Emma #52: January 1932
Nurse for Miriam, step-ins, ironing sheets, and Ruth's new friend Robert
Fri 1. Not much like New Year’s Day. Went up to see the little baby John Wesley this morning. Gerald got a little coffin and in the PM we buried it on the lot by Mary Margaret. He was a sweet looking babe—I let the children see him. I did the washing for Miriam. Am pretty tired tonight. Have the three children all down here. It is snowing & sleeting tonight. A man was killed today out north of town. He was a negro.
At the end of last month, Miriam had a baby who died in childbirth. Mary Margaret was Emma’s 4th child, born in 1916, who only lived three hours. The June 1928 entry tells more of this story. They are both buried in the Hubbard Cemetery.
Sat 2. Have been busy all day. It means a good deal for my family to increase to six but the children help some. Did a big ironing for Miriam today and cleaned up the houses. Betty and Margaret went to KHs at Seivers. Sweeping, baking etc. kept us all busy.
Sun 3. Went to church & SS today—to Quarterly meeting in the PM—a nap and the regular routine filled the day. Did not go out in the evening. Have been asked to sing at Mrs. Asa Bushnell’s funeral tomorrow.
Mon 4. Did not wash today but changed the beds & cleaned up the house. We have a busy household with three children. Dad & I had to sing at Mrs. Bushnell’s funeral today. Gladys, Lottie & Rev. Rowley sang. Mrs. R. played. Dad went to a telephone meeting in the evening. I waited up for him. Today school started. We have had a full vacation. Got a package from Katharine today. She sent Ruth some shoes, goods for step-ins, a doll etc. The nurse will leave Gerald’s tonight. It takes $25.00 to pay her.
This was the nurse who cared for Miriam after the loss of her baby. I learned that before the Great Depression, most nurses worked as private-duty healthcare providers in individual patient homes. As the Depression made it increasingly impossible for households to afford this kind of care, a huge shift took place, with more and more nurses working in hospital settings.
Tue 5. Did a good sized washing today with little Jerry’s help. He is surely a busy one. Dad went to Eldora this PM. We have had a heavy snow fall today. Took a nap and have been working on Katharine’s step-ins. Am making her four pair and mending another.
Step-ins were one-piece undergarments that were popular in the 1920s and ‘30s. If you want to make your own, here’s a downloadable pattern!
Wed 6. Did not get the ironing done today. Went up to see Miriam in the PM. The children are still here.
Thu 7. The Steward Board met here tonight. I would not be in Mrs. Baker’s shoes for all her money. Ona stayed all night. They decided not to allow Mohler’s bill on salary. Have had about 8” of snow.
Fri 8. Have been sewing and ironing today. Worked on the telephone certificates. Mrs. Walker and Frances Short called this PM. Dad sent Katharine $50 today as her salary has been held up. Only one oil check came this time when we needed it so badly.
Sat 9. Have been working on the telephone certificates. Have nearly 400 to write. Finished the step-ins for Katharine tonight but they did not get sent.
In the early 1930s, most rural phone service was provided through local membership associations. I am not sure exactly what the certificates were, but they may have been stock certificates of some kind. Here’s one from another local phone company in Iowa.
I was delighted to learn that the Hubbard Cooperative Telephone Association is still in existence, offering phone and internet services to the Hubbard area.
Sun 10. Went to church & SS—also church in the evening. Margaret ate dinner up at Strothers. My eyes have been so bad that I slept a long while in the PM.
Mon 11. A nice day! Baked cookies and did up the regular work this AM. Worked all afternoon on telephone certificates. The kiddies are still here.
Tue 12. Did Gerald’s and my washing today. It was a big one and I am terribly tired. Dad & Ruth went to the basketball game. It has been raining today.
Wed 13. Jerry opened a pint jar of beans today. He is some boy. Lottie called today. I ironed & ironed but did not get it all done. Have six more sheets to iron. Gerald stayed with the kiddies while I went to prayermeeting. Dad & Ruth went to Eldora with Rev. Bigler. Got my book “The Unseen Leadership” tonight.
Jerry would have been almost 4 years old at this time.
Sheets in the 1930s were not as wrinkle-resistant as those of today, and it was very common to use a mangle (roller/wringer) or an iron on them.
