Sun 1. Tell, Betty & I went to Eldora today for dinner. Borrowed Jim Strothers’ car. Had a nice time. Alice gave me her coat to make over. Picked some nasturtiums at Byams (on our lot & also some zinnias).
Nasturtiums!
Mon 2. Had a front door guest & a back door guest today for dinner. Rev Hawkins from Eldora was the front door guest. John was here too but he is home folks. A nameless tramp was the back door guest. I enjoyed them both but got a bigger blessing out of the back door guest than the front door one. The preacher left half his pie for which the tramp said he was glad.
The unemployment rate in 1931 was 15.9%, climbing to 23.6% in 1932. Many unemployed workers left their homes and traveled in search of food and lodging. Here’s an interesting article on the markings hobos used to communicate potential help or trouble.
Tue 3. Have not felt so very well today. Went to Mrs. Olmsteads to Ladies’ Aid with Mrs. Robertson. Had a nice meeting. We decided to buy Rev. Rowleys cook stove & a heater for the parsonage. Did not go to choir practice as I was too tired.
Wed 4. Was a busy woman today. Dyed my coat and had Mrs. Tabor come down to dye her curtains. She helped me with the washing. Went to prayer meeting in the evening. We had a good one. Talked on the Holy Spirit.
Thu 5. Went to the morning prayer meeting. Felt led to ask Mrs. Wardle to go with us to the Unit meeting today and tomorrow. They were getting ready to go to Des Moines but they decided to have her come with us. Rev. Wardle took us to Alden. We came as far as Fort D. before supper. Went to prayer meeting in Ft. Dodge. Saw Rev. McDonald in the hotel. Bought Ruth’s coat in Webster City. Hope she likes it.
Fri 6. We drove to Sac City today. Had a fine meeting—a lovely dinner and everything went lovely. We came back to Ft. Dodge. Had a splendid supper at Mrs. Smiths. I called on Margaret & Dan. Saw her baby girl. Also went to call on a friend of Mrs. Johnson’s—Mrs. Lowrie.
Sat 7. Am still at Mrs. Smiths. Had a good rest last night. We are going down town this AM and then to our Webster City Unit meeting & then Home. We had a wonderful Unit meeting—went to spell it “meat”ing. It was meat to our souls. Had such a lovely time every minute. Ona Robertson was here. She and Ruth had a lovely pheasant dinner ready for us when we got home. Rev. & Mrs. Wardle stayed. We—the girls & I—went to the play afterwards. It was fine.
Sun 8. Had a fine sermon this morning, after which we were invited to Geralds for a lovely pheasant dinner. My! it was good. We stayed & visited quite awhile. Mrs. Bogardus died this afternoon in the hospital at Eldora. Mrs. Walters is over there, too—not at all well. We went to church this evening. After church Rev. & Mrs. Wardle, Dad & I walked down to Bogardus’. Saw Mr. B, Ruth & Loreta as they were leaving for Hilkers where the girls were to stay. Ruth went to Marshalltown with Boekes today. Ona stayed here last night & she went too.
Two pheasant dinners in a row got me curious about hunting season in Iowa. I found these Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports on historical hunting trends and on hunting pheasant and small game that were unexpectedly fascinating. It turns out that pheasant hunting season, which in recent years has run from October through January, was exactly two days long in 1931: Nov. 6 and 7—which explains them having pheasant for dinner on both the 7th and 8th!
Mon 9. A busy day. Chas Nelson came to demonstrate his machine and I went to the church in the PM. Tried to cut my coat but did not get it done.
Tue 10. Another hard day! I am so tired after helping with the dinner at the church. Washed a little for Ruth and went to the church to help. Mrs. Bogardus will be buried tomorrow. Sent my poem in to Good Housekeeping today—“And It Was Winter.” Hope they can use it.
Mrs. Bogardus was only 43 years old when she died of liver cancer (according to her death certificate, which I located on Ancestry.com). She was the mother of several children, including one of Ruth Boylan’s best friends, also named Ruth. Her given name is listed as Cydemrus, which is quite unusual! She is buried in the Eldora cemetery.
