Emma #119: May 1937
Lots of music, continuing to plant and prepare on the farm, and a winter coat for Ruth
Sat 1. Ruth & I went to Ft. Dodge this PM so Ruth could visit with Stella. Staid all night. Hoped Bob would get home. Took Stella out to the hospital. Ruth sang for the nurses. I am so very tired.
Robert’s sister Estella was a registered nurse and music teacher; she spent much of her life, starting in about 1941, as a missionary in Africa. Here’s her senior picture from the Iowa Falls HS yearbook.
Sun 2. I did not feel like going to church so staid in bed. Bob got here on the noon train. Had slept at Thalmans. Ruth went to church with Stella. Had a nice dinner & then we drove to Lake City to bring me home. Mr. Grooters & Howard came. Bob drove their car back. Dad was glad to see me. My eye is red & swollen.
Mon 3. Have felt some better today. It has rained again. Dad worked on the shelf in the kitchen. Am glad to be home. Mr. Grooters & Howard brought the piano today. My, it seems good to have it again. They brought the desk & end table. Bob & Ruth came & all were here for supper.
Music has always been a central part of life for both the Boylans and the Grooters, and I can only imagine what it meant to Emma and Tell to be able to reclaim their piano and have it in their new home.
Tue 4. Ruth & I washed today. Bob fixed the watering place for the cow. Then we got the strawberry plants & Dad & Bob spaded a place for them. Ruth & I are going down town now. Bob is asleep. Dad is trimming up the trees. We are going to Glidden this evening.
Yum! Strawberries!
Wed 5. Another busy day getting ready for the folks to go to Denver tomorrow. Ruth did some ironing & packing & cooking. Bob has been a great help too. Fixed the sink to drain & the auto horn etc. We had a wonderful time last night. Took the Green girls with us. A big crowd there. Bob & Ruth did splendidly. They took an offering for them. Got $11.33. They feel fine. I sent butter, milk & a good lunch with them.
I found this newspaper story about Ruth and Bob’s program.
Thu 6. We got up at 4 AM so Bob & Ruth could get an early start. They got off about 5:30 AM. Have been busy cleaning the house & putting it in order.
Fri 7. We worked out doors for several hours this AM. Dad did some carpenter work on the outside planking, fixing a door & window in it, also the roof. I ironed, planted nasturtiums & ornaments. Dad spaded & planted potatoes. We cleaned out a lot of the underbrush etc. Mr. & Mrs. Green called in the evening. Asked me to take a class in S.S. Mr. Grooters was here for a few minutes. Letter from Berne today.
Sat 8. We worked out doors a lot today. Had a bonfire & burned up a lot of trash. We get pretty tired. Dad spaded about 3 ft the length of the garden & we planted peas—Telephone & Everbearing. Telephone should be ready in 73 days—makes it July 20th. We shall see. Planted some red cabbage seed & verbena seed. Got a letter from John Lohr, a card from Ruth & Gerald for Mother’s day. Ruth & Bob should be in Denver. Sold 55¢ worth of cottage cheese today & 8¢ worth of milk.
Verbena is an ornamental plant.
Sun 9. Mother’s Day! We went to church & SS. I taught a Jr. class. Had a nice dinner—pork chops & strawberry short cake. Wrote the family letters & some others in the PM. Mr. Davenport & his brother called. Florence Grey & the Wetters were here after some of Florence’s things. Gave me the old rooster. Went to League & church in the evening. Had to play for League!!!
Here’s a recipe that looks delicious. Shortcake is a scone-like biscuit—“short” refers to the crumbly or crispy texture created by adding butter or lard.
Mon 10. A lovely morning! Dad is spading. How I wish my legs would quit aching. We worked out doors cleaning up. There is yet so much of it to do. Got a special Air Mail delivery from Katharine containing a Mother’s Day gift of $5. Said she did not want me to buy chicken feed with it.
Tue 11. Wrote to Ruth today—was so sorry I did not have the money she asked for. I do hope Bob can find some work for a couple months. Was invited to attend a class party on next Friday PM. Mrs. Hamilton called me up. It is funny about our phone. I told them we did not want it but they still call me. Sold the rooster for 42¢, some cottage cheese for 56¢, milk 32¢.
Wed 12. Today we planted corn. Did not get it all in but a lot. It is surely a thrill. Paper tonight says there is to be a big corn crop this year. Paper tells of a tornado near Belmond & Roland last evening. I washed & did most of the ironing—scrubbed & planted garden. Feel pretty well. Sold 65¢ cottage cheese.
Apparently it was quite a tornado!
Thu 13. Finished the ironing & did some mending. Had Mr. Summerfield for dinner today. He will finish planting the corn today. Got a letter from Katharine and one from Linnie and a card from Chris. Katharine has four weeks more after this. I have a hen that wants to set. Am going to set some goose eggs.
