Copyright © All rights reserved. Made by Dr. Joseph P. Kawoski.
Nothing was wasted or thrown away. Small scraps and pieces of soap were saved and melted and molded into another cake of soap. Every scrap of material was saved to be made into quilts or rugs, flannel was saved to make poultices. Every tiny piece of thread and tin foil was saved. These were formed into balls. This was competitive. Everyone wanted to have the biggest. I saw some tin foil balls you could hardly lift.
Flour came in colorful, printed sacks, these were washed and made into different articles of clothing. Jars of any size, shape, or form were saved. The envelopes of Christmas cards were lined with a tissue like paper in beautiful designs and colors. This was carefully removed and cut into different shapes, pasted onto jars and then shellacked, which made pretty vases. Every drop of cooking grease was saved and used for cooking or making soap.
If you could spare one or two small lumps of coal, you could make what was called a Adepression plant@ by placing them in a shallow dish and by mixing equal parts of salt, laundry blueing, water, and 1/8 ammonia. Beautiful crystals would be formed.
Even the tops cut off carrots and sweet potatoes were saved, put into any kind of container and water would be added. These would grow into beautiful vines. Children saved everything: cigar rings, chewing gum wrappers, voting cards, lucky stones, and pieces of slate that would fall from roofs to play hop-scotch.
Watermelon rinds were saved and pickled.