Wed 11. Went to the church to help serve the Implement Dealer’s banquet last night. Was so tired. Listened to the program—it was very fine. A quartette from Radcliffe (Iowa), an accordion player by the name of Anders—and could he play! Attended Mrs. Bogardus’ funeral today. Fixed a coat for Ruth, also a dress. Went to prayermeeting this evening. It is raining. Rained hard for about an hour. Vic, Mrs. Mohler and I were at prayermeeting.
Thu 12. Ruth and the others—Ona & DeLoss—started for Indianola this morning. Am sure they will have a wonderful time. Had such a wonderful prayer-meeting this morning. It seems so wonderful to meet this way. We have seen some wonderful answers to prayer. Cleaned up the house today and made the soap that Mrs. Swallum told us about. Would like to go to the big cornhusking affair at Grundy Centre tomorrow. Vic brought the paper over containing the account of Mrs. Nan Hubbard’s death.
The National Cornhusking Championship was held in Grundy Center, Iowa in 1931. Here’s a cartoon from the event. The winner husked 31.37 bushels of corn in 80 minutes.
Fri 13. The whistle is blowing. I have spent the morning at the shop. Have visited with several people—the blacksmith Mr. Reese, Delilah, Hornung, Brubaker, Danny Byam, Mrs. Robertson, etc. Have been thinking of how many lives have touched mine today through letters, telephone, visitors, prayer, thought etc. A never ending stream. I can see what Christ meant when he said Out of you shall flow streams of living water. It is a most beautiful and adventurous life to live. Alice & John returned safely today from Winona.
Sat 14. A Hectic Day! Have had my clothes soaking so I felt I must wash. The day has been so rainy I could not hang them out. Then I had 5 or 6 boxes of cards which I wanted to give to the teachers—some Mrs. Byam intended to burn. They were cards of all shapes and sizes on which to mount photographs. Ruth got home from Indianola today. She had a splendid time.
I found a newspaper article about an Older Boys and Older Girls state conference in Indianola at this time, geared toward high school and college-age young people in arts/religious education, and am guessing this was where Ruth went.
Sun 15.
I got such a kick out of this list that I decided to post an image rather than the transcription. What a full day!
Mon 16. Have done the ironing today, posted the books etc. Went to the farm with Daddy this PM. Ruth is in bed. She does not feel very well. Has taken 2 shots for diphtheria immunization. Daddy has gone to Eldora. Gerald took him over in the truck. Daddy came home feeling if the proposition the bank receiver made goes through we will be better off than before the bank failed—Praise the Lord!!
The diphtheria vaccine was developed in the early 1920s but not widely used until early 1930s, then was grouped in with tetanus and pertussis vaccine for routine use in 1940s (DTaP or Tdap).
Tue 17. Nothing doing on the bank proposition—it is all off. Miss Justice and Miss Gossard were here quite awhile this evening. Mrs. Justice will sing for us at our Missionary meeting.
Wed 18. Have been making over the coat Alice gave me this week. Hope it is going to look alright. I led the prayer-meeting at Mrs. Mohlers this evening. Have been doing a lot of phoning about the WFMS Society. Think we will have a good crowd. Mrs. M. has invited the men. Mr. Taber & John Mohler stayed for prayer meeting tonight.
Thu 19. Got up at four AM to work on my coat. Worked till nine then went to the prayer meeting at Robertsons. We had a good time. Mrs. Robertson gave me some kraut. It was so good. I want to make some. Amber Hart came about eleven—stayed for dinner. I had a nice visit. We went to Ellsworth in the evening. Mrs. Deardorf was so late I got terribly anxious. We had a fine meeting.
Kraut, aka sauerkraut, is pickled/fermented cabbage. Here’s an informative guide to sauerkraut, and an article on its nutritional and health benefits.
Fri 20. Have been canning my meat today. We made about 5½ gallons of lard. Salted down some meat, made some cold pressed meat and canned considerable. It has been a hard day but I am glad it is done. We’ll clean up the house tomorrow and finish my coat, I hope. Ruth has gone to see Ruth Boeke. She has had an operation and is at home. Daddy has gone to bed. We went over to Vic Knowles’ expecting to hear Miss Mahlen but were disappointed. Must write to Katharine. Laurel Blair ate dinner with us today.
