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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

>  A whole lot of people literally had a Saturday night bath
> in a washtub -- a tin tub with water hauled in and water hauled out
> and everybody washed in the same water with boiling water added from
> time to time to keep it usable.

We "bathed" once a week needing it or not. The big copper canning  
kettle was filled with water and heated to steaming. Hot water was  
ladled into a pan for individual use. We took turns standing on a  
towel in the kitchen, wetting a washcloth, soaping up good, rinsing  
out the washcloth and wiping the soap off.

Going into town to high school provided luxury. After "gym" we got to  
take a hot shower. I became addicted.