Emma #44: May 1931
May flowers, Ruth's Junior-Senior banquet, trip to Kate's, and a peek into the future
Fri 1. Worked out doors a little today. Was so tired I took a nap, then went to the schoolhouse in the evening to the exhibit.
Sat 2. Expected to go some place to shop but have stayed at home and worked all day. Have swept & scrubbed & cooked etc. Dad put some sand in the pool but have not put in any water as there is a crack in the pool.
Sun 3. We went to church & SS this AM (all in one). Were out early, then went to Eldora for dinner. We had a nice dinner. Took Miss Rice home with us. Did not go to church at night as we were so tired.
Mon 4. I did such a big day’s work that I am tired. Washed, cleaned the basement, strung up my vine & then had Jerry’s children for supper and over night. Dad went to a bank meeting. Did part of my ironing. It was a nice wash day.
Tue 5. We got a nice letter from Katharine. She keeps so busy. Ruth is busy with her class parties, banquet decorating, programs, etc. I finished the ironing today and then had such a head ache I spent the PM on the davenport. We fixed some pennants & copy for posters. Rev. Rowley will print them for me.
Wed 6. Today I went to Eldora and had my hair permanented. It is quite long now & I do it up. It cost me $5.00. I am so happy to have it done. Gerald drove me over. I got some goods at 14¢ per yd at a sale. It had sold for 75¢. It is a blue and white—a beautiful cretonne.
Cretonne is a heavy-duty fabric, often with a floral pattern, typically used for upholstery. Emma’s might have looked something like this.
Thu 7. Went to Alden to the WFMS convention this AM with Mrs. Rowley, Lottie, & Katie. We had a fine meeting today. Stayed at Mrs. Idsa (Pearl) at Alden with Mrs. Ralston of Lake City.
Fri 8. The convention was good this AM. 8 preachers, 10 preacher’s wives in attendance. Came home in the PM. Went to the school house to see the decorations for Jr-Sr banquet. Came home washed all the dishes that were used while I was gone—then churned & churned.
In Ruth’s school memories book, there is quite a bit of information about the banquet—her description of the event, the menu, and some paper flowers.
Sat 9. Put the house in order & then went to the timber in the rain after violets. Got quite a thrill out of that. Got a lovely bouquet of snap dragons from Katharine for Mother’s Day.
J.D (my assistant/transcriber) commented “I like the positivity of getting caught in the rain as a thrill.”
And snapdragons!
Sun 10. We all went to church & SS. Had a hurriedly got up program at church. Gerald & his family came down for dinner. We stayed at home as it rained almost all day. Did not go out at night.
Mon 11. Got up early and did my washing, but did my other work first then in the PM I went to Mr. Leveson’s funeral. After that I went to Swallums, P—s & Mohlers. Looked like a travelling green house when I got home.
Tue 12. Did my ironing early this AM and then went to the shop to work. Worked after dinner also & then Mrs. Olmstead came down. I gave her some flowers. Daddy & I worked out in the yard in the evening.
Wed 13. Have churned & scrubbed & am ready to go out in the garden to work. Am making a rock garden.
A rock garden is a section of landscaping with a framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, usually planted with small plants that need little soil or water.
Thu 14. Worked out doors again today.
Fri 15. Today has been house-cleaning day for the two front rooms. Gerald & Miriam helped me. I was so glad to get it done. Went to see the senior class play in the evening. Ruth Beck and her friends came down for it.
Sat 16. Washed windows—churned, planted some things and in the afternoon Dad, Ruth & I went to Eldora. We got some shoes, curtains, graduation gifts etc. Planned to drive to Kate’s starting next Thursday.
Sun 17. Two months since I lost my pocketbook. It looks as tho’ it were gone for good. Tonight is Baccalaureate at Salem church. Ruth & Lucile lead the class in and Ruth sings in a sextette.
Mon 18. A rainy washday but I got many things dry in the basement. Went to Eldora in the PM. Spent a couple or three hours with Mrs. Newcomer. She gave me some rose bushes and some other things which I planted out after I got home. Mrs. Swallum gave me a few plants. She came down in the evening. My torenia came up today. Planted it the 25 of March. It is surely slow to germinate.
Tue 19. Mrs. Olmstead Culver, & Bocke went with me after mertensia. We found a wonderful place south of N.Prov. Set out a row of them.
