THE DEAL

(Life in the thirties)

"Scots value education" my father would say,
And the plans for ours, were well underway!
When college days drew near and no money existed,
My wise father had a plan, that none could have resisted!
Nothing! Absolutely nothing could stop this man, who knew,
Girls needed educations, to make their dreams come true!
No sense borrowing.............there just was no way!
A giant step towards losing everything, if you couldn't pay!
We lived, in a "Land of Plenty", but...beef was one cent a pound!
Decent prices, for our farm produce, just were not around!
Banks often encouraged loans...then, as quick as could be,
Pushed the farmers, into poverty and also bankruptcy!
Farmers were experts, at producing, on the farm,
But, no match for slick business men, who'd come around!
So, my canny Scotsman father put an Ad in the paper, one day,
And this is what his Ad had to say,

TWO YOUNG LADIES, SCOTTISH DECENT, GOING TO VARSITY THIS FALL, NEED ROOM
AND BOARD, IN QUIET FRIENDLY HOME, WILL PROVIDE MEAT, POULTRY, EGGS AND
POTATOES, IN LIEU OF CASH.

The results poured in....too many to count!
We never dreamed, we'd receive this amount!!
It took two weeks to sort, without any rest,
Eager to know, which home seemed the best!
We trimmed our pile of letters, down to just three,
They sounded so special! Good places to be!
People explained, how their place would be best,
Wrote many pages, with their eager requests!
We were overwhelmed! Dad's plan would succeed!
Finally picked out, the place! Exactly what we'd need!
Such a lovely place....just like our own home,
Clean and neat...and a daughter of their own!
Very kind people, who always made us feel,
That our caring Dad, had made a very good deal!
This nice family appreciated, the food that he sent,
Instead of receiving, pay for meals and the rent!
We all ate like Kings and I finished college, too,
Dad's Food Deal, was how we all got through!!

Pauline Banning

W4-1067-98-D14

In the days, of the Depression, in Canada....people had to resort, to their
own ingenuity. There was no Welfare Cheque and everyone was desperate and
unable to help others. It is amazing, how these determined people were able
to survive and even excel, when they had few dollars and many problems.

These days, we tend to give up, or expect a generous hand to help us. How
fortunat for everyone now, to be born in the right decade. Our forefathers
suffered much, to give us a head start and if we really do the correct
thing, we will make sure, that the future is solid, with opportunities for
all who come after us.

We were freqently told, in school, that our country had an unlimited amount
of resources. Such a silly statement, devoid of facts. Nothing is
unlimited, forever and if we waste, what we do have, it will be gone very
quickly. We were also told, that machines, would not replace people. They
would give more freedom and fewer hours, for the same, or even better
salaries. Another falsehood.

Students are encouraged to return to educational pursuits, instead of
finding jobs, which means they get into great debt, for the loans they
acquire and become perpetual, lifetime students....with so may credits and
certificates, that make them too expensive to hire. A company, or school
can pay fewer dollars, to a person, who can do the job, just as well as
someone with glorified credentials....and they do, in order to save money.
So many times, the same old story...."We would love to hire you, but you
are over-qualified." It seems, that the message is, "Do it, but don't do
it."

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