Weekly Training Plan!

Since my  Aunt  Irene Brady Riley  lived to be  83 years young  – having been the longest living “Matriarch” in the  Brady Family  – have to write of some tings I remember!

When she was a little girl in the early  1900’s – families were  more organized so that  each member of the family had chores and or duties to do each day, so that larger families could live together under one roof – with dignity. So, each child had  some kind of work in the home to do or work for others at some amount of pay. Little  Irene  was the first girl  and  at  the  age  5  was to start to learn all about food preparations and clean up, because there were four older brothers working outside the home as day labours while going to school.

First day of the week was Sunday,  and the whole family went to Church, followed with big amounts of food for family and friends.  A day of rest!

Monday was  “WASH DAY”  –  and it took the whole day for a family of five  children  and  FATHER AND  MOTHER,  and more on the way!

Tuesday  – everything that was washed  – now  needed someone  to iron  and that includes  lots of linens as well as lots of shirts for the  men in the family. Did  anybody complain  – –  that it was too hot?  The women wearing long dresses with a couple of petticoats and those long bloomers under it all?

Wednesday is the day to finish up whatever you did not get to do on  Tuesday. If you were able  to finish  “TUESDAY’s” work  you then started with dusting and  other cleaning

Thursday and   Friday were the days for some real good  in the  house  cleaning  – into the dirty  corners and the changing of the bed linens  and getting the fancy living room linens  in their place as well  as the covering on the piano   – taken out and hung on the line to freshen  up for the weekend. Also,  the front  white stone  steps  scrubbed  and the vestibule area cleaned – just in case someone sits on the steps in their  “Sunday”  best attire.  I do have old photos of every one standing and sitting   – ready  for the camera!

Saturday,   little Irene gets  an  up front  and on  the job training from the best of best  “Chef”  her  mother,  Mrs. Anne Smart Brady!  If you wanted to learn anything about cooking or baking  – you would want to be  in little Irene’s place.   This was  “Top Drawer”  learning at its best!

They made all the breads and sweets that would be eaten for the week.  And everything was  gone  so fast  –  it was so good,  and every  “SATURDAY” had  all the baking   to  be done again  –   week after week.

Professional training of the children done in the home, and by the parents!    Is there a better way?    Let me know?

 


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