Emma #123: September 1937
Lots of jam, cheese, and eggs; Ruth and Bob get settled in Philadelphia; special memoir feature
As this month opens, Emma and Tell are happily settled at their rented farm in Lake City. She’s keeping very busy in the kitchen and raising poultry, selling products to local grocery stores, while Tell has taken on a job as a caretaker at the church along with his farming activities. Ruth and Bob are off to Philadelphia to start their musical careers.
Wed 1. We went to Twin Lakes today to see Bob & Ruth off. They went ahead of us to #20. Went to Iowa Falls. Will give their concert there tomorrow night. We took Grandma Weston and Mrs. Vogel up with us. I went to the church to shut up the windows & take the silver back after Ladies’ Aid. Ruth & I had a nice swim today. We also took some pictures. Got $15 from Katharine.
I found this picture! Bob and Ruth are packed up and ready to head to Philadelphia—three spare tires on the car, and a trailer with all their worldy goods.
Thu 2. Dad & I drove to R.C. today where he took the exam for a driver’s license. Were we glad when he got it! Dad swept the church this PM.
Fri 3. Dad mowed the church lawn this AM. I canned tomato jam & some plums. Have been busy cleaning up the house & yard getting ready for Swallums.
According to food writer and canning teacher Marisa McClellan, a friend introduced her to tomato jam, “and now I can’t go back to a life without it. She gave me a jar with the recipe attached, and I am forever grateful. I use it in place of ketchup (with turkey burgers), as well as in places where ketchup wouldn’t dare to tread (try it with a soft, stinky cheese. It is life changing). I also love serving it with roasted root vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots.”
Sat 4. We got ready for Swallums today. Got a finger wave in my hair this AM. Swallums got here soon after dinner. We had meat loaf, asparagus, fried potatoes, cottage cheese, cookies, peaches & cream & tea for dinner. Went to bed early. It has turned terribly cold. Our pullets have begun to lay.
Sun 5. Breakfast—muskmelon, fried eggs, coffee, oatmeal with raisins in, cream & coffee & cookies. Swallums left as we went to SS. I taught Dad’s class. Had a simple dinner. Mrs. Brassfield was here awhile this PM. We talked over S.B. work. We won’t have our mail delivered tomorrow.
I can only imagine how good it felt to be able to provide such bountiful meals after the past several lean years. And cookies for breakfast!
Mon 6. [Labor Day] No mail delivered so Dad went to the P.O. Spent an hour or two waiting for the mail & was he sick! No word from Ruth about the concert. Held last Thurs. nite & here it is Monday nite & we have not heard. I did a big washing today & I am tired. Also canned some tomato juice. Tomorrow is Dad’s birthday. If we don’t hear from the kids tomorrow there will sure be something doing.
This entry made me wonder if the post office might have been housed in a local store that would have been open even though there was no delivery. *That* led me down a curiosity trail that turned up an extensive set of archives of post office locations. These were compiled by the Topographer of the Post Office to prepare maps for postal officials’ use. They do not provide exact street addresses or type of building, so I never got an answer to my question, but here’s one of the forms from Lake City, where Emma and Tell were living.
Tue 7. Dad is 66 today. We killed the first little chicken—the fighting strain. Also made ice cream. Sold 50¢ cottage cheese to the A&P Butcher. We got two cards from Ruth—the delayed Iowa report on the concert & one from Tipton. We got the family letter. The Ford girl came here with her mother wanting to give us a dog.
This fascinating article and interview from NPR describes how A&P changed the way we shop. In the early 20th century, most grocery stores were mom-and-pop operations. People would go to separate shops for meat, baked goods, and fruit & vegetables. In 1912, A&P opened its first store. By 1930 they had reshaped the industry, incorporating meat and dairy departments and controlling much of the production and supply chain of the goods they sold.
Wed 8. Have made some apple & plum butter today—also some potato salad for a pot luck supper tonight at Rockwell City. I am going up to a S.S. Institute this PM with Rev. Couchman. Will come back with Hilma after the night session. Dad will come up for supper & the evening session. I met Miss Purenton & Rev. & Mrs. Holland & others. Katharine’s school began today.
Thu 9. Sold 70¢ worth of cottage cheese to the A&P grocer today. Also took some grapes to the Home Grocery to sell. Have made some apricot marmalade, tomato juice & grape jelly. No word from Ruth today. Think they must be nearing Philadelphia. Am to have a com. of girls here this evening. The S.B. girls came. We had a good time.
So many good things! Here’s a tasty-looking recipe for apricot marmalade.
