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About the Privy

There was one on every farm,

A structure important as the barn, Was used on cold days and
warm.

Its dimensions were around 4′ x 4′ , Had a bench and one
door,

With a catalog on the floor.

Now a memory obsession, Not a modern Trivia question, But
what is it? Keep on guessin’.

Child of today says, “Even as many hints you give me,

I don’t know but Granny told me positively,

That it’s what oldies called an outdoor Privy.” 

Marjorie Andreas
Bayard, Nebraska


Back in 1955 a call
went out from the editors of the then
Capper’s
Weekly
asking for readers to send
in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early
settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from
grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were
received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first
My
Folks title – My Folks Came in a
Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine
other books have since been published in the
My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from Capper’s readers, and we are proud to
make those stories available to our growing online community.