Emma #21: June 1929
A big trip to Chicago for Katharine's graduation, Gerald buys a car, and Flower Mission day
Sat 1. Tell went to Cedar Falls. Took Will home. I worked at the shop then went to Alden to the KH meeting.
Sun 2. We went to Eldora today. Came home via John. W. timber. Found a yellow lady slipper.
This is a native orchid. Some of its varieties are now listed as imperiled.
Mon 3. Washday! Had Hazel Nehring help me. Dot B. brought me some lady slippers via Gerald.
Tue 4. Made a birdhouse today.
Here’s a design for a birdhouse from the Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Wed 5. Got word that Katharine was elected in Shaker Heights—a suburb of Cleveland. She has accepted. Went to Iowa Falls this PM to a TB meeting today. Visited some pretty gardens.
Katharine taught school in Shaker Heights until she retired. Sometime down the road I’ll write about the interesting life she led after leaving Ohio.
Thu 6. Getting ready to go to Chicago tomorrow. John & Alice were over awhile today. Saw Mr. Ports this evening.
Fri 7. Will, Daisey & Nora will stay here while we are gone. Gerald, Ruth, Daddy & I started at 11:30. Reached Freeport at a little before six. Will go on in the morning. We stayed at the Licondo Hotel. Saw a horrid movie—Speakeasy.
About 250 miles from Hubbard, Freeport, IL is known for hosting the 2nd Lincoln/Douglas debate in 1858, the oldest Carnegie Library in Illinois, and its German-style pretzels. Speakeasy was a 1929 sports drama in which John Wayne played a bit part. One of the early “talkies,” all film elements of the movie are considered lost. Here’s an old postcard from the Licondo Hotel.
Sat 8. We left Freeport about 8:30. Ate dinner at Elmhurst where we waited till Leonard Reece & Katharine met us. We drove on in to Chicago right through the loop. Stopped and went up on the Tribune building. Looked out over the city. Ate dinner at the Del Prado. Cost $6.00 for the four of us. Saw Rev. Muhleman at the Buckingham memorial.
The Tribune Tower, a Gothic Revival structure, was built in 1925. The Del Prado was a swanky south-side hotel built about 1920 and converted into apartments in 2011. The dinner cost about $95 in today’s money.
Sun 9. Ate breakfast at a little shop then went to Greenwood Hall to see Katharine. Went to the Chapel. Saw the 250 students march in—with their caps & gowns on. It was wonderful to have our girlie one of them. We ate dinner with her at the hall. Gerald took Katharine’s trunk and went home on the train. Leonard took us for a drive to the Navy Municipal pier and then to Lincoln Park where we saw Lincoln’s statue, the zoo, and many beautiful flowers. Went to a Christian Science church at night.
Too many things to post pictures of!! Here are some links if you want to explore. All classic Chicago locations—Navy Pier, Lincoln Park and the statue, the zoo…quite a trip. Rockefeller Memorial Chapel was built in 1928 to honor the university’s founder.
Mon 10. In Chicago. Did Marshall Fields this forenoon. It is a wonderful store. Did some shopping. Went to Vaughan’s seed store. After dinner we called at Uncle Will’s office. He was not there. We then visited Field’s Museum. A telegram from Gerald said he was busy.
The Marshall Field building was the flagship location of the company and its chain of department stores, with 73 acres of floor space. The Field Museum of Natural History, one of the largest such museums in the world, was founded by Marshall Field. Vaughan’s seed store opened in 1876 and expanded to multiple nurseries in the Chicago area by 1926—they remained in business until the early 2000s. Here’s their 1928 catalog for florists, which is a whole bunch of fun to look through.
Tue 11. In Chicago—the long looked for day when Katharine receives her diploma from the U. of Chicago. We walked to the lake this AM. The waves wore their white caps. Went to the chapel at 2 PM. Saw the ceremonies. It was very impressive. We were proud to see Katharine’s name on the Honor Roll. Attended a reception at Greenwood Hall. Came home in a taxi—Rain, Wind & Hail.
Here are some pictures of Greenwood Hall, and Katharine’s listing in the Honor Roll.
Wed 12. Went to the Art Institute today. Saw Uncle Will. Came back to Katharine’s room with a box—Packed up. Decided to start for home. We left Chicago about 7:30 PM. Drove to Rockford—Stayed all night. GAR convention on. Rev. Muhleman is with us doing the driving.