This was likely mertensia virginica, aka Virginia bluebell, which is common in Iowa.
Wed 20. Have been baking cookies this AM. It is so cold I have built a fire. We are almost ready to start for Kate’s [in Minnesota] in the AM. We have lunch ready, fish, worms, etc. Planted three lotus bulbs today in a pail in center of my pool. Rev. Schlupnik got them from a man from Ames and gave them to me. I hope they grow. They are all nicely started.
Thu 21. Gerald and Ruth took us to Eldora & John & Alice & Tell & I started to Kate’s. The car sure wanted to go but had to be held down between 25 & 30. We got to Anoka for supper & overnight. Stayed at the Jackson Hotel. Heard two programs over the Radio last night—the Lutheran Hour and the program celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Red Cross work, when Chief Justice Hughes & Hoover and others spoke from a banquet table in Washington DC.
Broadcast radio was still in its youth at this time; many homes did not have radios yet. The Lutheran Hour is a radio program that began in 1930 and is still being produced. The Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton on this date in 1881, and there were many commemorative events, including the banquet Emma mentions—here’s the text of Hoover’s speech—and the release of a postal stamp.
Fri 22. We stayed all night in Anoka and have driven to Emily. Ate our lunch in Brainerd. It is a nice place. I bought a trowel and some lawn nozzles there. Dad, Uncle John & Aunt Alice & Anderson who lives here have gone to see Alice’s land. I will not get to see it. I am so disappointed and so lonely to be left out. I sure can’t stand grief. Wonder what that little black & white striped bird is. The birch trees & pines are so pretty.
Sat 23. It does not seem possible that we are at Kate’s. It is beautiful here but fishing season does not open till June 21. We are staying in a cottage called Cedar Wood. Came over here yesterday afternoon in time for supper. I have spent a lot of the time lifting trilliums, orchids, lady-slippers, ferns, etc. to take home. I helped make a Cement block for Fred’s chimney.
Kate (Boylan) and Fred Hicks ran a summer resort on Farm Island Lake in Aitkin, Minnesota. I’m guessing this was one of their cottages. And Emma was quite the plant collector!
Sun 24. We have spent a quiet Sunday visiting. John & Alice, Fred & Kate, Tell & I. In the PM we took the two cars and drove in to see Putneys. John & Fred have quite a time to maintain the center of the stage, but I like them both.
Mon 25. It is lovely this AM. A fog has lifted from the lake and it looks like a big plate glass window. We have Berne’s field glasses with us and it is fun to look across the lake. We plan to start home after dinner. Came as far as Anoka last night. Helped Kate clean two cottages this AM—got a few more ferns and flowers. Went to see Travel Hour at Anoka—a picture of African scenes.
Tue 26. We are up and ready to start for home. Our bed was like a big hammock. It cost a lot but we rolled to the middle—so I tried the other end. Soon Tell did too & we got to sleep. We got home safely—Alice and John will stay till tomorrow. We saw Ruth in Iowa Falls. Waited ten minutes there for her. She and Miriam drove up for her lesson. Set out some of my plants when I got home.
Wed 27. John & Alice will be here for dinner. We are having onions, radishes & lettuce from the garden. Have finished setting out my plants. Ruth & I took them home after supper. We set out Alice’s plants for her. They are a little rested.
Thu 28. We are having a lovely rain. Have written several letters this morning. To Katharine, Kate, Linnie, Addie Shiltzer card and an order for some tracts.
Religious tracts were pamphlets with gospel messages that were used in evangelism.
Fri 29. Ruth and I cleaned the sleeping porch today. We moved three beds which was some job. I cleaned the stairway—and polished it. Am pretty tired tonight.
Sat 30. Decoration Day. Today has been pleasant. We took flowers to the cemetery here & to the Boylan Cemetery in the country. Betty & Margaret were here for dinner. The Golf Course was opened in the evening but it was too cold for any fun.
Last August the family opened a miniature golf course on their property.
Sun 31. We went to church & SS in the AM and to Eldora in the PM. It was a nice day. I had a nice class in the AM as Dad did.
A Peek Into the Future
Among the family papers I found the high school diploma of Robert Grooters, Ruth’s future husband (and my grandfather, who we called Papa). He graduated from Iowa Falls High School this month in 1931. You’ll hear more about him as we go along!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for June 1931.