or even a few snow flakes beginning tomorrow and extending into Saturday. I guess the cold weather and the “old looking photo” has me thinking about the past.

Our home is well insulated and has central heating as well as a set of gas fireplace logs, so while we keep the thermostats as low as possible it’s usually still comfortable without resorting to sweaters, multiple layers or thermal wear. From watching various home improvement/remodeling programs on TV/Cable (that’s how the wife gets her ideas for my chore list) I’ve seen there’s even floor heating for under a tile floor so the tiles are warm to walk on and radiate heat to the rest of the room and home — I’ve only seen it, I’ve not experienced it. Somehow it wouldn’t seem right being able to walk around the house barefooted during the winter.

I often feel I’ve lived in a period where I’ve been privileged to see two distinct technological periods — before and now. Growing up as a younger child I remember the only heat we had during the winter was a couple of oil/wood heaters. There was one in the family room that was used most often and one in the bathroom that was only lit while someone was bathing. Nights were spent sleeping in unheated bedrooms under layers and layers of blankets and quilts. Talk about it being hard to get out of bed — winter mornings were a mad dash from the bed to the main heater in the family room, where, as children, we usually dressed.

Of course my parents did install central heating when it became popular and affordable in their later lives but they were almost 70 before they got central air conditioning/cooling. Actually, my dad passed away before he ever got to enjoy it.

I could tell similar stories from my younger years about any number of technology related subjects and devices. My earlier recollections include for example:

  • telephones, rotary dial and when we got one it was a party line with a neighbor who talked on it all the time;
  • calculators, initially in college I had to use a slide-rule (the HP basic calculator was about $900 then);
  • television, you could have any kind you wanted as long as it was small, round and b&w;
  • computers, in the early 70’s I worked at Burroughs Business Machines and their “compact” office model computer was about 4 feet x 5 feet x 3 feet and used punch cards. It was considerably less powerful then most cheap calculators of today.

In most lifetimes I’m sure there’s been advancements of society, technology and standard of living, but I don’t know that it’s ever been as fast or wide as it’s been for my generation — before and now. My father knew of the before and only lived to see the beginning of the now. My son and daughter only got a glimpse of the before and are living and experiencing the now.

I’m glad I’ve gotten to see much of both sides. It make me both appreciate the now and in some ways grieve for the lost of some of the simplicity of the before.

I’m sure, if mankind doesn’t kill itself off, there will be many new and greater leaps ahead. Perhaps in retrospect the advancements I’ve experienced will be but baby steps to what’s coming. Hopefully I’ll manage to hang around long enough to see a few more wonders.

And yes, after writing this I feel older than dirt! ;-)

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Monte Stevens
15 years ago

First I love the shadow play in this image, you’ve done a good job.

Second, I also remember the differences of the past and the present. I remember the first B/W TV in our house. Almost everyone had a garden. Just the changes from 10 years ago is amazing to me. Older than dirt, you say? Yep, that has to include me. I loved reading this post, Earl, it may be one of your best.

Steve Skinner
15 years ago

I also remember the rotary phone, back then you only need to dial five numbers to reach someone who lived in town. I also began my college career using a slide rule then switched to a TI calculator in the fall of 1973. It cost about $80.00, now a $12.00 watch has more power and functions.
Speaking of feeling older than dirt, that’s how I feel when I give tours at the museum to groups of forth grade students. During a discussion with one group this past spring, I came to the sad realization that age wise, I am somewhere between their grandparents and great grandparents! Got to tell you that learning that really hurt!!

Mark
15 years ago

I am usually stuck in my thinking of wishing I could experience the technology of 30-40 years in the future – if we make it that long. :-)

Mark
15 years ago

p.s. I love your processing of this. At first I thought you were going to say this was the side of your house. :-)

yz
yz
15 years ago

love the shadow and your processing

don
don
15 years ago

Nice shot, but the comment today hit a prime note with me who has experienced both sides too. The impact of “digits” has been far more profound that I ever dreamed when I first encountered my first digital device – a 64k Franklin with no mouse! One of the advancements I enjoy is my car key with its push buttons to lock and unlock the car. It broke day before yesterday and the replacement I’m picking up today comes in at $149.50!
:-)

Ove
Ove
15 years ago

Lovely treatment of that photo, and regarding the subject matter, I just love those mills.

I feeling old too, but that’s probably because I had a few beers yesterday with a few friends… :) It’s fun to look back on the past and what we had around us in our everyday lives. We have a book at home, with photos of things from the 50s to the 70s, it’s pure joy looking though it and remembering things like you are mentioning here.

(Floor heating, btw, is rather common in houses that are built these days here in Sweden.)