Wed 1. After doing the work Katharine, Ruth, the kiddies and I drove to Eldora. We went on an errand for Daddy. Uncle John treated us to ice cream cones. We had a rain with some wind this PM. It seems good to have it cool. Did not go to hear the Piney Woods singers as it began rather late & I had a call in for Linnie. Talked to her a little while. Think they will come down next week.
Emma’s sister Linnie lived in South Dakota. This sent me off on a great curiosity trail about phone calls in the 1930s. Calls were connected through switchboard operators, who used cords with plugs to connect one line to another. However, this only worked for other lines connected to the same phone exchange. For long-distance calls, it required the caller’s operator to connect to the operator at the recipient’s exchange (and sometimes more in between). It sometimes took a while to get all the connections hooked up, so when Emma said she had a call in for Linnie, I’m guessing she had initiated the request but was waiting for a ring to tell her the call was connected. At this time, most phone numbers consisted of 2 letters (indicating the exchange) and 5 digits.
You can find more information about the Piney Woods Singers in August 1930.
Thu 2. Today we have put clean covers on the comforters. It seems good to have it cooler—18° cooler than yesterday. Also canned five quarts of cherries. My eye is bothering me tonight.
Fri 3. Finished putting the hems in my comforters today tho my eye hurt.
Sat 4. We went to Eldora for a little while this PM. Had Jerry & Margaret for dinner. Took them with us. Ruth & I went down to the lake. Saw Naomi Roberts (Stubbs) & her family. It rained hard after we got home.
Sun 5. We had SS & class meeting this morning. Rev. Rowley is away on his vacation. Katharine & I went to the Salem church. Ruth stayed with Gerald’s children while they went to the Lutheran church. We looked for Linnie a little today.
Mon 6. Linnie, Gerrit, & Bob came down today. The day was cool but quite windy. We did not notice the wind. I had to stay at the shop as Gerald was away.
The Muilenbergs—Emma’s sister and brother-in-law and their youngest son, who would have been about 16.
Tue 7. We picked a few cherries today and canned them for Linnie. I had to go to the country for Dad the first thing in the AM. Katharine and Gerrit made me a rug frame. I am anxious to get at it.
Hooked rugs are made by pulling strips of wool through the holes in coarse fabric such as burlap to make a pattern. Here’s a beginner’s guide to the craft, and an example of a hooked rug from approximately this time period.
Wed 8. Linnie, the “kids” & I went up to pick cherries. We got the Knor boys in the PM & have picked all we can. Canned about 15 qts for Linnie altogether.
Thu 9. Gerrit, Linnie, Bob, Ruth & I went to Des Moines today. I bought a pattern for my dress Katharine brot me & Linnie got some more paints. We went to the Museum. Saw the old stage coach & old automobile, etc. that are in the basement. It was a lovely day. Dad is so blue over financial affairs.
The Iowa Historical Building housed an extensive museum with a wide-ranging collection that has since expanded into a new building as the State Historical Museum of Iowa.
Fri 10. The folks left for home today. I sent along some fruit etc. and fixed a lunch for them. Linnie took two aprons home to finish and a lot of carpet rags to sew. I was glad to get rid of them. After they were gone we cleaned up the house. I baked some rolls from the recipes Gertie sent and started my rug. Got the green all in. Tell & I planted some beans tonight.
Sat 11. The weather is rather cool. It has been lovely since it did get cool but the hot ten days we had did a lot of damage. Ruth, Katharine & I drove to Eldora today. K got her new red coat, green dress, goods for pajamas etc. John and Alice came over and were here for supper. Will stay all night.
Sun 12. We all—except John & Alice—went to church & the short service. We had no class meeting. We had chicken & noodles for dinner. Kept Gerald’s children in the PM while they went to the ball-game. Miss Newell & her niece were here awhile. John drove home about five. We were glad when we got word they had arrived safely.
Mon 13. Wash day!! We did a big one today and also some of the ironing. Am working on a hooked rug. Think it is going to be very pretty. Posted the books in the PM.
Tue 14. We finished the ironing and went with Ruth to Iowa Falls. We shopped around awhile. Bought some apricots—a crate for $1.45. It is not so large a crate as the four box size. Can usually can 10 qts from that. We bought two white tams @ 19¢ each. They are pretty.
Wed 15. It has been a hot week. K has been working on her rug and finished it today—at least the hooked part. Mine is so much bigger that it will take some time. Mrs. Baker came down to ask me to take her place as leader of WFMS tomorrow night as she has company. It has been so hot today. We canned our apricots this AM. Canned 15 pints. Ate enough to fill a pint.
Here’s a recipe for canned apricots.
