As this month begins, Emma and Tell have just returned home from a visit with Ruth and Bob in PA. Over the past week they have been getting a flock of chickens started and settling back in at the farm.
Tue 1. It is so foggy this AM we can scarcely see the road. So far we have not lost a chicken. The day has been rather dark. The nut cracker came. We cracked about 9 lbs of nuts & got 2 lbs of meats. Will try to finish my doctor bill with them. Florence went away today. She may be gone for some time. She did not stop to “tidy” up her room. We got a card from Alice. She thanked me for the doily I made for her.
Florence, an older unmarried woman, was their landlady. She kept a room at the house but had several other activities that kept her busy.
Wed 2. It has been rainy and disagreeable today. Mary McCrary & Hilma Green both called to ask me to go to a Com meeting before WSCS so I went. Looked at wallpaper and shopped a little before coming home. Bess was here & took me to the church and Dad came after me. Have worked a little on an apron and bought some muslin to cover a lampshade Alice gave me. Got a booklet from Chris today entitled “What it’s all about” by J.S. McConnell. Dad bought chicken feed today. We did not go to the Board Meeting.
Thu 3. Could not wash as I had planned. Have been working on my lamp shade. Miss Howell called to ask me to go to the SS meeting at Jolley tomorrow but I decided later I should not go. My right eye is bothering me. I am getting pretty tired these days. Finally got my Feed Account book started so it is readable. Wrote a letter to Grace Dougan asking her to come help me paper next week. The sign in the pasture is being torn down. We got a nice letter from Ruth today. Also a card from Chris and the Scranton lace doily.
The Scranton Lace Company, in NE Pennsylvania, was the largest manufacturer of machine-made lace in the world. This is an example of the doilies they produced.
Fri 4. It is still cloudy and rainy today Dad says he is glad I am not going to Jolley today. Cleaned up the floors & back porch. It has been so muddy. Worked awhile on my apron. Had a sleep while Dad went to town for a hair cut & some groceries. Mr. Grooters came in after supper was all over & the dishes done. I got him some supper & he gave us some samplers of concentrate for the cow and calf.
Robert’s parents lived in Fort Dodge. His father, Gerrit Grooters (who I remember from my childhood as Great Grandpa Grooters), was a salesman for farm products.
Sat 5. We worked out doors awhile this morning fixing up a place for the chickens to run out. Dad also fixed a place out of which “My Day” can eat oats & concentrate. My Day is the name of my calf. I named it after Charlie’s goat. My eye has been bothering me. I think it has cold settled in it. Bess and Thelma were in today. We studied awhile. We went to town in evening for some groceries. Went to the IGA store which is quite citified. Started to feed the calf oats today. (Put some where it can get them.)
The Independent Grocers Alliance was started in 1926 to help local, family-owned grocery stores compete with the larger chains and is still in operation today. Here’s the April 3, 1941 ad from the IGA store in nearby Carroll, IA.
Sun 6. I do not feel much like going this morning but perhaps I will feel better before time. Got our separator down & started to separate the milk this morning. We went to SS & Church. I had 14 in my class. Dad slept all through church. Hilma talked to me about the Mother-Daughter banquet. Asked me to speak for the mothers. Mrs. Broz was here to sell me a couple tickets. Slept for several hours and then wrote a carbon letter to the children.
Mon 7. Today is Margaret’s birthday. We got a letter from Gerald today. He gets pretty blue. Wish I could help him some. Have 2½ gal of cream tonight from four milkings & a little skimmed by hand. Gave the chickens some sour milk. Found a chicken badly hurt on its wing. We are trying to save it as we have not lost any. I went to Mrs. Short’s to Monday club. Had a nice time. It is to meet with me next time. Tried to sell Mrs. Hutchinson some tickets to the Mother-Daughter banquet but she doesn’t think she’ll go. She is a big self-centered affair.
Tue 8. Since I have to talk a while at the Mother-Daughter banquet tonight I have spent most of my time getting ready. The morning has been rainy but the sun has come out some this afternoon. Bess was here a few minutes. She said she would bring me home—which she did. The men and boys served the meal at the banquet. I wrote Gerald today telling him I would make a suit of Bob’s over for him if he would send me his measures.
Wed 9. Heard of Sen. Sheppard’s death this morning. He was a real champion of Prohibition—28 yrs in senate, 11 in the House. It is cloudy this morning. We should hear from the children today.
Morris Sheppard, Democratic Senator from Texas, authored the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition). He was 66 years old, and chairman of the senate military affairs committee. He had an active role in the 1940 Selective Training and Service Act, which was the first peacetime draft legislation in the US.
Thu 10. Got a letter from Ruth today. No word from Northampton. House cleaning. Dad & I went with Bess to the Lord’s Supper Service tonight.
Bob was a candidate for a faculty job at Smith College in Northampton, MA.