Sat 21. Have spent most of the day finishing up my coat. It seems very satisfactory. Have had a busy, busy week. Am looking for John and Alice, Cal and Clara over for dinner tomorrow.
Sun 22. Dad and I walked down to call on Rev. Rowleys. We took them a pail of lard and some cold meats and invited them to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us. We went to church and SS in the morning. Had Ruth’s guests for dinner—Ona and Arline. Went to church at night. It has rained nearly all day. Johns did not come.
Mon 23. Got up and started the washing, then went to a Steward Board meeting at the First National Bank. There were a lot there. I presented the Mohler meat bill but they would not turn it without consulting Rev. Rowley and he would not take it. I thought I had said and done the right thing. It takes grace and much love. Went to choir practice at the parsonage this evening. We had such a nice time.
Tue 24. Finished the washing which I began yesterday AM. It has turned so cold and windy after the rain. Got pretty cold hanging out clothes. Went to a Steward Board meeting at the parsonage in the PM. Just Mrs. Baker, Katie, Mr. Leibenstein & I there. It was a nice meeting. I stopped at Mrs. Hilkers to show her how to use her rug needle on my way home. Found a letter from the Rowleys refusing to accept my Thanksgiving dinner invitation. Louis Reep ate dinner with us. Dad, Ruth & I went to the Grade Operetta this evening. It was quite well.
Wed 25. Have started the day early. It was only about four when I got up. Ironed until about 8, then went to Mohlers. Heard Miss Mahlen talk from M’town over Radio on “Second Coming of Christ”—No, on “What think ye of Christ”. It was good. I was so broken hearted over the letter Rev. Rowley wrote refusing to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us that I cried. Went to prayer meeting at the parsonage at night. Invited Gerald & his family for dinner tomorrow.
Thu 26. Thanksgiving day! We decided we had so much to be thankful for. I was thankful because my electric stove was fixed—yesterday. Ruth was thankful for her new coat, & Dad for his pants—that they still held together. He is so clever. We invited Elizabeth, Margaret and Jerry to go to church with us at the Salem church. A Union service? Rev. Bizer preached the sermon. We had a nice chicken dinner. Made or rather worked on a little silk quilt for Miriam in the PM. Called at Wardle’s in the evening. Vic was over for awhile. Our first snow fell this evening.
Fri 27. Ruth and I have sewed this forenoon. Lined her cuffs with silk & interlined the sleeves. Also made a tam for her. In the PM Winston Yeager came. Stayed for supper then we all went to Eldora to see the movie “The Spirit of Notre Dame” written as a memorial to Knute Rockne—the coach who was killed about a year ago in an airplane accident.
Knute Rockne, one of American football’s most-renowned coaches, popularized the forward pass. According to this site, his unexpected death and national outpouring of grief prompted a safety revolution in aviation—changes to design, manufacture, operation, inspection, maintenance, and regulation that transformed the dangerous way to travel to one of the safest.
Sat 28. Ruth and I spent the forenoon putting the house in order. In the PM we made some (sherbet?) and cleaned a chicken. Invited Minna Reece and her guest Miss Oberdoester who is teaching at New Sharon here for dinner. Miss Oberdoester is from Morrison, MO. In the evening I went with Mrs. Mohler, Garnet & Harry to Marshalltown to hear Miss Mahlen. Had a lovely time! Found the kiddies here when I got back, but it was a false alarm. Had a nice visit and prayer meeting with Miss Mahlen.
Emma never once mentions directly that her daughter-in-law Miriam is pregnant. “The kiddies” are Miriam and Gerald’s 3 children, Betty, Margaret (Peggy), and Jerry.
Sun 29. Had a full day. Bathed the three children and dressed them. Margaret dressed first & got Betty’s undies on. Betty tried to get into the ones that were left and found she couldn’t, so we had to do Margaret over. Betty said “I’m sure glad I mentioned it”. Jerry had a good laugh about it. We went to SS and church. Had our dinner guests, a sleep, called on Jerry’s. Ona came & was here for supper—we went to the service at night. We had a good Sunday. Am enjoying my coat.
Mon 30. Washed some for Miriam & some for myself today. Was too tired to go to the SS Board meeting. Called on the Delaneys in the PM. Took Betty & Peggy with.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for December 1931.