Fri 10. This was a busy day. Did not get to the front rooms until after dinner. Got a card from Ruth. They reached Cleveland as they planned. Spent the night of the 7th with K. Also got a nice letter from Katharine. What a comfort the girls are to us. So dependable.
I suspect this is a subtle slam on Gerald, the oldest child and only son, who has had some problems.
Sat 11. Dad had to work at the church some today as the Aid had its annual chicken supper. We went to supper & also ate ice cream at the Home Ec girls stand. We bought some meat at the A&P—hoped to get an order for cheese but nothing doing tonite. Mr. Grooters ate dinner with us. Got word that Robert & Ruth arrived safely.
Home Economics was a course of study that emerged in a time when gender roles were much more traditionally divided. It included areas such as human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, and textiles and apparel. Here’s a somewhat snarky but interesting article by a historian about a 1937 Home Economics textbook she found at a flea market.
Sun 12. We decided this AM to go to Glidden to church. Dad called Rev. J & they wanted us to come. We took down part of the dinner. Had a nice time. Saw Rev. J take a group of kiddies in the church. Ran out of gas coming home. Went to church at night. Took Mrs. Walker some cream.
Mon 13. A lovely cool day. Got a card from Ruth. They had rented an apartment for a week. Dad & I washed. I sold butter & cottage cheese today. Mr. Summerfield was here for dinner. We bottled some tomato juice. I am making some mixed pickles & some oil pickles. Mrs. Brassfield & the S.B. Com were here tonight. I had made candy for them. Had the half of pasture plowed up.
Tue 14. A letter from Katharine with the oil—$30.00—& a card from Ruth. She and Bob are singing in a paid choir at $20 for both. I canned 10 qts of pickles today—olive oil & mixed. Sold some grapes today $1.50 so far. Have another 50¢ box down there. Sold 15¢ cottage cheese today. My missionary reports are slow coming in.
Wed 15. The first half of Sept is gone. Picked some plums today—peeled & canned 6 pints & made 2 pints of butter. Saw our three turkeys today, also a hen with eight chickens. She had stolen her nest. We sold $2.50 of grapes so far. Found a nest with 17 eggs in it. Sold a dozen @ 16¢. Dad had to work at the church nearly all day—Ladies’ Aid this PM and a League Institute after school & tonight. Letter from Ruth says they have rented an apartment. Guess she is homesick. Letter from Jerry & Miriam today.
In the back of the journal, Emma has written down Ruth & Bob’s new address—407 S. 40th Street. I found some information about the building online—it is in the University City area of Philadelphia, and is apparently still being used as student rental apartments.
Thu 16. We had dinner early and went to Glidden today. Stopped at Rev. J. He is at Conf. We got K’s rugs. Only one is like she ordered. They are surely a disappointment. Bought 50¢ worth of grapes & made them into jam, juice & canned a few.
Fri 17. Finished my grape juice this AM. Cut out a couple aprons to make out of old dresses. Mrs. Wirick called in the afternoon. We wrote the Carthage folks this evening. Am writing Ruth every day for awhile.
Tell’s unmarried siblings Will, Nora, and Daisey lived in Carthage, MO.
Sat 18. Took 1 lb. butter, 2 lbs cheese & 2 doz. cookies to Miss Purington to sell. Also took cheese to the A&P butcher. Took Mrs. Walker a nice little dressed chicken.
Sun 19. A lovely cool day. Dad & I went to church & SS. I taught a class. Wrote a carbon letter to the children. We went to League and church at night. The League is gathering up fruit to send to the hospital at Soo City. They asked me to play & talk. Union service was at the Baptist church.
I find it interesting that although the Methodist Episcopal church is their home, they seem to regularly go to the Baptist and Presbyterian churches for services and other events.
Mon 20. Dad & I had the washing done before nine. I churned and did some ironing today. In the evening Dad had to be at the ME church at a Board meeting. I went to the Baptist church to the Bible study. Rev. Van Gorkham is there this week.
Tue 21. Got so cold at church last night I could not sleep. Today has been very hot & windy. Dad got some hay of Mr. Pisht today. Got Mrs. Brassfield’s father to haul it. We got a letter from Ruth. I went to the church to a pot luck supper tonight. WFMS had guest night. Mrs. Williams served chicken & gravy. Dad went to the Baptist church.
Wed 22. Have been making a couch or day bed cover for Ruth out of some old curtains I bought. We went to a S.S. Board meeting this evening. Got a letter from each one of the children today.
Thu 23. We sent a box to Gerald today containing an overcoat for him, a suit for Betty and some other things. Pressed the day bed cover & will sent it tomorrow. Worked on the word contest today.
