Emma #60: September 1932
Katherine returns to Cleveland, Ruth gives music lessons, Dutch cheese, and a child prodigy
Thu 1. Katharine started for Cleveland, driving in a Plymouth car, with Marion Thomas. They started at 8 AM today. Gerald helped load the car.
Here’s a 1932 Plymouth, and an interesting article on its restoration.
Fri 2. Ruth got home on the bus tonight. The Reep boys drove in about 7:30. They will stay a few days. Charley Ryan killed himself this evening. They found him about 5:30 PM. Had taken gas from the car.
I discovered that Charles Ryan (biography here) was the mayor of Eldora and a real estate agent. His death certificate shows the cause as inhalation of carbon monoxide from car exhaust.1
Sat 3. Yesterday & today are Hubbard Days. I made some salad dressing for the Aid to sell. Was not down town at all in the PM. Geralds came in for dinner. Winston Yeager came down this afternoon. He was here for supper and over night.
Sun 4. John & Alice came over and stayed for church and SS afternoon & night. John made a fine speech this afternoon. Winston took Ruth home this evening after church.
Mon 5. Muhlemans were here for over night. John & Alice went home this AM. They plan to be back tonight. Orie Reep has gone after Ruth. Katharine got to Cleveland Friday evening. She drove in with Marion Thomas.
This was probably Reverend William Muhleman and his wife—his name appears in a lot of the family records, and Tell had a great-grandmother Muhleman, so there was likely a family connection. He sounds like an interesting guy—a Methodist Episcopal minister, Boy Scout executive, and the first scoutmaster and Eagle Scout in Iowa.
Tue 6. John & Alice, Mr. & Mrs. Muhleman, and Ora & Dad have all gone—am alone washing. Lots to do. Had a wonderful time at the banquet last nite.
Wed 7. Ora Reep, Dad & I went to the SS convention at Whitten. Called on Mrs. Daggett, also on John’s—had supper & then went to prayer meeting. Had a nice chicken dinner at the church. It was a lovely day.
Thu 8. WFMS meets at Gladys’ tonight. It is our last meeting of the year. Not many were there—Gladys, Mrs. Hoff, Mrs. Walker, Garnett S. & I.
Emma was very active in the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Fri 9. I cleaned upstairs this forenoon. Ate my dinner and had the dishes washed when Dad & Ora came for dinner as Miriam was sick. I was tired but went to Iowa Falls after Ruth. Got a new tea kettle for 89¢. Brought Ruth home.
1930s tea kettles were mostly aluminum, copper, or enamelware.
Sat 10. Ruth had her first music class today. There were only four but I think she did finely.
Ruth has just graduated from high school and started classes at the Iowa Falls Conservatory. Looks like she is getting started right away as a music teacher while she’s home on the weekends!
Sun 11. Ruth brought Ona home from church for dinner. She stayed until time to go to Iowa Falls to take Ruth home. We went via Alden—called on Bertha J. She is sick in bed. Left Ruth at Grooters. Stopped a minute at Gerry’s. Had to play for church at night. Only 20 were there.
Mon 12. It is rainy today. I may wash. Got a letter from Linnie.
Tue 13. Did my ironing today. Started the mending.
Wed 14. Went down to Robertson’s today. Also went to prayer meeting in the evening.
Thu 15. Mr. Simholt is here. Worked on the piano all day. I sewed some.
I found it fascinating that in a time when money was so tight, keeping the piano in tune was an essential expense. The $12.00 they spent on this would be almost $250 today.
Fri 16. Ruth came home this PM. Ora went after her. It has been a lovely day. Had the piano tuned—$12.00. Rev. Wardle called today. Ruth went to a show at Eldora with Adolph Reese, “Abie” Boeke & Janice Michaelson.
