This is the last month of entries in the first volume of the journal. It’s a small book, and Emma fit 3 years of entries onto each page, so some of them are quite short. Next month starts a new book, and she was able to fit in a lot more detail!
Sun 1. We have had a snow storm today tho’ it has not been so cold as yesterday. Finished reading The Father by Katharine Holland Brown, a novel of about 1850.
Set in pre-Civil War times and published in 1928, this novel focuses on the abolitionist movement. The author won a $25,000 prize for it in a 1927 writing competition.
Mon 2. Washed as usual.
Tue 3. Called on Hazel this AM. Poor girlie—she lost her baby. Tell and I went to Eldora in the PM. Had our pictures taken.
These must have been the pictures I put into the March 1929 post—a little prematurely!
Wed 4. Mrs. Swallum stayed all night with me. Poor woman! She has had a lot of grief.
Thu 5. Mrs. Baker, Hanso, Balow, Walker, Manning, Van Patter, Marshman & I had a lot of fun painting this PM. Ruth went to Eldora. Brought our proofs home.
Fri 6. Mrs. Manning, Mrs. Van Patter & I have been painting this AM. Ruth Beck came on 5 ‘o’clock to attend class play.
Sat 7. Ruth Beck is here. Daddy & I took her to Iowa Falls for the 8 PM train. Ruth had to play in orchestra.
Sun 8. Daddy’s class had charge of the evening service at the church. It was fine. We entertained the two Gideon men from Ft. Dodge for dinner—Mr. Wilson & Mr. Thatcher. Gerald went away about 2 PM. Not home after church.
The Gideons International is an evangelical Christian association most famous for distributing Bibles and New Testaments to hotels and other lodging places.
Mon 9. Went to Des Moines on the morning bus. Did some shopping. Stayed all night with Mrs. Greenfield. Saw Mrs Manners Swallum there. Gerald went away Sunday PM. Did not get back til Monday. Was broken hearted—hated to go.
I think Emma was pretty torn up about Gerald being away overnight. As you’ll see, he continues to have some struggles.
Tue 10. Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Greenfield, Mrs. Manning & I went to see Miss McLeary this AM. She has been in a cast about four months. She is wonderful. Came home on the evening bus. It was so foggy, one could hardly see.
Wed 11. Another foggy day. Streets are muddy & dirty. Took some papers and things to Mrs. Fuller. Called on Mrs. Walker a little while.
Thu 12. Attended the WFMS at Mrs. Liebenstein’s today. Went to prayer meeting at night.
I took a little time to look at the 1930 US Census from Hubbard. It’s only 16 pages long, and I was able to find a lot of the names she mentions here. Here’s the page that Tell and Emma are on. The Van Patters, who Emma mentions frequently, are highlighted as well.
Fri 13. Cleaned up the house today. As Daddy went to a bank meeting in the evening Ruth & I went up to Bakers. Went to WCTU at Bogardus in PM.
Sat 14. Did a big washing today. Am not feeling extra well.
Sun 15. Went to church & SS this AM. Gerald & his family were here this PM. Peggy ate dinner with us.
Mon 16. Have been making a pillow of oilcloth.
The June 1929 Better Homes and Gardens featured a story on using oilcloth to make porch accessories.
Tue 17. Heard that Margaret Sharp is in a hospital in New York, that Mrs. Townsend’s husband is in Rochester, that we do not have to go to Lehigh. The roads are so very icy. Ruth will not go to Iowa Falls for three weeks. Katharine will be home Sat. Have had a week of foggy weather.
Wed 18. No entry.
Thu 19. Daddy led the prayer meeting at Tabors tonight.
Fri 20. Katharine is on her way home. Has been very busy today. Mrs. Walker came over to help me make some Doll laundry bags. The SS class are coming here to fill the candy sacks tonight. Schools out today.
Here’s an image I found on Etsy of a 1920s doll laundry bag.
Sat 21. Katharine’s train was 6 hours late yesterday. Due 10:32 AM. We—Ruth, Miriam & I—stayed to shop. Tell came home & went back. We gave our gifts out last night. Ruth got us a magazine rack. Katharine gave such beautiful gifts to us all. A lovely sunny day after 10 foggy sunless days.
Sun 22. We went to church & SS this AM. Daddy & I called on Mr. Dreier in PM. Went over to Gerald’s & spent the evening.
Mon 23. Today is Ruth’s birthday. We are having Gerald for dinner this evening.
Happy 16th birthday to Ruth!
Tue 24. Cleaned the duck & chicken today. John & Alice came over to stay overnight. We went to the Christmas program. It was fine.
Wed 25. Had the same bunch as last year. Daisey stayed over.
Thu 26. Our SS class sang carols yesterday AM. Daisey is here. We called on Miriam this PM.
Fri 27. We sewed some today. Daisey seems to enjoy being here.
Tell’s sister Daisey lived in Eldora with her unmarried siblings will and Margaret Manora. She was about 4 years older than Emma.
Sat 28. Katharine stayed out till nearly 12 PM. We have been sewing today. Warm.
Sun 29. We took Daisey home. She has been here since Christmas. Daddy & I sang a duet at church. This was a lovely Summer day for winter.
Mon 30. We worked on a lot of garments—cleaning, lengthening, etc. The day is perfectly delightful—like summer.
Tue 31. Another beautiful day. The girls and I are going to Eldora today. Gerald & Miriam went to a costume skating party tonight. This is the last day of the year.
In 1929 skating outfits were much more like normal street wear than they are today—longer skirts, even fur trim. Here’s an interesting article on the evolution of women’s ice skating fashions.
Bonus: notes found in Memoranda (back of journal)
Flower bouquets—1929—Outside and In
1. Lilacs
2. Carnations
3. Chokecherry
4. Wild Flax
5. Violets
6. Wild Columbine
7. Wild crab apple
8. Dogtooth violets
9. Orchids
10. Wild pink flower
11. Lilies of the Valley
12 Privet
13. Mock Orange
14. Peonies
15. Lily-white
16. Bachelor buttons
17. Delphinium
18. Kaiser’s Crown
19. Primrose
20. Dianthus
21. Forget me not
22. Spiderwort
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next month for the beginning of a new year—January 1930!