For Release May 8, 2001

AGRI-VIEWS
by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent

I had the privilege to be in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. For entertainment, one of the evenings, several of us attended a play at Ford’s Theatre. I’ve always enjoyed Ford’s Theatre. It’s place in history alone makes it very special, and it is such a cozy and pleasant place to watch a performance. The musical that we saw was called Songs from the Tall Grass. Even though I knew nothing of the musical, the title was enough to make me want to see it.

This wonderful musical is a composite of songs, letters, journals and stories of the pioneer men, women and children who homesteaded the tall grass prairies. While supposedly set in Oklahoma, it could just as easily have been in Kansas. During the entire musical, five large projection screens over the stage displayed a collection of old photos of pioneers and pictures of tall grass prairies. I’m sure many of the photos were taken in Kansas. This isn’t a theatrical review, but if you ever have a chance to see this musical, do!

The musical did really get me thinking. I thought of those pioneers that came to the Great Plains. I thought of my own great grandparents. These were brave people that settled this land, and I can’t even imagine what they must have faced.

As the musical progressed, a picture was painted of the classic pioneer family where father had the big plans and dreams, the children were an energetic handful and mother was the one who held the whole affair together. She kept father in check and in touch with reality. She raised the children, she did all the household chores, and she was the one who was always at home.

As was often the case with pioneer families, one of the children became sick and died. This was not an isolated instance and children quickly learned that there was a good chance that at least one of their classmates would not be with them come fall. In a touching song titled, Put My Little Shoes Away, the very real facet of a child’s death was revealed.

And still, there was mom holding the family, and the community, together. Then mother became ill and did not recover. The impact that this loss had on the family was understandably deep. The oldest daughter often had to step up and quickly become the woman of the house. To say that this play made me think and feel deeply is an understatement!

We’ve come a long ways in 140, or so, years. Death from illness and accidents is not nearly as common among children. Many basic essentials of life that those pioneers worked so hard to acquire, we take for granted. But in traditional and non-traditional families alike, it seems that mother is still the glue that holds everything together.

She often works an eight to five job outside the home, then comes home and is expected to handle a majority of the household duties. That may also include mowing the lawn, feeding the livestock or hauling grain to town. But I have found that it isn’t so much the physical work that mom does that holds everything together. It is the emotional work.

I will admit that I am a little old fashioned in some of my views. And us modern men can talk all we want about how we share in the household chores. But there is a level of nurturing and caring that a mom provides that transcends definition.

What I am clumsily trying to say is that mothers everywhere are truly the glue, even today, that holds everything together. They become the focal point of life in most homes and often keep all our lives from going to pieces. Thank you moms everywhere and happy Mother’s Day!

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