Emma #125: November 1937
Corn, eggs, and chickens; Linnie and Gerrit come to visit; the 1935 ME Hymnal
This is a pretty quiet month. I was looking through a few old family pictures and figured out that this one shows Bob and Ruth’s car in front of their apartment in Philadelphia, where they have just settled in to start Bob’s classes at Curtis. I wonder if that’s Ruth in the top window!
Mon 1. Have managed to do very little today beside the meals & regular work. Wrote three letters. Got some letters too—one from Ruth, one from Gerald & one from Uncle Johns. It thundered & lightened this AM. Looked like rain but it turned out to be a nice day. I went to town. Paid the electric, light & gas bills. Bought a few groceries. Linnie is not here yet.
Tue 2. A letter from Linnie today. Do not know just when she will be here. Dad & Owen are still at the corn. It is a nice day to pick. Mrs. Williams was here today to borrow a screwdriver. She is finishing up the packing for Thompsons. They have moved to Vinton.
Wed 3. Have spent a busy day—at trifles with not much to show for it. Did a bit of washing. Am getting my speech ready for the Unit meeting at Manson. Sold eggs & cheese today—over $1.00. Mr. Grooters was here for supper.
Thu 4. We have had lovely corn-picking weather. Dad got enough today and had to stop. I want to take him with me tomorrow. Went to town and got my hair waved for tomorrow. Mrs. Snow spoke about my joining the Monday club.
Fri 5. It looks like a lovely day for our Manson Unit meeting. Owen will stay home to pick corn. He will finish tomorrow. Dad hated to leave but he did—drove for us. Mrs. Williams, Hilma & I went. We had a lovely time. How surprised we were to find the corn all picked when we got home. Three young school fellows had stopped in & helped Owen. We have 900 bushels picked.
Owen Malen arrived at the end of October to help with the corn picking. He was the brother of evangelist Nell Malen, Emma’s good friend. According to census records he would have been about 65 at this time, single, and doing odd jobs for a living.
Sat 6. A lovely, lovely morning. Dad has gone to the church to work. Mrs. Williams was here for dinner today. She has helped get Thompsons things packed. Had a good talk with her. Think she will lead a new life. Went to the library today. Sold 72¢ worth of eggs & cheese.
According to the Carnegie Libraries in Iowa site, the Lake City Public Library was built in 1910 with a $7500 grant from Andrew Carnegie, who funded 1680 public library buildings between 1892 and 1919, totaling over $41,000,000 in grants. 101 of these were in Iowa. This building is no longer in service as a library.
Sun 7. Dad got up early & went to the church. I got Owen’s breakfast. We went to SS & church. Taught our classes. Came home & had dinner. I wrote to the children & read awhile.
Mon 8. Owen went home this PM. After he had gone we did the washing for we had word that Linnie & Gerrit would be here. They got here about 4 PM. It is now bed time. Gerrit is suffering with hives. Found out they had left their box of clothes.
Tue 9. This has been a lovely day. Gerrit & Linnie & Tell & I drove to Glidden today to look at a farm we thought was for rent. It had been rented. We took Miss Malen’s feather mattress home & bought 50 lbs. of cabbage for 79¢. Got a letter from Dan Byam asking us for $11.00 he said we owed him. Rats!! Mrs. Williams brought me a book to read.
Wed 10. Letters came from all three children today. Gerald has moved to another place in Mexico. Mrs. Williams sent me in some round steak sausage and strawberries today. It is nice to have while Gerrit & Linnie are here. Gerrit & Tell have been working on the henhouse. We had a chicken today. Got 16 eggs today.
Here’s a recipe for homemade beef sausage in case you have some round steak and want to try making your own!
Thu 11. It has been cooler and some what cloudy today. The henhouse is not yet done. Linnie has beat me all day at dominoes. Got 16 eggs today. Drove out to Johnsons to see about renting his acreage but guess it is too high.
Fri 12. Gerrit, Tell, Linnie & I drove around to see five acreages today but found nothing. The men have worked on the chicken house today. It is going to be pretty cold soon.
Since Emma and Tell are not showing any signs of discontent with this farm, and have the lease for at least another year, it sounds like either they are looking for additional acreage to cultivate or Gerrit and Linnie are thinking of moving to the area.
Sat 13. We have managed to keep busy today doing very little. Linnie & I drove to town, got some groceries, took some eggs. After buying I had a credit of 1.46. Took four dozen eggs to town @ 22¢. It is cold & windy tonight.
Sun 14. Dad got up about 4:30 AM to go to the church. It is cold and disagreeable today. Dad & I went to SS. Gerrit & Linnie came to church. We had a nice chicken dinner today. Read, popped corn & cracked nuts & listened to the Radio. The new ME Hymnals given by Mrs. McCrary were dedicated today. It was a very nice service. Got 14 eggs today. Have two hens that want to set. Silly things. Don’t they know winter is coming?
I got curious about this. Why new hymnals? I learned that the 1935 hymnal, the first new one since 1905, was a big deal in the Methodist world, incorporating many changes that reflected modernist perspectives in theology. These shifts deemphasized themes such as original sin and redemption through Jesus’ death on the cross and added emphasis on community, service, and brotherhood. This article from an evangelical/conservative organization provides an in-depth (and somewhat opinionated) description of the shift. An interesting perspective on the role of hymnals in reflecting and shaping the way people worship.