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the world’s foremost art museums.
I believe Rev. Muhleman was a relative on the Boylan side, but am not sure of the details.
Thu 13. Are on our way home. Stopped at Galena to see Gen. Grant’s home. It is full of antiques. Has a bronze table with this inscription: “It is appointed unto all men once to die but the fame of virtue is immortal.” We ate dinner in Manchester—Got home about 4:30. Manora & Daisey had a lovely supper ready for us. Saw a number of folks. My pool is lovely.
Galena is a historical city known for the first major mineral rush in the US, and was the largest steamboat hub on the Mississippi north of St. Louis. It was also home to 9 civil war generals, including 18th President Ulysses Grant.
Fri 14. The Alumni meeting is tonight. We had about 100 here tonight. Had a “Get-Together” rather than a banquet.
Sat 15. Spent most of the forenoon taking things home from the school house. In the PM Katharine took Ruth to Iowa Falls for her music lesson. Daddy was gone to Cedar Falls and I worked at the office.
Sun 16. Went to SS & church. “Children’s Day” We drove to Eldora in the PM.
Children’s Day in the US began on the second Sunday in June in 1856. Similar observances are still celebrated around the world on a variety of dates.
Mon 17. Spent the day in the flower garden mostly—transplanting, weeding, etc. Also planted some columbine and nasturtium seed. We cleaned out closets today—had a mess.
Tue 18. Today was a garden day in the AM. Katharine & I went to Ladies’ Aid at Mrs. Nehmann’s in the PM. Took her a big bouquet of Delphiniums. Went to a Steward’s Board meeting at 7:30 and later to a Club meeting.
Wed 19. Will came over with Gerald today. He has mowed the lawn and worked in the garden. Hazel helped wash today. Went down town to hear the orchestra play in the evening. K. went to the school house to hear the Elmhurst Glee Club.
It’s amazing what you can find online.
Thu 20. Ruth went to Iowa Falls with Miss Reece today. Katharine and I canned strawberries. Will & I worked in the garden. Gerald took him home. I kept Margaret & Jerry. Miriam & Betty went along.
Fri 21. Friday AM We spent the forenoon cleaning the sleeping porch—a big job. Daddy went to Cedar Falls in the PM & I worked at the shop.
Sat 22. Baked, cooked & did the Sat work. In PM, Gerald, Mrs. Strother, Katharine, Ruth & I went to Marshalltown. Gerald bought a 2nd-hand Essex Coach. Katharine drove down. We stopped at Maretty going down. Saw Mr. Woodward’s pool. He promised me some lilies.
The Essex Coach was a small, affordably-priced car that was part of a trend toward enclosed passenger compartments.
Sun 23. Ruth went with Bogardus’ to Eldora for a picnic dinner. Did not get home till evening Sunday—the rest of us went to Alden to see the Johnsons. She gave me a water lily & some other things for my pool.
Mon 24. Got up early today and washed. Then went to Cedar Falls in the truck with Daddy. Got some anchusa plants—and a gaillardia.
Tue 25. We cleaned the church today. It was a big job. Tell & Ruth went to Ames with the school board. Katharine helped me. We all went to the Salem church to hear Rev. Christianson—a missionary from Africa.
Wed 26. We sewed and mended a little today. It rained in the evening so Ruth could not play in the orchestra. Also cleaned the house.
Thu 27. We went to Eldora to our SS picnic today. About 60 were there. In the evening we went to hear Mr. Boyles of Burma speak and show his pictures.
A little something about Mr. Boyles, a teacher/missionary in Burma.
Fri 28. We picked our cherries and canned them today. Had about ½ bushel. Then Katharine & I took Mrs. Byam and Mrs. Culver to the timber for some wild flowers. John and Alice were here when we got back.
Sat 29. Finished Katharine’s dress today—also one I was making over. Worked out of doors in the forenoon and went after meadow lilies in the evening.
Sun 30. A rainy Sunday. Clouds looked so bad church was dismissed in the AM. We went to Eldora to the Industrial School to Flower Mission day. Saw Mrs. Newcomer & the relation. Brought Will home with us.
Here’s a history of the Industrial School, established by the state as a reform school. I love this line: “The law at first admitted both sexes under eighteen years of age. The trustees were at once instructed to organize a separate school for girls.”
And I’ll leave you with this little tidbit about Flower Mission day…a WCTU activity.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for July 1929.