Fri 11. Still cleaning house. Dad painted the kitchen today. It made him so tired. Did not hear from my paper hanger today. Cleaned the bedroom today.
Sat 12. We washed today. It is very windy. Dad took the cream & eggs today. We got 3.48 for them. I bought some material for kitchen curtains, oil cloth, etc. Heard that Grace Dougan can not to come to paper for me.
Sun 13. Easter Sunday. We heard the broadcast from the “Garden of the Gods” in Colorado Springs this AM. It is later here than there—6:30 there is 7:30 here. Went to SS & church in AM & to the Musical at Christian Church in the evening. The wind blew the corncrib over yesterday. Have to go through a window to get to the chickens. Bess came in awhile after church. Said she went in the ditch coming in. We gave 1.00 to Easter offering, .25 to Budget.
I found this 1941 postcard advertising the Easter sunrise service in the Garden of the Gods.
Mon 14. Have been doing a little house cleaning, ironing, etc. Made some candy for Aid! We got letters from each of the children, also John Lohr. I operated on a little chicken. Hope it lives. Opened its crop which was full of feathers. Betty Brassfield stopped to ask me to help her with a “welcome speech” for the Mother-Daughter banquet of Girl Reserves.
Tue 15. Dad has been spading the garden and I have been ironing. Wrote a short speech for Betty. Have ironed all but the shirts this forenoon. Finished the ironing and some crocheting. Just got the drapes done this evening when Mr. Grooters came. He had not had his supper so I got it for him. Have been making some yellow kitchen curtains.
Wed 16. Today is brother Charlie’s birthday. I should have sent him a card. Helped entertain the Aid today. We served Jello—(Lime & lemon) with pineapple, orange and spiced grapes in it. Also cheese crackers, a tiny biscuit & a piece of candy. It cost us 68¢ apiece. I made the fondant. Have enough left to serve at Monday club. Am making some kitchen & pantry curtains with rickrack flowers. They are sure cute. Guess I’ll send my suggestion in to the company. Have promised to make a dress for the Red Cross, cut a suit down for Gerald, speak at Lohrville, have devotions for Aid etc. etc. Hope I keep fit. Dad says he is going to Denison to borrow a hundred dollars from Florence. I hate it. Would wait at least till the oil check came.
Fondant candy is a soft confection that can be molded or used as a center for chocolates.
Thu 17. Dad went to Denison to borrow some money from Florence Sullivan. She let him have $45 today & will let him have more the first of the month. We went to see Wernick. He will take cash till June 1st, which will make it better for us—better than 600 lb of chicken @ 14¢ or 15¢. Went hunting some one to paper the dining room. Got the Howdeshells, who promised to come tomorrow afternoon. We got a letter from Katharine, one from Ruth & a card from Gerald today. Got the oil check—$26.25. Ruth said she was sending the curtains. Am afraid they won’t get here in time for me to use them.
Fri 18. We got the dining room ready to paper this morning and I cleaned the bathroom. In the afternoon I worked on my kitchen curtains till the room was finished. They got done about 3 so I washed the windows & woodwork, put up the curtains, Dad cleaned the rug. So now I am about through. I want to paint the kitchen linoleum yet & clean the basement. We got a letter from Gerald today. He is going through a hard place. No money & nothing to feed his rabbits. He wanted his suit fixed but I could not get it done. Dad has been spading a place for potatoes.
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Sat 19. It is Sat night. Have kept pretty busy today with one thing & another. Made my salad for Monday club, also have my pinwheel cookies ready to bake. Have the house pretty well in order. Hung my kitchen curtains. Fixed up the bathroom curtain and put up the drapes Ruth sent. I will be glad when it is all over & I have Gerald’s suit fixed. I want to get it & the dress for the Red Cross done next week. We had a hard rain today. Radio said a storm was coming. Bess just brought in the trays & some doilies for me to use.
Sun 20. It looked bad this morning and we thought we’d have to keep the chickens housed up but it cleared up & tho cold we could let them out. Dr. Davies preached this AM. Not so good as usual. I taught my SS class. The Lohrville trip has been postponed. I am glad. Bess & Thelma were here today. Thelma staid to study. I have a sore throat. We figure it is costing us $1.00 per day to feed these 800 chickens. Hope to make our rent on them.
Mon 21. The Monday Club is over with and I am glad. Served cherry Jello with cherries (Queen Anne), pineapple & Phil. Cream Cheese balls rolled in nuts in it, covered with a cheese & cream dressing. Coffee & crackers & candy. They surely ate it up well. Used my pretty new napkins. There were 16 here besides myself. Two left before serving. Four did not come. I have such an annoying sore throat. It is much worse as night comes. Takes all my pep. Was asked to go to a WSCS board meeting but did not feel equal to it. Did up the dishes & went to bed.
I didn’t find this exact recipe, but there are a lot of variations out there. Here’s one of them.