Fri 24. Churned & baked cookies today. Sent 1½ doz eggs & a coffee can full of butter to Ruth inside the daybed cover. We hid a couple half dollars in the butter. Put bible verses on them and on the eggs. Got a letter from Ruth enclosing Alice’s. She lent them another $50.
Wow! Can you imagine shipping a package like this today?
Sat 25. Sold 3 doz cookies, 3½ lbs cottage cheese & 1 lb butter to Miss Purington this AM. Bought a dozen pears. Some were spoiled. Canned 3 pints. Went to Mrs. Johnson’s to a S.B. meeting this PM. Then called on Mrs. Ripley. Got a nice letter from Ruth today.
Sun 26. It is pretty cool this AM. We had a heavy frost here last night, the first we have had. We have a few black walnuts to pick. Went to church & SS this AM, and to League. Were going to the Pres. Ch. but it was not lighted up so came home. We wrote the children a carbon letter today. Florence & Mrs. Holden were here today. Florence says we can build a corn crib & chicken house. And use her room for guests.
When Emma and Tell moved to the farm, Emma noted that Florence Gray, who I assume was part of the owner’s family, would keep a room there.
Mon 27. It has been rather cool & windy today. Got two letters from Ruth & one from Mrs. Johnson. Ruth is getting some furniture from Mrs. Elliott to use. Does not know about the radio job yet. Been trying to catch some chickens. Three of them got away. Am working on a word contest.
I found references to a variety of word contests in newspapers from this time period, including jumbles to solve, misspelled words to identify, fill-in-the-blanks to creatively complete, and more. Prizes ranged from a few dollars to theater tickets to entries in drawings for appliances.
Tue 28. Finished the ironing today. Worked on the word contest, the quilt & a rug. Dad has been building a fence north of Greens. We sold 2 doz. eggs today, & 1 lb cheese. Got 19¢ for eggs.
Wed 29. Went to Ladies’ Aid today. Got there pretty early. It does not begin till 3. I canned 6 quarts of tomato juice this week.
Thu 30. Went to the Christian Union Guest day today. Took Mrs. Ripley in our car. It was a pleasant experience. There were about 150 served lunch. Had a nice program with a blind violinist as a guest artist. Forgot all about the “Movie.”
I’m pretty sure this would have been a man named Archibald Sowden, who was called the “Blind Violinist of the Air” in the 1920s, performing regularly on radio station WCCO in Minneapolis. During the Depression he moved to be near family in Iowa, and was an itinerant performer into the 1940s. Here’s a picture from a 1973 newspaper article.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for October 1937.
Special Feature: Letter from Ruth
In her later years, Ruth took a course on memoir-writing using letters. This is one of these memoirs, describing the early days of life in Philadelphia with Robert.
Philadelphia, PA September, 1937
Dear Mother and Dad:
We have arrived in Philadelphia, and are beginning to get settled. The little car bought in Lake City, with the trailer full of canned things, got us here in good shape. We stopped to see Katharine in Cleveland, and then came on through the beautiful mountains of Pennsylvania, finally arriving at the Elliotts’ home in Lansdowne. We stayed there for several days, then rented an an apartment for a week while we looked for a more permanent place.
We are now established on the third floor of an old house on 40th street near the University of Pennsylvania. We went to the Salvation Army store and bought a day bed, since our living room will serve as our bedroom. The Elliotts have loaned us a few things. The stove and gas refrigerator are furnished. We have to pay $35.00 a month for this.
Dr. McCurdy of the Second Presbyterian Church has hired us both to sing in the choir, and he will pay us each $10.00 per month. We have written Aunt Alice that we will need the second fifty dollars that she said she would loan us if we needed it. Bob will also be singing on the radio with Bob Golden’s orchestra once a week. He will be paid $5.00 per week for that.
Bob Golden was apparently the orchestra leader for a show called the “Get Going Revue” on radio station WCAU in Philadelphia.
We are glad for all the canned things we brought. Tomato gravy made with that bottled juice on toast has become a standard supper for us.
School has started, and all this keeps Bob pretty busy. He drives the little car to Rittenhouse Square, and parks it there all day. The classes and coachings and voice lessons are very exciting, and he hopes to do well. Sometimes I walk into town and wait for him sitting on a park bench in the Square.
Rittenhouse Square is a public park in Center City Philadelphia, very close to the Curtis Institute of Music. It is one of five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
This is where the memoir letter ends…I think there must have been more, with a signature of some sort at the end. If I find that material I will put it into a future entry.