Another thing this show brings to mind is OSHA (not formed until 1971) and the incredible risks everyone working at the Depression-era mill takes. Though they wear heavy gloves to push trees through the saw to make lumber, there are no self-adjust- ing guards, no eye protection, no kickback protections. I cringe whenever I watch them, just wait- ing for disaster to strike. So far, by season five, no one has lost an eye or finger, but I’ll bet in real life, those in the lumber busi- ness back then had lots of acci- dents. I think of today’s brilliant advances in automated tile equip- ment, and eye and ear protection and the regulations, equipment refinements and improvements in setting-material formulas that help tile installers avoid the ravages of silicosis. (In a stroke of syn- chronicity, Will Geer, who plays Grandpa Zebulon Walton, nar- rated a short 1940 documentary called Men and Dust, about min- ers and silicosis!) Why not take advantage of safeguards available today to protect your hands, eyes, ears, and lungs? Replacements are VERY expensive – and not always possible. What this meandering letter is about is this: the solid advan- tages afforded by a trade cannot be overlooked. This show illus- trated the point by travelers who came through Walton’s Mountain who lost their white collar jobs when the Depression hit, but the Waltons were able to maintain a modest living by virtue of a trade. Now, anyone in the trade doesn’t need a 1970s TV show to tell them about the advan- tages of a trade, but it is a poignant reminder. God bless, Lesley Lesley@tile-assn.com EDITOR'S LETTER ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Milton Client Support Graphic Designer Greg Corain Web Development Team Corain Bryan Sales Team Manager Audio Team Anthony Marketing Team Mike J. Jenn Web Development Team Established 1990 Web Development • Corporate Video Production Telephone On-Hold Messages • Printed Promotional Gear Review Management • Search Optimization Paid Search Management CALL US TODAY! 18 TileLetter | June 2019