Emma #78: March 1934
Stripping wall paper, more chickens, the Poetry Post, and a glimpse of Ruth's world
Thu 1. It looked foggy this AM but has turned out nice and sunny. I have done a big washing and I guess they will get dry. I got my new glasses today through Paglisen. Cost me $8.
Here’s what glasses looked like in 1934.
Fri 2. Miriam came in with the washing to do. She, Gerald, Betty, & Jerry were here for dinner. Ora was here also. He and I went to Iowa Falls after Ruth but she came home on the bus. I had my hair washed & waved. Our radio had been all used up so we could not use it at night.
They got the radio on February 21—10 days ago—and I think they kept it humming!
Sat 3. Daddy got a battery for us so we will have a radio over Sunday. Ona came this evening to stay all night with Ruth. Red is in Chicago.
The names Ora and Ona are so similar that I have to look carefully to see who Emma is referring to! Ona is a girlfriend of Ruth’s (I believe Red is her husband or fiance), and Ora is a young man in the Reep family, friends of the Boylans.
Sun 4. Ona ate breakfast with us today. Ora is still here. Gerald and Miriam stopped a few minutes on their way to St. Anthony. There is to be a Union Peace Service at the Salem church tonite.
At this time, almost 20 years after the beginning of WW I, there was a strong sentiment against war; the term “merchants of death” was coined to describe the international arms industry. At the same time, we are beginning to see the early stirrings of World War II. Hitler became the leader of Germany in January 1933. Anti-Semitism was on the rise—in fact, my husband pointed out to me that the Radioland magazine cover from last month’s post featured an article on Father Coughlin, a Catholic priest whose very popular radio broadcasts were strongly anti-Semitic and supportive of the Nazi regime. As you might guess, we will see this piece of history start to unfold over the next few years.
Mon 5. I have spent most of the day working on a puzzle. It has been cold. Betty came in to stay all night as their teacher is sick.
Tue 6. Betty visited school today. Her folks were all in for dinner. I have been working on the puzzle. Dad bought a little wood today.
Wed 7. We went to Wardles tonight for prayer meeting. Betty went with us. I got 26 chickens today of Lawrence Reifsnyder.
Thu 8. Betty, her father & mother were here for dinner. Miriam washed here. I got word that Linnie will be here Monday. We gave up going to Denison this week.
Fri 9. I have washed woodwork etc. in the kitchen today. Went to Iowa Falls to see Ruth. She will go to Waterloo to broadcast tonight. Gerald brought the three kids in to stay but I said “no.” He was over tonight.
Emma seems to have been fairly accommodating in the past with having the grandchildren come over, but I think she was pretty fed up with Gerald’s drinking and decided to put her foot down.
Sat 10. Have done the usual things today. Dad & I went down town in the evening. I went down to see Mrs. Robertson.
Sun 11. It is the usual thing today—church & SS. George Moon brought us a note from Ruth. He came down awhile in the PM.
Mon 12. We cleaned a bit today and washed. Got Mr. Swallum to go after Linnie. She came to Jewell at 8:20 in the evening. Gerald was in town all day getting his car fixed.
Emma’s sister Linnie lived in South Dakota.
Tue 13. We spent the day visiting. Did not do much.
Wed 14. We started sewing on Linnie’s dresses today. Went to prayer meeting at night. Dad went to the farm.
Thu 15. We cut out Linnies blue dress today and have sewed on it all day. Dad went to the farm. Ora Reep called in the evening after his class. Dad was tired and had gone to bed.
Fri 16. We finished Linnies blue dress today. Started to the farm with Gerald & Miriam and their geese. It was so terribly windy. We had a bad dust storm. Linnie, Dad and I rode in with Mr. Van Patter & his load of wood. Ruth came home on the bus. Bob did not come. Mrs. Swallum called this PM.
Geese!
Sat 17. It has turned cold and windy today. I have sewed all day. Have Linnie’s dress nearly done. Gerald & family were in this afternoon. Gerald stopped at McCallsburg to ask about our farm loan. They said we would soon hear. Weighed 179 lbs yesterday.
In July 1933, Emma made a pledge to lose weight. At that point she weighed 180…sounds like it’s still a struggle.
