Sat 1. We had a good rain this PM after an 18 day dry-hot spell. It will save the corn. The WFMS entertained the KHs today. I made 16 scrap books yesterday for them to paste pictures in. Ruth has a sty & Kathie does not feel well & the work goes slowly today.
Emma was very active in the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal church, a large Protestant denomination at the time. The King’s Heralds were the youth affiliates of the society.
Sun 2. It has been raining this morning. Dad feels tired and so do I but think I’ll try to go to SS. The Rowleys are away. Dad, Ruth & I drove over to Eldora this PM. Katharine did not feel like going.
Mon 3. Today Gerald is 30 years old. We—Dad & I—went to Cedar Falls. I got some plums in Eldora which I canned when we got home. Ruth & Katharine were invited up to Gerald’s for dinner. Dad went to a Bank meeting after supper. Minna was here in the evening.
Tue 4. Wash day. Got through about ten AM. Katharine has felt so miserable today. Finished working over Katharine’s silk dress today.
Wed 5. Today we have done the ironing and made some olive oil pickles. They are good. Katharine feels a little better. I made some conserve of some pears, peaches & orange with Marichino? cherries added. It has been hot this week. I will have some corn & more cucumbers to can this week.
Here’s a recipe for olive oil pickles. I found a vintage one that is very similar but called for saccharine as a sweetener. And I learned from this article that a conserve is a jam made with multiple fruits. Here’s a recipe similar to what Emma describes.
Thu 6. Today ends the Hubbard State Bank. They had hoped to merge with the National but the Nat. Examiner said “no.” So they met tonight & voted to close. A group met at the church to help clean the lawn this evening.
Thousands of small banks failed during the Great Depression, with depositors often losing their money. The FDIC, which insures depositors’ funds, was established in 1934. Here’s a Federal Reserve record of the Hubbard State Bank closing, along with more than 30 others that same week.
Fri 7. Alice came over today and we canned corn. I bought 180 ears—made 36 pints. Alice had 15 pints. It is very nice. We all went to Eldora in the evening to take Alice home. John was not back from Decorah where he went to a RD meeting. I helped Miriam fix dinner for the men who baled straw at Clydes today. Rowley got home from Okoboji this evening. It rained a little while this PM.
Okoboji is in the Iowa Great Lakes region near the Minnesota border. Rev. Rowley was the minister of their church.
Sat 8. Have put away my corn & made a little conserve today. Dad & Gerald have gone to Cedar Falls today. Katharine is getting better. Ruth is ironing.
Sun 9. It is a cool pleasant day. We are invited to Eldora for dinner. Went to SS & heard a sermonette, then to Eldora. After coming home we were a little tired but went to church at night. The girls did not go in the evening.
Mon 10. Another cool day. So cool I could burn up all the trash in the basement. Have washed & ironed & canned beets with the girls’ help. Mrs. Pierce gave me enough to make 17 pints. I cooked them first, then peeled & cut them in squares and put them in jars. Put over them a liquid made of 1 qt water, ½ cup vinegar & ½ cup sugar, then cold packed them for ½ hour in oven. Minna was down today.
Here’s some information on safely canning pickled beets if you want to try it, and some additional information and recipes.
Tue 11. Have had a lovely birthday. Sang & read awhile this AM. Did up the work. Had Gerald’s family down for dinner. I then got corn for Miriam—enough to can 15 quarts—150 ears. Got 50 for myself & bought 4 lbs of beans. Bought 40¢ worth of Salt pork. 38¢ + 40¢ + 25¢ = 1.03. 15½ qts for 1.03 makes a quart for less than 7¢. Daddy got me a pair of silk hose. Katharine brought me a new dress, and Ruth made me a pretty hooked rug.
Wed 12. Betty is eight today. Have been busy. We went down town in the evening and bought her a sweater. I helped Miriam can succotash. John & Alice came over in the PM. Stayed for supper. They brought me a bushel of peaches.
Thu 13. I got up and started rather early at the peaches. Was glad to get them canned. Got them all put away.
Fri 14. We cleaned up the house today then went to Eldora in the PM. Got the girls some new hats and Daddy some outing night shirts. Went down to Minna’s in the evening. Took her silverware.
Sat 15. We invited John, Alice and Phe over for supper. Have had a hard day. Katharine is very tired. We mended the kitchen linoleum today. Am planning to try in the Kelvinator Contest. Hope I’ll get first prize of $5000.00.