Sat 17. I kept busy working etc. while Ruth gave her music lessons. She had 5 here. Miriam brought the girls in & left them. Dad & Ora took them home when they went to Eldora. Ruth went to Stratford with Winston Yeager, Mr. Nailer & Min—to stay till tomorrow. He will take her to Iowa Falls. We are lonesome. Ruth gave me a music lesson today.
What fun that Emma is taking a music lesson from her 18-year-old daughter!
Sun 18. Invited Rev. & Mrs. Wardle home for dinner. They stayed until five o’clock. Ora went to Nyman’s. Came back and we all went to the Salem church. They are starting a two weeks meeting with Rev. Claypoole as minister. Wrote Katharine today.
In the 1930s, Methodist Episcopal and other churches periodically held “revival meetings,” periods in which services—often conducted by a visiting minister— were held every night with the goal of inspiring the church members and converting visitors to Christianity.
Mon 19. Did my washing today, churned, and made dutch cheese to sell. Dad went to the farm with Jerry. I got so tired. This evening he & I looked over ground cherries—husked & cut open 5 quarts ready to make some preserves in the AM.
I continue to be astonished by how much Emma does every day! I found this interesting scholarly article on Farm Women in Iowa in the 1930s that describes their lives in more detail, along with the changes brought by the Depression.
Tue 20. Did my ironing. Made some preserves. Gladys asked me to dye her dress. Went to a Steward Board meeting this evening. So far Rev W has received about $450.00.
I’m guessing that, like in many other small-town churches at this time, there was no fixed salary for the minister and that this amount reflects contributions collected to date. The Steward Board was responsible for providing care and support for the minister and family, and members of the congregation would often invite them to dinner.
Wed 21. I have worked on Gladys’ dress. It went into the dye pot three times. Mrs. Wardle came down to have me fix a dress for her. It has been cloudy & rainy today.
Thu 22. Have been making Dutch cheese to sell. Have sold 9½ lbs @ 15¢ per lb this last week—since Thurs. Have made some more preserves today. Dad & I looked them over last night. Have not heard from Ruth since Sunday.
Dutch cheese is a soft cheese, similar to what we think of as cottage cheese, made from sour milk. Here’s a recipe if you want to try it.
Fri 23. Made chili sauce & ate dinner with Mrs. Swallum today. Also went with her to Iowa Falls. Ruth came home on the bus.
Sat 24. Ruth gave her lessons. I went to a Steward’s Board in the evening.
Sun 25. Dad & I had Gerald & his family in for dinner. We went to the last Jr. Conf. Dad was left off Trustees & I was left off the Steward Board. We find some things hard but God’s grace does not fail. Went to the Salem Church at night.
Mon 26. Letters from Mrs. Johnson, Linnie, Gertie & Charlie. Charlie’s girl must be a wonder—she has had three more movies taken of her. Mrs. J. wants me to go to Br. meeting. Think I’ll need to stay home this time on account of Tell’s Oct 8 date. We meet with his creditors. Would like to see Elizabeth’s puppets.
Emma had a brother named Charles, who was living in Washington DC. It took a little digging, but it turns out that his daughter Gertrude was a child piano prodigy at age 3. Definitely a wonder!
Tue 27. Did my ironing and finished Gladys’ dress.
Wed 28. Went to a prayer meeting at Robertsons. People think we are rich???
Thu 29. Mrs. Swallum & I made celery & cucumber relish today. I sewed awhile.
Here’s a vintage recipe for a relish like this.
Fri 30. Cleaned up the house today. Gerald went to Iowa Falls after Ruth & to their “Big Day.”
Here’s an account of the festival in Iowa Falls—bands, baseball, produce displays, vaudeville, and political speeches.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for October 1932.
The US suicide rate peaked in 1932. Here’s a research article on the relationship between economic conditions and suicides over time. This also got me into a curiosity trail about why we don’t hear about suicides by car asphyxiation much these days. Answer (from this article): catalytic cracking, unleaded gas, and catalytic converters have greatly reduced the carbon monoxide levels in automobile exhaust.