Tue 1. Spent a large part of the morning taking some missionary material around.
Wed 2. Went to Ladies’ Aid at Mrs. Leibensteins in the PM, and to a SS Board in the evening.
Thu 3. WFMS & Study Club both met with Mrs. W.O. Marshman today. Mr. Pierce joined—also Mrs. Huff. Had a nice meeting but only a few were there. Gerald & Miriam, Jerry and Peggy started for Aunt Kate’s about 5 PM. Betty is staying here.
Betty was Gerald and Miriam’s oldest child—she would have been about 6 at this time. Kate was Tell’s sister Katharine Boylan Hicks. She was an artist; we have a number of her works, mostly pencil and pen sketches. At this time she and her husband Fred1, a retired professor of romance languages, were living in Aitkin, Minnesota and running a housekeeping cottage resort. Here’s one of her pictures.
Fri 4. Betty is staying with us while her folks are gone. Went down town this PM to buy her some hose. Was going to the football game but did not.
Sat 5. Kept busy putting the house in order—digging potatoes, glad bulbs & dahlia bulbs. Betty picked some strawberries, washed and cleaned them and fixed them on some post toasties for supper.
Sun 6. Daddy took his new SS class today, the young married people, and I mine—the seniors & graduates. We were put in the basement. Drove to Eldora in PM to hear concert by Carillonneur Anton Brees from Antwerp, on Ames carillon, via radio.
A carillon is a series of bells in a tower played with an electronic keyboard. The one at at Iowa State University began with 10 bells donated by Edgar Stanton as a memorial to his wife Margaret, Iowa State’s first dean of women. In 1929, after his death, an additional 26 bells and a playing console were added. The concert mentioned here was the dedication of this addition, played by famed carillonneur Anton Brees.
Mon 7. I did the washing today. Wrote Katharine & worked at the shop. Ruth came home from school and did all the ironing.
Tue 8. Betty does not feel extra this morning.
Wed 9. Spent the day getting ready to go to Des Moines.
Thu 10. Went to Des Moines to the Branch meeting. Met some women on the bus from Clear Lake. We attended the afternoon and evening session. I stayed with Mrs. Johnson at the home of Mrs. Harmon.
Fri 11. Attended Branch meeting most all day. Went down town for a few hours. Heard Dr. Ralph Cushman—he is a wonderful speaker.
Sat 12. Spent the forenoon at Branch meeting. Saw Mrs. Swallum and Mrs. Greenfield at the Branch meeting. Phoned Mrs. Manners. Came home with the Alden women on the 5 PM bus. Saw Mrs. Nelson. She said she could attend my Unit meetings.
Sun 13. Went to church and SS this morning. Have been home most all day. Was so glad to get home.
Mon 14. Had Gerald and his family here for dinner as they are getting ready to move. Did my washing and some for Miriam and then went to Eldora to a Social Service Meeting.
Tue 15. Gerald’s are moving from the Fagg house to the Gunther house today. Had them for dinner & supper.
Wed 16. Did my ironing in the forenoon and went to Cedar Falls with Daddy in the PM. Saw a long V shaped flock of wild ducks flying south. Went down town. Bought Ruth the goods for a white wool skirt.
Thu 17. Spent the forenoon working on Ruth’s skirt. Went to Miriam’s awhile in the afternoon. Went to the shop in the PM. Helped her with Betty’s dress.
Fri 18. Spent the PM at the shop as Daddy went to Cedar Falls & Gerald was in the country. Wrote to Katharine. Went to the pageant of the months at the school house.
I think this may have been a performance of A Pageant of the Months, a series of 14 poems by Christina Rossetti set to music by Colin Taylor.
Sat 19. It has rained nearly all day. Went over to help Miriam a couple hours this morning. Must plan my Unit meetings.
Sun 20. John & Alice came over to eat a chicken dinner with us today. Ruth sang at the Thomas’ baby’s funeral.
Mon 21. Did my washing today. It is windy. Am working to finish piecing a quilt I started a year ago.
Tue 22. My ironing is done. Alice brought Nora over to take the bus for Des Moines. It is cold and blustery.
Wed 23. Am helping get ready for a Father & Son banquet. It is to be at the church tomorrow evening. Mrs. Walker & I made the favors of gum drops & marshmallows.
Here’s a fun image I found of some gum drop and marshmallow birds…use your own imagination to figure out what Emma’s party favors might have looked like!
Thu 24. Worked at the church afternoon & evening. Becks were in town today. Tell took DeRoss Mohler to the banquet. Ruth went to Eldora to the football game after 2:35.
Fri 25. Am keeping the kiddies today. Gerald & Miriam went to Eldora. Danny put an envelope marked “T.E. Boylan—personal” in the safe at the bank today but would not say what was in it.
I have no idea! However, as we are on the threshold of the Great Depression, it’s probably not too much of a spoiler to tell you that over the next few years Emma and Tell hit some harder times. Perhaps this was an early warning sign.
Sat 26. Spent the PM at the shop. Tell, Byron S., Will Haelsher & Dean Persus went to Des Moines to see Swallum. He turned his crops over to them. Emery Whitney & Leland Miller left yesterday for Seattle.
Sun 27. Tell & I drove to Eldora this afternoon. Took John, Alice & Danny for a ride. Went to see the new church.
There was a major 1929 expansion and remodeling of a church that is now the Eldora United Methodist Church. I’m guessing that this is what they visited.
Mon 28. Sent K. a Birthday telegram & $3.00
Apparently 1929 was the peak telegram year with an estimated 200 million sent.
Tue 29. Spent the greater part of the day at the shop. Daddy went to Cedar Falls. Gerald & Hank tipped over in the truck. It has been foggy & rainy this week.
Wed 30. Daddy & I went to Marshalltown for a repair. Ate dinner with Mr. Moser at the Tall Corn Hotel. Went to Andrews to see Mary paint.
Thu 31. Had a lovely time this AM. Mary Thompson and Mrs. Baker spent the forenoon with me—painting with BPS paints. They ate dinner with me too. I had to stay all PM at the shop. School board meeting! Found others involved besides Swallum.
