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Sarah Reid - 1910

Sent in By Hugh -
After reading David Nicols Looking Back I thought the attached might interest people.  It is a transcript from a School book which I rescued from a rubbish tip some twenty years ago.   The piece was written by Sarah Reid a 1st year pupil at Keiss Primary School in 1910.  I left punctuation indents etc as she had them (ie ignored the Teachers remarks).  Sarah lived in North Keiss in a house that is still known as Jim Reids.

 A Visit To Town

What Scotland will be a Hundred years Hence

“Times takes turns,” says Robert Burns. When we think of what our ancestors told us of a hundred years ago, we can see how true this saying is. Scotland today is beyond comparison with what it was a hundred years ago. Before the end of the nineteenth century things were moving on by leaps and bounds.

Reflecting on the past, we look forward to the future with great expectations. Things are being invented at the present day, but things that will be invented a hundred years hence will be more to the tone of perfection.

For instance, instead of ships and trains, goods will be carried in Aeroplanes from one country to another. Also people will travel by them. They will be seen flying above the head at a terrific rate. The mails will also be carried by them.

Motor power will also take the place of steam. All the big liners and steamers will be driven by motor power, and even the small boats will have motor power.

Motor cars will take the place of stage coaches in the poorer districts. Ordinary cycles will be out of existence to a great extent, motor cycles taking their place.

In Parliament there is drawn up a Small Holders Bill which no doubt will be passed in the near future. Thus in a hundred years it will affect Scotland greatly, for there are long stretches of moors which perhaps is Scotland's best soil, will be cultivated. These moors are only the pleasure of rich people who go out and hunt. Thus when they will be cultivated the poor and the rich will be on a more common level, and emigration will be less.

Wireless telegraphy was invented not very long ago, but in the twenty first century it will be used to a far greater extent. Telegrams will go all over the country. In this way big steamers, that are out on the Atlantic Ocean can receive news from the land, also wrecked vessels can have help in a short time, by sending a telegram to the land. Many new inventions will be made. Instead of the washerwomen washing all the clothes with their hands, they will be washed by machinery. Perhaps every one will not have a washing machine, but they will be used to a great extent.

Few of the people who are living at present, will be alive , to see if the facts mentioned will come true.