Emma #12: September 1928
Back to school, family visits, and Harvest Home
Sat 1. We started from Beresford, SD at 5:06 AM. Got home at 5:03 PM. It was a long tiresome trip. I have set out the strawberries I brought. Got a few wild asters and planted them south of the house & some wild flox north of the house.
Sun 2. Drove out to the Crossing for Nora today. Waited an hour on the train. We all went to Eldora for dinner—Tell, Ruth, Katharine & I. After getting home Charlie Hoelsher & wife, Ed White & wife called.
Mon 3. We washed and dyed Katharine’s henna coat today. It is a beautiful black but too small for Katharine. It will probably go to Ruth. Ruth’s school began today. She is a “Freshie”.
Here’s an example of 1920s coat styles, and an interesting article on how dyes have been used in clothing fashion for over 2000 years.
This year Ruth started 9th grade at Hubbard High School.
Tue 4. We ironed, and canned corn today. It was not a success. I should have boiled it. I cut it off—putting it right in the cans. Should have cooked it first—as the milk burned. It may be good. Took some corn to the Eldora folks.
Wed 5. Am staying at the shop while Tell is in Cedar Falls. Just got a phone call that Aunt Belle, Harry & Elizabeth are coming to stay overnight. The folks got here in time for supper.
It took a little digging to figure out who these relatives were. Belle was the wife of Emma’s uncle George Jameson. Elizabeth and Harry were their daughter and son-in-law. They lived in Vinton, IA, about 80 miles from Hubbard.
Thu 6. Harry & Elizabeth went to Ames and Aunt Belle stayed with me. We went to see Mrs. Olmstead’s quilts and stopped at Mrs. Byam’s. She gave me a Whitman fern. The Study club met with me in the evening.
Fri 7. Today is Daddy’s birthday. We drove to Eldora twice today. Katharine & I went in the AM & we all went in the evening. We took enough corn this AM to can 11 qts & tonight we took both beans & corn. WFMS met today at Mrs. Beck’s.
Tell was born in 1871, so this would be his 57th birthday.
Sat 8. Ruth, Katharine & I drove to Iowa Falls today. Ruth took her lesson. Saw Thelma Mendell & her mother. They plan to go to Pipestone this week. We came home via Alden.
Sun 9. We went to church & SS this AM. After dinner Tell & I drove to Eldora. Nora has had an offer, if everything is satisfactory, of a position in a college at Storm Lake. Heard Miss Boyer of Anti-Saloon League in the evening.
The Anti-Saloon League was a national Prohibition lobby. In their work to generate public sentiment for a dry nation, they are credited with pioneering many of the techniques of public relations used today.
Mon 10. Daddy had to go after a friend of Manora. Mrs. Milthey & I stayed at the shop.
Tue 11. Katharine & I finished a dress for Ruth today. Nora did not get the position at Storm Lake.
Wed 12. Did a big washing today. Got Libbie to help in PM.
Thu 13. Got Libbie to help iron this AM while I sewed. We are making Katharine a dress. We—Tell, Katharine, Ruth & I —& Gerald’s family went to a picnic supper in Eldora this evening. It rained hard. Gerald took Nora & her friend to Iowa Falls. Nora came home with us.
Fri 14. Miriam was sick all day. I took care of all the children. Nora has been here all day. We sewed some. Am so tired tonight.
Sat 15. Margaret Manora went home this PM with Mr. Strother. Ruth went to Iowa Falls on the bus alone today.
Sun 16. Today was a Special day. SS Rally in AM—WFMS program in the PM. The Alden folks brought down a pageant—America’s Call to Service—about 30 in it. It was fine. We served about 60 for supper. Had no evening service. John, Alice & Nora came over.
In a note elsewhere in the journal, Emma notes that Luther (Emma’s younger brother, who they saw last month in SD) & Lucile were married Sept 16, 1928.
Mon 17. Washed this AM. Went to church in PM & evening, with a Covered Dish luncheon in the evening.
A covered dish luncheon or supper, also known as a “potluck,” is a meal in which each person brings one dish to share.
Tue 18. Gerald got badly burned with gasoline on his arm & leg last night. I was at the shop till evening. About 5 he called for me, as the opiate had worn off.
This entry got me curious about the use of opiates in medicine in the 1920s. Here’s a history. Opiate addiction became a major issue after the civil war, and heroin (originally developed as a non-addictive morphine substitute) became illegal in 1924. I’m guessing that Gerald was treated with codeine.
Wed 19. Spent all day nursing Gerald. He surely has had a bad day. Was better in the PM. I stayed at the shop. Aunt Nora came back with Tell when he went to Eldora for a plow. Katharine got her coat from Haas’.
Thu 20. Nora spent the day here. Tell went over to Eldora in the truck & took her back. I have spent the day at the shop, at Gerald’s, and sewing.
Fri 21. Gerald is still in bed with his burned leg. I went to the shop awhile. Sewed till we finished another dress for Katharine. Ruth went to a HS party tonight.
Sat 22. Katharine & I and Aunt Alice went to Marshalltown today. I bought a pair of Cantilever shoes. Katharine got a dress, shoes etc. Ruth went to the Falls for a music lesson. Betty has been with us all week. Margaret stayed at Margaret Sater’s last night.
Sun 23. We had a frost last night. A beautiful sunny day today—but chilly. Took Betty with us to church tonight. Gerald is still in bed.
Mon 24. Spent the day sewing. Mrs. Swallum called. John, Alice, & Will were over. Katharine is busy getting ready to go Thurs. night. Wrote 12 WCTU Quilt blocks.
Tue 25. A busy day! We did so many things. I washed in the PM. Katharine went to a S.S. class picnic.
Wed 26. Hung the clothes out this AM. Katharine & I went to Eldora in PM. Got a lot of Bittersweet on the way over. Katharine got her baby picture.
Thu 27. Gerald has had a bad day. I kept the baby & the two girls all PM. Kept me busy—getting everything done so as to get Katharine ready. She goes to Chicago tonight.
Katharine started college in Iowa, then taught for a couple of years (there’s an interesting piece she wrote in some memoirs about how she ended up teaching despite being determined not to…), and finished the last two years of her undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago. She’s heading off here for her first year in Chicago.
Fri 28. Started to clean house today. Mrs. Knowles is helping me. Mrs. Newcomer called this PM. Gerald suffered so with his leg tonight—I spent an hour with him. Daddy went to a telephone meeting.
Sat 29. I cleaned house—washed curtains, canned grapes and managed to keep busy all day today. Have the children with me. It is now almost two weeks since they came. Got a card from Katharine.
Sun 30. We went to Eldora today to the Sunday School promotion day. They had a Harvest Home celebration. Ate dinner with the folks. Came home, called on Hub—who is sick. Went to Gerald’s.
Harvest celebrations have been held since the earliest days of agriculture. The end of September is a traditional time for these celebrations. Here’s a fascinating history of some harvest festival traditions. And I’ll leave you with one of my favorite harvest hymns.
I hope you have enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals! See you next week for October 1928. I also invite you to share this newsletter with any individuals or groups you think might find it interesting.
