I learned to drive a nail straight, how to use a level, what mixtures went into concrete, how to place a header, and how hinges worked. We had a small gasoline engine to power the cement mixer. I learned how to use the pedal to start the engine, how to fill the small gasoline tank, how to check for water that got into the gasoline, and how to clean the air filter. I was taught how to remove the wire from the top of the spark plug and to check if sufficient spark was produced to create ignition.

The pure drudgery of the work seemed overwhelming at times. But we knew it had to be done. We were very tired as night approached, with aching muscles, but the chores also had to be done. There remained the work of feeding the chickens, gathering the eggs, slopping the hogs, milking the cows, watering and feeding the horses.

The Scheckels had an excellent hog house when the labor was done. We poured a concrete apron for the pigs to walk on, and to hold their feeding troughs and watering stations. A nice walkway was made between the hog house area and corn crib. The hog house had windows on both sides and doors on each end. We gave it two coats of white paint.