With today’s rush and clock oriented work-a-day schedules for each member of a family, time is a most important element. Deadlines must be met. A time clock must be punched if you want to get a paycheck, and everybody in the family has to be somewhere at a certain time, from the time their feet hit the floor in the morning, until they hit the rack at night.

But things were not always like that.

The late Carl Spencer, a columnist for the Salisbury Post, was a master on Indian lore. In the Aug. 2, 1970, issue of the Post, Spencer wrote a piece titled “Time Meant Very Little to Early American Indians.”

In this column, he said:

“As most authorities on the early American Indian will agree, the life of these people from out of the dim and distant past, still remains clouded to a great degree, and since less than one percent of man’s history is known, the early Red Man’s existence is no exception. For them time simply stood still.

“Down through the hundreds of years during which time the ‘first great American’ roamed the prairies, flat-lands and forest sections in search of food, an untiring effort on the part of the country’s outstanding archaeologists during the past 100 years, have been able to ‘piece together’ the widespread finds of artifacts throughout most of this country. Regardless of the effort given by those who have devoted years of research to the cause, the field continues to remain wide open ... the true answer lies beneath the soil ... somewhere ... possibly it might be found ... but who is to say?

“For example: Some years back, a pair of grass-woven sandals were found in an Oregon cave. Due to the dryness, a radiocarbon 14 test, they were classed as being 9,000 years old ... and in good condition. What manner of man wore them? The Indian was not known at that time. His first entrance on the scene ... so the authorities relate ... goes back about 2,500 years. But who is to say?

“Time and effort on the part of the American Indian meant so little. A day back then was considered only the passing of a few hours ... no rush ... no dead-line to meet ... what couldn’t be done today could wait until tomorrow ... time was not recorded ... the Red Man lived day by day ... never giving second thought to rushing through any sort of an undertaking ... there was always a tomorrow.

“There has been considerable debate concerning the making of projectile points (arrowhead, spear, etc.), termed today as ‘flint napping.’ And even though better than one-half million Indians occupy sections of this country, many will say, the making of such artifacts is a lost art ... but it is an established fact that arrow points are being made today ... both by Indian and white men. In order to avoid a fake made by white man, don’t order from some unknown source ... make a trip to the fields and find them where Indians left them. It is a known fact that artifacts are becoming very scarce, but keep looking ... they can still be found.

“In covering the American Indian, the material on hand, would undoubtedly continue as a column for a long period of time ... still so little is actually known. Many artifacts have been picked up from old Indian campsites in each of our 100 counties. And still, the question is asked ... Just why are they there? (the answer is not known) It would be impossible to number the many points found today in homes throughout the Tar Heel State which have been collected down through the years.

“It is quite a shame in our humble opinion to hear a person refer to the work of a past masterful flint flaker as being a ‘rock.’ A complete book could be written on every arrowhead picked up in the field ... should facts be known. Just give thought to the person who made it ... his family ... living conditions ... where and when? The great American Indian lived in a world ... all his own ... no equal. And ... those who have given thought and study to the Red Man have been deeply rewarded for their efforts.

“Just holding an artifact of past years in your hand and making an attempt to classify it ... you’re only guessing to some degree ... as to age, culture, etc. All these things are thought about ... still no definite answer ... just summation ... and then we stop to ponder.”

Carl Spencer had quite a collection of Indian artifacts of his own when he died. His work at one time appeared in some 30 other newspapers across the state.