Thu 14. Have been helping Dad on the Telephone report. Mrs. Wardle was down this PM. The children went home this evening. They have been here since Dec. 30.
Fri 15. Have been busy today. Have spent a lot of time on the telephone report. Oil check did not come.
Sat 16. Today was the telephone election. Dad got beaten by three votes. We had a rabbit for supper that Troy gave us. Invited Luttie over. Ona also was here.
Sun 17. I had a fine SS class this AM. We had communion service at church. Not many stayed. The Delanos were there. Went up to Geralds awhile & to church at night. Dad did not go. Ruth ate dinner with Ona.
Mon 18. Wrote Katharine and Mrs. Wright a letter each today. Worked on my dress. Do want to get some sewing done. Robert Grooters & his father dropped in about 6 PM so we invited them for supper.
This is the first mention in Emma’s journal of Robert Grooters, who married Ruth in 1935 and was my grandfather (aka Papa). As you can see, he quickly becomes a regular visitor. He would have been 17 at this time. At the bottom of this post I have included a little bit of his history.
Tue 19. Did two washings today—Miriam’s and mine, then went to choir practice in the evening. I enjoy that. John Hornung gave us a nice beef roast today.
Wed 20. Have been making a WFMS dress. Want to wear it tomorrow night. Mrs. Baker came down today and we wrote the addresses on the Ex. literature. It should have been sent long ago. Dad & I went to prayer meeting. There were seven there. It has been warm and foggy today. Wish our finances would clear up.
Thu 21. Mrs. Robertson & Mrs. Mohler were here for 1½ hours this AM. We visited a long while and prayed a short while. I made some mince meat today. We had WFMS at Mrs. Leibenstein’s this evening. There were 8 there besides the L’s. Vic is on the war path again because his boy was unjustly accused of snow-balling the teachers.
Fri 22. We had Jerry down to eat dinner with us today. He is four years old. I cleaned up the house.
Sat 23. Have been sewing a little & doing the cleaning. Dad spent some time in bed this forenoon but felt better after dinner. Ruth & Dad went to the Basket ball game at night. None of us went to the waffle supper.
Sun 24. Went to church & SS this AM and to church in the evening. Dad went to bed as he had a cold. Vic Knowles & Ona Robertson were here for an hour after church. In the PM Mr. & Mrs. Peterson, Estelle, Robert & Donald Grooters were here. We ate some popcorn.
Estelle (Stella) and Donald were two of Robert’s siblings.
Mon 25. A lovely warmer day. Did my washing and hung it outdoors. Dad helped me iron in the evening. I went to choir practice. Dad had a cold & went to bed. Mrs. Robertson & Mrs. Mohler were here this PM to see if Dad would run again on the school board.
Tue 26. Ruth went to Eldora to the OB&G Conf. She is Co. Sec. It is snowing this AM but it is not cold out.
Wed 27. Have been sewing—finishing up a lot of odds & ends that needed doing. Slept for three hours this afternoon as I did not feel well. It is warm out.
Thu 28. Have not felt very well today. Went to prayer meeting last night.
Fri 29. Went around & round today not doing very much. Ruth is getting ready to go to Iowa Falls this evening to spend the week-end at Grooters. Have been busy at a lot of things.
At this point the Grooters household consisted of his parents, Gerrit and Kittie, Robert and his siblings Estella, Donald, Helen, and Howard, and Kittie’s twice-widowed mother Flora.
Sat 30. Baked some cookies. Cleaned up the house etc. etc.
Sun 31. Had a nice SS lesson and a nice class to teach it to. Had Rev. & Mrs. Wardle for dinner. Went to church at night. It has turned very cold.
Special Feature: Robert Grooters
Robert Eugene Grooters was born on April 12, 1914 in Vincent, IA. His paternal grandparents emigrated from the Netherlands, and his maternal grandparents came to Iowa from NY and PA. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School in May, 1931 (see his diploma in that month’s journal). He was already an accomplished singer, having won first place as baritone soloist at the State High School Music Contest in 1930, and was studying at the Iowa Falls Conservatory of Music, where Ruth was also taking music lessons. Here are a few mementos from this time period. You’ll hear a lot more about Robert as we go along!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals, which ends the first year of this project. 52 weeks of Emma! What a joy it’s been to work on this project. I look forward to continuing her story and my explorations.
See you next week for February 1932.