Thu 16. Mrs. Baker asked me to take her place as leader of the WFMS tonight. I was glad to do it. We had ten go from town to Agnes Van Patter’s for the meeting. We have been busy with the rug today. The girls cleaning up the house and I went to Tabor’s to the prayer meeting after which Mrs. Tabor, Swallum, Robertson & I called on Mrs. Bogardus.
Fri 17. Katharine has been sewing on her dress today. We went to Eldora Friday PM. Drove out to the park to see John & Alice. They were at a Missionary picnic. Daddy closed the final deal trading the house in Eldora for the 80 north of the farm. This was our first ride on the new pavement.
Sat 18. We sewed today. Finished a jacket for Katharine, etc. Got word that John Sullivan and his bride of three months would be here tonight about 10:30. We got ready for them. Cleaned two chickens.
Emma mentions John (a cousin of Tell’s) and his unexpected marriage in March 1931.
Sun 19. Mrs. Sullivan & I & Ruth went to church & SS & stayed for a class meeting—all except Ruth. We had a fine chicken dinner, ice cream etc. They started home about four PM. Gerald & his family came down for ice cream. Katharine went up to call on Helen Culver.
Mon 20. Daddy, Katharine, Ruth & I went to Cedar Falls today. Daddy went on business, Katharine called on Miss Arey & Miss Smith & I called on Mrs. Williams—a former pastor’s wife—who is running a boarding house in Cedar Falls. We stopped both going & coming in Eldora. Went on the new pavement.
I found a couple of 1930 census records for widows named Williams running boarding houses—homes that provided lodging and meals—in Cedar Falls. Here is one of them. Notice that the lodgers are college teachers. Many of the boarding houses in the area served the Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa).
Tue 21. Wash day! Daddy took Ruth to the Falls for her lesson. Gerald & Miriam went to Des Moines in the evening and left the kiddies here all night. Katharine sewed all day. Dad & I went out collecting in the evening.
Wed 22. Ironing! We all took a hand in this. The kiddies went home after breakfast. I started to work a half hour a morning out doors—the weeds are high. Katharine sewed. Ruth started her rug. I did not feel very well.
Thu 23. Worked on the garden awhile this AM. We cleaned the upstairs. Katharine made a new pair of pajamas today. She is some hustler. Ruth is not feeling very well today. Her neck & back hurt. Guess she worked too hard on her rug. I finished hemming my rug today.
Fri 24. Did my stint on the weeds. Dad has gone with Simon Boeke, Jake Faust and Supt Talbee to Truesdale today. Ruth has a sore throat. I posted the books & figured them up, then Katharine & I canned a crate of black cherries. Dad got home about ten-thirty. Had been to Spencer to see the remains of their fire & to West Bend to see the Grotto. Mrs. Hoff called today.
A fire started by a boy dropping a sparkler into some fireworks did huge amounts of damage in the town of Spencer.
Sat 25. Ruth is better tho’ not well. I did a double stint on the weeds. Gerald brought his chickens down here today. They will sure be a bother. Dad started watering the tomatoes—blossoms do not develop into fruit. Betty stayed all day—for dinner and supper. Katharine & I painted the backs of our rugs with shellac last night. It makes them look better. Mrs. Culver called this PM. Started to make 100 bags for Dow Memorial Fund. The goods cost $.53.
On one of the back pages of the journal, Emma had this recipe for chicken feed:
Mix ground corn meal with water & bake for chickens Mix with sour milk to soften for feed Feed chicks all sour milk they will eat
Sun 26. Today is Mother’s birthday anniversary. I wrote a family letter today as a birthday gift to Mother. We drove to Eldora in the evening—the four of us to see John & Alice.
Mon 27. We were kept awake so much last night that we did not get up early. It has been so hot & dry today. Katharine has been making a wool dress. Ruth has finished hooking a rug.
Tue 28. It is going to be hot again today. We washed in the morning and went to Iowa Falls in the PM for Ruth’s lesson. Katharine had her tonsils examined. She plans to have them out this week. In the evening we went to a church meeting to talk over the future of our church.
Wed 29. This morning we ironed and sent off our 100 little red bags. Katie Cassel came down in the PM to plan for the KH meeting next Sat. Afterwards I went to Swallums to a prayer meeting.
Thu 30. Katharine & I drove to Iowa Falls in this AM where Katharine had her tonsils out. I called Mrs. Johnson and she came to see us and took Katharine over there. It was much pleasanter for her although she suffered a lot anyway. We drove home after supper.
Fri 31. Today is hot again tho’ we are promised rain in 24 hours. I have 9 pints of beans canning in the oven. Katharine feels awful mean today. I am so glad she had her tonsils out while at home. Ruth is planning to stay with Miriam’s kiddies this PM.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for August 1931.