Sun 16. Daddy, Katharine and I attended the Old Settler’s picnic today. Ate a picnic dinner with John, Alice and Phe. Ruth was invited to Ruth Boeke’s for dinner. We went to church at night. Ruth went to Bloom to the Zion League. John made a good speech today.
Mon 17. Washday! Did some of the ironing after dinner. Martha Hornung came down.
Tue 18. With the girls’ help we finished the ironing.
Wed 19. We sewed awhile today. It has been raining today.
Thu 20. Miriam has not been well. The children were here for breakfast & dinner. Gerald went to the ball game at Alden. Missionary meeting at Gladys tonight. Linnie wrote that Rachel has come to Iowa for a visit. Tell went to a bank meeting tonight.
Fri 21. We cleaned up the house today. Am to have some corn tomorrow so we went to Eldora after supper to get the beans and salt pork.
Sat 22. We got corn enough from Mr. Hornung to can 47 qts. Miriam took 16 home to can & I canned the rest. We bought Pinto beans & salt pork for them. We went to the Lewison sale in the PM & then called on Helen Culver. She finished a summer school & got her degree at Iowa this week. This is our wedding anniversary. Married thirty-one years. Daddy bought me a pair of silk hose! Gerald & Miriam went to Eldora this evening—Ruth stayed with the kiddies. John, Alice, Ans & Phe drove over after dinner but I missed them.
Sun 23. It is a lovely cool morning. We went to SS & church. Not many there. Stayed at home all day. Gerald & his family went to Dave Strothers. Ruth was invited to Louise Engleking’s for dinner. We went to church at night. August Hoelscher visited Daddy awhile in the PM & Katharine went to Minna’s in the PM.
Mon 24. Did not wash today for Helen Colebaugh and her sister Maxine stopped here for dinner. We had a chicken dinner with apple pie for dessert. They seemed to enjoy their dinner. We cut out my new white dress today. Am going to give Katharine back the white with lavender flowers on it.
Tue 25. Have done the washing today. Am handicapped for I broke my glasses today. It is surely too bad. We are shrinking the embroidered goods before cutting it out. The thrill that comes once in a lifetime!!! I have been up in an airplane. John Hoff’s brother Claude has one here for Hubbard days (tomorrow & next). I went flying over Hubbard—saw fields & farm houses. They looked like sand tables. It cost $1.50 for about 10 minutes. The folks—Dad, Katharine, Ruth, & Jerry were all there. The American Eagle—Master of the Air.
I’m not sure what kind of plane Emma rode in, but here’s an example of a 1931 plane that was used for barnstorming (stunts, giving rides, etc.)
Wed 26. Hubbard Days—we spent the day mostly at home. The morning was spent baking up 2 lbs of flour for the bake sale. I took 2 apple pies, 1 cherry and 1 chocolate, an angel food cake and two bottles of salad. I broke my glasses yesterday and am having some trouble with my eye. Had Rev. & Mrs. Liming and his four children for supper last night. Kept Jerry’s children all afternoon.
Thu 27. Hubbard Day! It seems cloudy & rainy this morning. I have an ironing to do. Katharine, Ruth and I plan to drive to Des Moines tomorrow if the car gets fixed.
Fri 28. We drove to Des Moines as we planned. Katharine got her permanent at the Utica. I bought a new dress and a few other things. Our car had to be watered often but we got home safely. Ruth went to a slumber party at Elmer Boeke’s for Ruth Boeke. Vic Knowles was very sick tonight.
The Utica was a clothing store that had a hair salon.
Sat 29. Katharine went with Lottie to meet Miss Berry. I took Miriam and the kids out to the farm to see Gerald plow. We sewed a bit in the PM. I had to go to the shop.
Sun 30. Katharine was invited to Gladys’ for dinner. Betty ate with us. We drove to Eldora in the evening.
Mon 31. School began for Ruth today. It seems hard to have it start. It is her Senior year. Katharine is getting ready to go. We did the washing and some ironing. In the evening was had a hard rain storm with a lot of lightning & thunder—the worst storm of the year. Laddie was sure scared. I sent a slogan in to Younkers contest today.
Whether ox, train, or airplane Younkers please us just the same.
Hope I get first prize!!! Also sent my picture to Rev. Richards to use in a Missionary group at Conference. No tomatoes yet—‘cept one or two. It is cold at night. Am afraid it will freeze before we have many.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for September 1931.