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| Original Book Cover of A Visit to Mars |
We haven't talk
much about the amazing predictions found in my great grandfather's 1902 book A
Visit to Mars. One futuristic idea stands out in my mind - in addition to
foretelling physical inventions like outdoor lighting "turning night into
day," retractable roofs so telescopes could be placed, seat belts, and
others - one that caught my attention recently was the novel concept of
elevating women! Yes, before women were allowed to vote, before women's lib -
the "regenerated" people on Mars greatly respected women and made
sure modern inventions like the dishwasher and washing machine were invented to
ease their burden. Let me just share some from the text to give you the idea:
"There was no
house drudgery of any sort here for the women; no oppression by the opposite
sex because of superior strength; no wearing out and breaking down long years
before nature intended it;....In all respects they were man's equal and enjoyed
the high place at his side for which they were designed." He further
writes, "Their work, too, was simplified and reduced to a minimum and to
modes of agreeable and healthful exercise."
NOW TO A DESCRIPTION OF WASHING DISHES! THE
EARTHLY VISITOR'S NAME WAS VAN GARLSETT.
"Van Garlsett
presently found himself in a neat room that was not only a kitchen but was the
place where the electrical heat and light originated. ... The dishes that were
to be washed were placed in an orderly manner in one end of a long sink which
led to a cupboard built in the wall. In a moment, by some process, water rose
and covered and foamed about them so they could not be seen; then the water
disappeared and the steam arising told him that they were being dried by heat.
A moment later, by some other hidden process, they were quickly propelled to
the other end of the sink and into the cupboard, the door of which opened to
receive them and they were resting in their places until needed again. It was
all done far quicker than it takes to write it, and Van Garlsett felt that he
must see it again to get clear apprehension of it."
NOW VAN GARLSETT WATCHED THE WASHING OF
CLOTHES
"Then they
opened a stationary washing machine and put one of the piles of clothing into
it. A lever was touched which closed the machine; there was a slight sputter
within and a moment or two later the lot was done. Then the Martians spread the
clothing on a broad belt which immediately began to revolve. The clothing went
out of sight into a heated passage where it was so rapidly fanned by hot air as
to be dried in two or three minutes. This process was repeated for each pile of
clothing. ...then they ironed the clothes. They simply spread the clothing upon
a belt that carried it between several sets of heated rollers; when or how any
starch was applied Van Garlsett could not tell. But when the clothes issued
from the last set of rollers, they were by far the finest laundered clothing he
had ever seen. The smiling faces of the women to whom the labor was a pleasure
and the very short time in which it was all done, perhaps twenty-five minutes,
contrasted strangely with all the washdays he had seen."
SO MUCH MORE IN
THIS CHAPTER, TOO.
If you want to get
additional snippets of insights and fun facts more than once a week here, LIKE
my page on Facebook at: facebook.com/AVisittoMars.
Blessings,
Andy
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