THE WAY IT WAS…
...100 Years Ago
by Al Eicher

Let’s take a look at the way it was 100 years ago and in doing so we can appreciate and be thankful for the many blessings and freedoms we Americans enjoy, which are so often taken for granted. Our country had only 46 states at this time. In 1912, New Mexico and Arizona received statehood, and in 1959, Alaska and Hawaii joined to complete our union of 50 states.

By today’s standards, our United States was very short on conveniences in the home. Only 14 percent of homes had a bathtub. Many homes had “outhouses” into the 1930s. There were telephones in only eight percent of homes in the USA. In 1909, the number of automobiles totaled 8,000, and we had only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was not to exceed 10 miles per hour. Electricity was not available in all communities and, for those people that had electricity, they might only have use of it for 10 to 14 hours a day.

If you asked a 100-year-old person today where they were born, they would say at home. Ninety-five percent of all births in America occurred in the home in 1909. Every community had mid-wives to help in the birthing process. The infant mortality rate was 12 to 13 percent depending on the area of the country. Twelve in 100 babies died. Ninety percent of doctors in 1909 had no college education, many were self trained or worked with another doctor. After a few years of training they might choose to go out on their own.

The average worker was paid 22 cents per hour earning about $200 to $400 per year. Your income depended on the type of job and if you had a full year of employment. If you graduated from high school you were privileged and proud to be counted in six percent of the American population. At this time in our history, two adults out of 10 could not read or write. The economy was not very good at the beginning of the 20th Century. Professionals having an education, such as a dentist, could earn $2,500 a year; a veterinarian, $2,000 or more; and a mechanical engineer with experience, $5,000 a year. A competent accountant could earn $2,000 per year.

How did people manage to survive? Most people in the rural areas had gardens, and there were many more farmers than today. In some communities there was a common grazing area for the town’s people to bring their cow to pasture and also to milk as needed. A pound of sugar cost four cents. In the Thumb area we had several sugar factories. Eggs were 14 cents a dozen and coffee 15 cents a pound. The price of wheat per bushel was 99 cents and seed corn was selling for $3 a bushel. Barter was still a common practice for farmers. The doctor was sometimes paid with a few chickens for the house call.

In 1909, life expectancy was age 47 and today it is 78. The five leading causes of death were tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza, diarrhea, heart disease and stroke. How do we compare today with the rest of the world in life expectancy? We rank 42nd in the world. Japan has an 82-year life rate followed by Singapore at 81.89. Hong Kong 81.77; Gibraltar 80.9; France 80.87; Switzerland 80.62; and Sweden, Australia, Iceland and Canada at 80 years. People in Italy, Spain, Norway, Israel and Greece average 79 years of age. I think we Americans need to change our diet and get more exercise. Maybe ride our bikes more often like the Europeans and Asians.

In 1909, most women only washed their hair once a month and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo. If you had a bathtub you might take a bath once a week depending on the availability of hot water. Homes did not have hot water heaters because they did not have gas or electricity, therefore water heaters were not built for many years. The ice box was just that, a cool place to put meat and milk to prevent spoilage. Most people went to the butcher shop several times a week to get fresh meat.

The wife at home raising children, preparing meals, doing the shopping, washing clothes and caring for the children when sick had more than a full-time job. Eighteen percent of the households in America had domestic help or one full-time servant.

Let’s go to the drugstore in 1909. You could buy over the counter marijuana, heroin and morphine. Back then the pharmacists claimed heroin cleared the complexion and gave buoyancy to the mind. Another interesting statistic indicates there were only 230 people murdered in the entire USA. And That’s The Way It Was 100 Years Ago….

Al and Dave Eicher provide television production services to corporations, ad agencies and nonprofit organizations.  They also create Michigan town histories and offer lecture services on a variety of Michigan History Events. You may contact them at  248-333-2010;  E-mail: info@program-source.com; Web site:  www.program-source.com.