Sun 18. Ruth will not go back till tomorrow as Linnie is still here and Walthals are at New Sharon. We did not go to church at night. Bob & Ruth went to League and church.
Mon 19. Linnie, Dad & I worked at the farm after we had been to Eldora after Jerry’s license. Bob drove us (Miriam, Ruth, Linnie, Bob & I). Then we went to the Falls. After dinner we took off wall paper.
I don’t know when the farm house was built, but if they were taking off wall paper I’m guessing it had been there for a while and was getting pretty old. I imagine it was from about the 1910s. Here’s an example of what that might have looked like.
Tue 20. We went back to the farm today to work. Got along a bit better taking off paper. We came home after four—pretty tired out—Dad drove Dale to Iowa Falls to get his shoulder set. He broke it this PM.
Wed 21. We stayed at home today and finished one dress for Linnie. Did not go to prayer meeting. Dad was so tired.
Thu 22. I went to Eldora to get $50 to buy a car. Borrowed it from Alice. We then went to Iowa Falls to get it but the wife would not let her husband sell it. Gerald said he guessed the fellow was just invoicing it.
Fri 23. I looked for Miriam in to wash but Betty has the measles. As the water was hot I washed. We also finished Linnie’s dress. That makes two for her. We made ice cream this PM. Ruth is at home. Gerald went after her. Linnie is talking of going home in the morning.
This postcard—one in a series of “poetry posts” I found in the archives and postmarked on this date—was written by Tell’s brother Chris to Ruth in Iowa Falls. He, his wife Louisa, and their daughter (Ruth’s cousin) Elaine lived in Wewoka, OK. In it, he mentions his work for the Civil Works Administration, a short-lived (Nov 1933-March 1934) New Deal job-creation program that gave manual-labor jobs to 4 million people during a particularly hard winter.
Sat 24. Dad, Ruth, Linnie & I worked all day at the farm taking off paper. It was some job. We came home—bringing a chicken for tomorrow.
Sun 25. It has been a nice day tho’ cool. Linnie is planning to go home in the morning. Ruth went to Marshalltown to hear Bob sing in a cantata. Uncle Pete & Stella came after her. We did not go to church this evening. We went to church & SS this AM.
Mon 26. The day started early as we took Linnie to the early train. Miriam came after us and we worked at the farm. I managed to get the ironing done. Do not feel at all well. We are sending the check back we borrowed from Alice but asking to borrow it again.
Tue 27. It is Tuesday PM. Just got home from the farm with Gerry’s car. Pete came up after his generator which Gerry had borrowed. I wonder where it will all end. Dad is tired after plastering and painting. Things look pretty hopeless tonite.
Emma doesn’t express discouragement very often, but I am sure that the prospect of losing the house and moving to the farm where Gerald and his family are already living was tough.
Wed 28. Gerald borrowed $10 of Aunt Alice to get his car fixed. It breaks my heart the way he does. Some day I hope he will be converted. It is the only thing that will save him. Dad went to the farm but I stayed home. Gerald took the car home.
Here’s Emma’s ledger from the back of the journal with an account of debits and credits to Gerald.
Thu 29. Dad & I went to see Aunt Alice. It is a good thing we did. She was wonderful to us. Dad was so happy when she threw off the interest money. We went after Ruth at Iowa Falls. Ate a lunch down town. Bought 30 baby White Wyandots at Macy’s for $2.10.
White Wyandottes are known for being good layers of brown eggs.
Fri 30. Dad and I worked at the farm this forenoon and Ruth stayed at home to study. I cleaned out the attic and Dad worked on the walls. We had quite a snow storm and it was hard to see but we got home safely. Betty came in with us. Gerald and Miriam went to the Falls. I got dinner.
Sat 31. We have cleaned up the house and sorted things ready to move. We are to have the Easter breakfast here in the morning. I went down town to get some things for it. Ruth and Ona went to Eldora tonight with Howard & his girl. Tomorrow is Easter.
It’s taken a while for things to get to this point, but with the house being foreclosed soon, it sounds like moving to the farm is their best option.
Special Feature: From Ruth’s Journal
This month in Ruth’s journal, she mentions going to a couple of movies, both of which were released in 1933. Just for fun, here are the posters.
She also talks about going to hear Bob sing the solos in Stainer’s “Crucifixion.”
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for April 1934.