Tue 22. After doing up the work, Dad and I went to Gowrie after some seed corn. There were just two bushels left which we bought. Mr. Gunderson drove in as we did. Just met him in time or he would have been away plowing for his uncle. After dinner I shortened the coat Bob gave us for Gerald. It is all done but pressing. This evening I have cracked a few nuts. My throat is still painful. Washed out a few things which I will iron tomorrow.
Wed 23. Dad drove over to Summerfields for a minute and I went along. We stopped at Brassfields. Her chickens do not look very well. Mr. S is getting Mr. Dunlap to work in his place for us today. He came & raked the stalks & Dad has them pretty well burned. Thelma & I drove out to Bess’s for a visit and some potatoes. Got home about 4 PM. I went to the Com. building to cut out the dress I am to make for the Red Cross. Came home, set a hen, got supper & went to bed to rest awhile. Bess came in—wanted me to go to Margie Jean with her but I felt too punk.
I found many accounts of community projects to sew and knit for the Red Cross as World War II continued to rage in Europe. The results included bandages, scarves, uniforms, and garments sent to refugees and victims of war.
Thu 24. We got a letter from Ruth today. She says they have given up Smith College job. I worked on Gerald’s pants. Got them all done but pressing. Have had such a miserable sore throat. Had Chas. Dunlap for dinner. He has hauled the manure, raked the stalks & plowed the sweet corn ground. Mr. Grooters was here for supper. We got 2 more sacks of concentrate. Just as I was going to bed, Mr. & Mrs. Whiting came to spend the evening. We thought it was Linnie & Gerrit. They were here till about 9 PM. Florence Sullivan called us this afternoon late. Is sending another $25.
Fri 25. Dad & I took the brooder back to Wernicks. Went to Wilsons, got a sack of middlings. Dad then got 690 lbs of hulled oats at Adams. We have enough feed for three weeks I think. Had Mr. Alco ck for dinner. He is plowing. Finished cutting over the suit for Gerald and we sent it to him today. I hope he is going to make good on his job. Wrote Mrs. Daggett, Gerald and Joan McNaught today. Have been working on the dress for Red Cross. Have considerable yet to do. Mrs. Brassfield called today. This is the night of Irene’s class play. Last night was Bob’s opera play. There was a nice write up of the graduating recital in the Advocate. Our chickens are weighing 1½-1¾ lbs. They will be 8 weeks old on Monday. My throat is still very sore.
Bob was finishing his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music. I found the program from his graduation recital!
Sat 26. This has been a beautiful day. Dad has worked in the garden planting potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, lettuce & radishes. My throat is so sore at night that it seemed best not to work out doors. However I finished the dress I was working for the Red Cross. It is made of heavy cotton suiting. I put some green buttons & a green buckle on it. I am glad it is done. I finished the two things I planned to do this week. Next week I hope to sew for myself. I wrote to Jean McNaught today about my lamp shades. We got the $25 from Florence Sullivan today—that makes 70 she has lent us. We want to pay for our chickens & the farming.
Sun 27. Another beautiful day! We went to SS & church. I taught my class. Came home & had dinner. Rested and then wrote cards & letters—Ruth, Katharine, Linnie, Charlie, Gertie, Mrs. Myers & SS Times & J. Lohr. Mr. & Mrs. Green & Hilma called this afternoon, also Mrs. Brassfield. We had a nice visit. In the evening we went to the church to a missionary play by the M. Daughters called “Two Masters.” My throat is getting better. Bess drove in while we were waiting for Mrs. Stanfield.
Mon 28. Since Mr. Alcock is to be here to plow I am not washing. Dad has been in the garden & I have been sewing. I set two hens today. Had the plowman for both dinner and supper. Suppose he will be here again tomorrow. Bess was here this evening.
Tue 29. The plowing & harrowing were finished today. It has been a nice day to work. Dad has been spading & planting garden. He fixed the calf pen. I have sewed some. Took my dress to the Community Bld (Red Cross). They are getting ready for the Jr.-Sr. banquet this evening. Called on Mrs. Vogel and got the hand lotion recipe. It is made with quince seed instead of flax. My sewing machine is acting bad. Dad went to the sale awhile today and I took a nap.
I found this quince seed hand lotion recipe, in case you want to try it yourself.
Wed 30. Time for Blood Test. This is the last day of the month. I finished the two shirts for Dad & went to Aid this PM. Am planning to go to Ft. Dodge tomorrow. Bess was here tonight after Aid. She was all broken up again because she cannot hear. We got a letter from Ruth today. This is Robert’s birthday.
I found this birthday card from Ruth to Bob in the files. The inside says, “In fact, I do! Happy Birthday, Honey.” Her note indicates that she got him some new shirts for a present.
Special Note
In Bobbie’s baby book, there is a “Rhythm and Music” section that asks: At what age does the child carry a tune? Her parents noted: April 1941—Sings “Jesus bids us shine,” “All Aboard,” “Lullaby & Goodnite,” “Daffodil,” etc.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for May 1941.
