Sidden remembers the old days at Smithey's in Sparta

Can you remember when lamp oil was nine cents a gallon and dry kidney beans in red or white could be had for three cents a pound?

Oliver Sidden remembers this and more from his days as manager of Smithey's Store in Sparta. The historic store was closed down in the early 1990s, just a few years after Sidden's 33-year career ended in retirement. Sidden, now 81 years old, retired at age 62.

He was born and raised near his current home on Laurel Glen Church Road. In his early days, he worked on his parents' farm. "We farmed and we had a cow or two we milked," he said. The family also had chickens, pigs and other farm animals to tend to.

"There wasn't no hours to that job. We started working at daylight and stopped at dark," he said.

His first paying job was driving a school bus for $20 a month. He worked six days a week on that job. Later, he also took a part time job working at Smithey's.