Fri 14. An eventful day! Robert & Ruth drove in with Elmer about 2 PM. We were so glad to see them. Then my “goose eggs” came. The children went to bed and I went to a SS class meeting at Mrs. Damens. Got home about 4:30. Mr. Grooters came for supper. He was surprised to see the kids. Heard that Mrs. Green is very sick. Set my hen on six goose eggs. They cost 90¢.
Sat 15. Dad is fixing up the old store building for a garage today. Robert is helping him. It has rained considerably today. Ruth made “goulash” for dinner.
Sun 16. A beautiful Sunday! We all went to SS & church. Ruth has been asked to play the pipe organ & she can practice free at the church. Is she thrilled!
Mon 17. Wash Day & a lovely one! Ruth & I have been busy at it.
Tue 18. This is the first WFMS Society I have attended here. Ruth & I drove to Mrs. Walters in the evening. They seem to have a very nice society. We got the ironing all done today.
Wed 19. A busy day! Robert wired the cave. I have not done much extra. Baked doughnuts. Ruth put up some curtains for me in the dining room. She is letting me use a lot of her stuff as she will not want to take it on to Philadelphia. We drove to Glidden this evening to do some wiring for Miss Malen & to attend prayer meeting but the preacher was away & the wiring was done.
I’m not sure what “the cave” might have been, but perhaps a root cellar of some sort.
Thu 20. Another hard rain last night. It is cold and windy this morning. I wrote a few letters this AM—one to Miss M. about the cot, one to the conf. sec. of YP., one to Herm Palmer. We got a letter from John Lohr with $25 in it. We went to Glidden & Carroll—got Ruth a winter coat—$15.30. Bob went to choir practice.
Here are some winter coats from 1936-37.
Fri 21. Have all been busy today. Robert has fixed several electric outlets. Dad has worked hard. Bob & Ruth took the cheese down town—45¢ worth. Planted the watermelons today. It has been warm & nice. We measured the corn land today. About 15 acres. Plan to churn tomorrow.
From 1866 to 1936, corn yield per acre was stable at about 26 bushels. Starting in 1937, yields began to climb as farmers adopted hybrid corn varieties that were more drought-resistant. This trend increased in the mid 1950s with additional improvements in fertilizer, pesticides, mechanization, and other practices. Average 2022 yields in Iowa were about 200 bushels per acre.
Sat 22. A lovely day! It has been a busy one too. We churned, made cheese, planted beans & peas. Ruth moved into her little room, etc. We bought feed for the cow & chickens—3.00. Mr. & Mrs. Grooters from Ft. Dodge came in about supper time & we had supper together.
Sun 23. We all went to church & SS this AM. Ruth taught my class. Mrs. Damien asked me to teach her class. Robert sang his first solo part this AM. Rev. Kamphofner preached and we asked him home for dinner. I must write some letters today.
Mon 24. Bob & Ruth got back from Ft. Dodge today with the car all fixed with a new windshield. Ruth brought some of Stella’s organ music to practice. Sent off another big load of trash today. The place is looking better.
Last month Emma mentioned that “Bob had an accident and ruined their car.” Fortunately, it sounds like it was repairable.
Tue 25. Wash morning! Always glad to have it done and out of the way. Florence came home today to stay awhile.
When Emma and Tell rented the farm, part of the agreement was that Florence Gray would continue to keep a room there. It sounds like that was a happy arrangement, because she is still listed as a lodger in their Lake City household in the 1940 census.
Wed 26. We baked cookies & ironed & generally kept busy. Dad painted the back kitchen floor. I churned again & sold some cheese.
Thu 27. We planted some late potatoes today. It is going to be fine to have a lot of stuff to can.
Fri 28. Mr. Grooters was here for supper.
Sat 29. Sold some cottage cheese today. Ruth practiced. We shopped awhile in AM. Could not find a lamp shade. Hilma Green was here. Asked for me to teach her SS class while she is away.
Sun 30. Memorial Day. I taught a SS class. Dr. & Mrs. Humphrey were in it. They live in Indianola. They used to live here. Bob sang “The Trumpeter” at the Union service held in the Community Hall. Mr. & Mrs. Alsin called in PM. Also Hilma Green. We went to Glidden in the afternoon to the Baccalaureate service. Got our stove at Miss Malens. Had lunch at Rev. Johnsons. It rained very hard in the evening.
Prior to 1970, Memorial Day/Decoration Day was observed on May 30. In 1971, Congress standardized the holiday to be the last Monday in May. The Trumpeter is a 1904 song that continued to be popular well into the 20th century.
Mon 31. Robert, Ruth & I went to Fort Dodge today to see about a filling station job— nothing to it. We will start to work for Mr. Brassfield in the morning. I bought 8 pineapples—#30 to can. Found a hen that wants to set. She had about two dozen eggs hidden under the garage.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for June 1937.