Mon 15. A quiet day. Did not do much but make seven holders besides the regular work. Linnie & I played dominoes awhile. Tried to find Bob on the radio from 9:30 to 9:45 but were not successful.
Tue 16. This has been washday at our house. It was terribly cold this forenoon hanging out clothes. We dried part of them in the house. Did not hear from K. today. Dad & Gerrit are building a closed stall for the cow. I wrote Ruth today.
Wed 17. This is a beautiful day—cold and sunny. We went for a drive to look at some alfalfa. Got a letter from Ruth & also from Katharine. Got the oil check which we need badly for coal, hay and car repairs. WFMS meets tonight.
Thu 18. Today there has been a heavy snow storm all over the state. We have spent a lot of time getting our chickens under cover. We got a dozen eggs today. Sold 2 doz for 50¢, also 30¢ cheese. Have all the small chickens we caught in the small chicken house & the old ones in the barn. The three geese seem to like to sit around in the snow.
Fri 19. It has been pretty cold today. We sold one turkey for 1.98, also $3.70 worth of chickens. I bought Dad some underwear—2 suits for $5. Also bought a dress for Ruth $4.03. Hope she likes it. It is black. We plan to send the kiddies some Thanksgiving chickens. Have a credit at the store. Got 17 eggs today.
Here are some images of dress styles from 1937.
Sat 20. We have managed to keep busy today. Churned a little butter. “Bess” called in the PM. Brought me 2 lbs of mince meat I had ordered. It has turned cold. So glad the cow and chickens are all under cover.
Sun 21. This has been a cold day. Tell got up before four to go to the church. He spent a lot of time getting it warm. We killed & dressed five chickens. Am going to send one to Katharine, one to Ruth, one to Bob M. & two to Gerald. Tell & I went to church. We invited Rev. & Mrs. Walker for Thanksgiving dinner.
Mon 22. Linnie & Gerrit left for DC about noon today. They were here just two weeks. We sent the chickens to Katharine, Ruth, Gerald & Bob M. today. Bess Williams was in again today. I did a little cleaning up after she had gone. My eyes are bothering me.
In last month’s entries, Emma mentioned that Robert, Linnie and Gerrit’s youngest son, had just gotten married in DC.
I have recently exchanged notes on Ancestry with one of Robert’s daughters. She says that when she was young, her grandmother Linnie lived with them and was an avid diarist as well.
Tue 23. Today was washed and cleaned the house up a bit getting ready for Thanksgiving. We cleaned the little turkey hen. Think it will be good. Got a letter from Gerald today. Says he is coming up here after Thanksgiving. Peggy & Jerry also wrote. Peggy sent me her picture.
Wed 24. Did the ironing today and went to Aid. Bess Williams was here & went with me. I led the devotions. Then this evening she came in again with her boy who was sick. Waited here for the doctor. He had a slight attack of appendicitis. Wrote a Thanksgiving letter to John & Alice.
Thu 25. This has been a lovely day. Invited Rev. & Mrs. Walker to eat a turkey dinner with us. We had a nice time. Played mill and dominoes after dinner. They went home about 4 PM. She told me I had been elected in Monday club.
Mill, also known as nine-man morris or cowboy checkers, is a strategy board game for two players that has been played for centuries.
Fri 26. A much nicer and milder day than yesterday. I have done little. Worked the cross word puzzle in the Advocate. Dad cleaned up the yard, ran a switch to the house from the chicken house and went to town etc. He is not feeling very well. Went to bed early. We heard from Jerry & Miriam today. Got their chicken Tues. AM. Had one for dinner. Miriam said she was reading the book of Ruth. Got 15 eggs today.
Here’s a newspaper crossword puzzle from this date in 1937, just to give you an idea of what Emma was up to.
Sat 27. Churned, baked cookies, and worked up till dinner time but then I felt so punk I went to bed. My eyes are sore and I fell “grippy.” Sold 5 lbs of cheese & 2 doz. eggs today. Hilma was here after the lamps which she left on trial. We decided we could not buy now. Mrs. Brassfield was here after SB. She said they had a nice meeting. I was sorry I was not able to go. Gave her a qt. of buttermilk.
Sun 28. Another Sunday over & the money is due from the janitor work. We have more places to put it than it will fill. I am better today, so went to church & SS. My eye looks bad yet & feels worse. Mrs. Williams came after me. Dad walked. 12 eggs.
Mon 29. Dad swept the church and did several errands down town. Got a letter from Ruth & one from Linnie—a card from Kate & Chris. I wrote ten letters & sent out my blank reports. SB. Mrs. Short called to notify me of my election to the Monday club. I drew a rug pattern on my burlap getting ready to hook a rug for Mrs. Daggett. 17 eggs.
Tue 30. A beautiful day! We have done the washing. Got the radio home. It acts like it would work. A letter from Alice said Gerald got in there yesterday. Suppose we will soon be seeing him. I will be glad to see him. Went down town & got some curtain material for double doors. Sold 5 doz eggs @ 22¢. 15 eggs today.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for December 1937.