Singleton believed that 'It didn't take much to keep country boys entertained'

George Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “It didn’t take much to keep country boys entertained,” was originally published in the Oct. 1, 1992 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Today, where all forms of entertainment abound on every corner, we tend to forget how it was back in the Great Depression. All the youth of today has some form of transportation, whether it be a bicycle, motorcycle or an expensive automobile. On a moment’s notice, we fire up our sporty means of travel and in no time, we are on our way to the many places of excitement and entertainment.

Country boys has to furnish all of their entertainment during the time of the Depression. After returning from church and after the family Sunday dinner was over, there were several hours when something had to be conjured up for entertainment.

The parents in most instances, would be visiting the nearest neighbor, or that neighbor would be visiting at our house. No young boy dared to mention that he was bored and wanted to go for a ride. First, there was nothing to ride in but a wagon drawn by two mules or horses. Never did you waste that mule power just to ride around and sightsee.

Once in a great while, the youth of the community would be allowed to organize a hay ride for a Saturday night get-together. But always, there were two or three parents along to kinda ride herd on the noisy group.

A favorite form of Sunday afternoon entertainment involved getting a group of young boys together and have a rat killing. The group would choose a family barn and descend on it with throwing sticks.

Always in the community, there was a rat-catching dog, a small dog trained to catch and kill rats. The barn owners always endorsed a rat-killing get-together because it helped to rid his barn of these pests that did a considerable amount of damage to stored corn and other feed products.

The large room where the corn was stored was surrounded on three sides. This allowed the one side, the throwing area, to be open when the frightened rats started running. Once the throwing sticks started flying through the air, all heck would break loose. Slingshots were not allowed because of the rocks that was used for to shoot the rats might get in the corn and damage the teeth of the livestock.

After everyone was in position, the rat dog was turned loose to seek out and send the rats running. As the frightened rats started up the opposite wall of the large room, the throwing sticks would fill the air. Very rarely did a rat make it through the barrage of the flying rat sticks. As the small dog sniffed through the piled corn and sought out the hiding rats, verbal bets would be made across the barn as to who would throw the least amount of times to kill the most rats.

After about 30 minutes or so, the small rat dog would be caught and everyone would leave the barn. This was done in hopes that the rats might return to the corn, thinking that the show was over and they were safe to resume eating.

All the boys would retreat a good ways from the barn so the noise of the talking and laughing wouldn’t keep the rats from returning. Then, after about 30 or 40 minutes passed, everyone returned to the barn, and the rat killing would begin all over again.

When the rat hunt was over, all the slain rats were lain out for counting. Then, the settling of all bets would begin as who had killed the most rats with the least number of throws. Proper mention was always in order as to the ability of the rat dog. The small dog would be passed between those who had participated in the kill many times; the dog liked being petted, enjoying every minute of it.

A messenger was sent to the house. Most times, the son of the farmer who owned the barn would go to relay that the rat kill was over and for all to come out and see. Most times, only the men folk would come out to see the number of rats that had fallen to the aim of the rat sticks and the accuracy of the young boys arms that threw them.

Then, as if by magic, the call would come from the house to come by the kitchen for refreshments. This most always consisted of a large glass of fresh, sweet milk and a slice of cake. Sometimes there would be fresh apple tarts or sweet potato pie. But always there was plenty for all.

Besides, most always, the goodies were handed out by the young ladies of the family and by those visiting. But this was done under the supervision of the mother of the family or the grandmother. If there were any smiles exchanged, it had to be done on the sly.

Many rat killings on Sunday afternoons were endured by a young boy in hopes that the refreshments would be served by that pretty young lady with the lovely smile and flaming red hair. Or that dark-haired beauty who wore her hair in long pigtails down her back.

Any young man there would have faced a mean grizzly bear eyeball to eyeball for just one touch of the hand of that pretty young thing with the adorable and beautiful smile. But under the keen and watchful eyes of the old grandmother, the young warrior had to be content with just the smile.

The only hope was that maybe when the next hayride was scheduled, he might get to sit beside this adorable one on the loaded hay wagon. One could only guess; Grandma just might decide to go along on the ride, too. It had happened before.

The forms of entertainment for our youth today sure have changed over the years. But I think everyone should attend at least one Sunday afternoon rat killing.

Take it from me, I know from experience; I’ve been to a few.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from 1964 to 1987. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)