Chapter Seven

Amusements, Entertainment

And Recreation

 by Earl Berry

Page 49

Mrs. Z. B. Smith, in her introduction to the article on Folklore and Folkways appearing in this history, said of the pioneers of Marion County: "In them are found the cool reason of the English; the poetic, fun-loving nature of the Irish; and the austere, penny-pinching, make-do-with-what's-at-hand hardiness of the true Scotchman."

Perhaps, no where else can this be more clearly shown than in a review of the amusements, entertainment and recreation enjoyed by these pioneers. What follows is a series of articles on amusements, entertainment and recreation existing in the county prior to World War II, but some have pictured the recreational advantages of the county as of now.

Sir Joshua Reynolds, an English writer, is quoted in Forty Thousand Quotations by Douglas as saying: "The real character of a man is found out by his amusements."

Our ancestors were fun-loving, able to laugh at their own mistakes and, due to circumstances, their amusements and entertainment were the product of: "make-do-with-what's-at-hand." This may be observed clearly in the articles describing early forms of amusements, entertainment and recreation as given by the various contributors to this chapter. As the older people read, memories of the good times they had before movies, radio, television, good roads, automobiles and the sophisticated entertainment of clubs, and road houses made their advent, will be relived and enjoyed, while the young people of today will, perhaps, wonder why these were thought of as amusements, entertainment and recreation.

In the first of these articles appearing in this chapter, Mrs. Smith writes of the ability of these pioneers to turn work into play as she relates such events as 'log rollings', 'house and barn raisings', 'sorghum making', 'corn-husking', and 'quilting bees'.

Glenn Johnson describes the annual picnic celebrations and the decoration of cemeteries.

G. W. (Heavy) Ott and Cecil Pierce write of Gospel Singing, Singing Conventions, Favorite Quartettes, and Singing Schools.

Earl Berry writes of a popular form of community entertainment known in his early life as 'Musicals'.

Glenn Johnson writes of some present-day recreation as he describes fishing and water sports.