Emma #86: November 1934
Potatoes, movies, a new coat, temperance, selling everything, and leaving town
Thu 1. Dad & Jerry & Robert have been picking corn today. It goes fast when three can go at it. Dad & I went to town to see about having what we have picked shelled on Saturday. Robert picked corn today. Ruth couldn’t go to the Falls because she is sick.
Fri 2. It has turned much colder. Robert took about 800 lbs of potatoes to Iowa Falls. He will take his lesson & come back. Gerald took the truck nearly full of Dad’s corn to sell.
According to this document, the average price per bushel (60 lbs) of potatoes in 1934 was 81 cents. This would make Robert’s load worth about $11.00 (about $250 in today’s dollars).
Sat 3. We planned to shell corn today but it rained all last night & is still at it so we can not do it.
Sun 4. We went to church & SS then to the Falls to see Ruth. Brought Ruth & Robert home with us. Robert spoke at the church & sang & Ruth played for him. He took the whole evening service.
Mon 5. Dad & I went to see the movie The House of Rothschild in Iowa Falls. It is a story of the money the Jews controlled though Europe. It is quite a picture. Robert and Ruth will go tomorrow night. We shelled our first crib of corn today.
This 1934 movie chronicles the rise and fall of the Rothschild family of European bankers. It was produced as an attack on Nazism and anti-semitism following Hitler’s rise to power. It was endorsed by Jewish journal The B’nai B’rith Messenger, and was the biggest hit of the year for Twentieth Century Pictures and nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. In 1940 a scene from the film was heavily edited under Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels and used in German antisemitic propaganda without permission from the copyright holders.
Tue 6. Dad, Gerald, Mrs. Mitchell, Miriam & I went in to town to vote. I suppose many folks would call my vote lost because I voted for a candidate I know could not win, but I’ll not be ashamed to meet my ballot some day.
In the 1934 Iowa gubernatorial election, the Democratic incumbent beat the Republican challenger, but based on this journal entry I’m guessing that Emma’s vote went to the Prohibition party candidate.
Wed 7. Robert is here picking corn today. He and I will drive up to Iowa Falls & I will stay with Ruth. I attended a program at the ME church tonite—all alone. Bob & Ruth went to choir practice.
Thu 8. I went to Grooters this AM with Robert to wash. Stayed at Thalmans with Ruth last night. Did the washing and ironing. Dad and Robert came up & I came home with Dad.
Fri 9. Today I picked corn. I took the kiddies to school this morning then went to the fields. Came home & got dinner and washed dishes and went back with them—Gerald & Miriam picked also. We finished the south side. Took Betty to Brightwells and then drove into town.
Sat 10. We shelled again today. The south half is finished. I kept busy with the cleaning and then drove to town after the check. Betty & Gerald went along.
Sun 11. We went to SS this morning but did not stay for church as Dad did not feel well. After dinner we went to Iowa Falls & staid for church at night. Were at Walthals for lunch & after church. I did not go to church. I staid at Walthals to write to Katharine. Bob came home with us.
Mon 12. Bob & Dad picked corn. I went home with Bob & stayed with Ruth all night. Visited a little at Grooters and played Rook. Saw Milo Walthal about Bonnie. He will take her on what we owe for Ruth.
Ruth had boarded at Walthals the previous school year. It sounds like Emma and Tell settled the debt for her room and board by trading their cow, Bonnie.
Tue 13. Bob, Ruth & I came home this forenoon. I bought a black coat with grey fur collar. Did not get it home yet. Paid $3.50 down on it. Have 21.95 yet to pay. We took Bob & Ruth home so Bob could have his lesson at 7:15. Ruth finds the work pretty hard at the hotel.
The total price of $25.45 in 1934 would have been the equivalent of over $500 today. It seems like a lot for a coat, but this ad suggests that the price is accurate.
Wed 14. This is a beautiful day. We had a chance to sell the horses for $250 but we may not do it for we want to have a sale. Daddy, Gerald & Miriam are picking corn. We find Dr. Pierce was never paid. Owe him $44.00.
This means that they are holding an auction to sell their household goods, livestock, and farm equipment. They were far from the only ones in this situation as the impact of the Great Depression continued. Here’s a newspaper page from this time period in Iowa that lists several such sales, and provides advice about marketing practices for an effective sale.
Thu 15. Alice invited us over to attend the WFMS Dis Meeting and stay all night with her. We went & had a fine time. Alice was so lovely to us. Will not make it at all hard for us to go. Gerald found a receipt from Pierce for which we are glad.
Tell’s brother John and his wife Alice were instrumental in helping Emma and Tell with the farm. They bought it when it was sold at auction, leased it back to Gerald, and then transferred it back to Emma and Tell, writing off the interest that was owed. But even with a farm loan, it sounds like Emma and Tell have not been able to make a go of it.
Fri 16. Dad & I went to Morgan Centre today to attend a Unit meeting. We had a nice crowd and a fine meeting. We found it hard to say “Good bye” to the many friends. Got our sale bills today. It will be over with a week from tonight. Weather is damp & cold with wind and fog. Saw Ruth & Bob in Iowa Falls today.
Their sale bill probably looked something like this. It makes me so sad to see the detailed listing of a life’s possessions getting ready to go on the auction block.
Sat 17. It is foggy this morning. Dad is going to pick corn. I am going to Hubbard. We went after Ruth today.
Sun 18. We took Gerald and his family with us to SS and church today. After dinner we had company—Mr. & Mrs. R.R. Van Patter came over to see us. We are to be honored by a Farewell party on Wed. night. Mrs. Rogers came over to see our chairs. Ruth & I went to Iowa Falls & Robert came home with me.
Mon 19. Robert is helping us today. He went to Iowa Falls this evening & I went with him. I went to see “The Barretts of Wimpole St.” while they went to a party. I stayed at Mable’s till 11:45 PM.
Starring Norma Shearer and Fredric March, The Barretts of Wimpole Street depicts the real-life romance between poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning.
Tue 20. I brought my washing up here today and did it before dinner. We enjoyed a wonderful chicken dinner at Grooters. Came home and Bob & Ruth went back up to Madrigal club.
Wed 21. We killed our turkey today and had Gerald and his family & John and Alice over for turkey dinner. We were entertained at Hubbard by the church. We had a rain & wind storm but there were about sixty there. They are going to give us a Bible. Dad made a fine speech and Robert sang lovely.
Thu 22. We (Robert & I) went to town this AM to do a lot of errands. Sold our telephone share for $10. Ate a sandwich & some tea at Mrs. Mohlers. It has turned so cold. We hope to have a good sale tomorrow.
Telephone service in rural Iowa took the form of cooperatives, in which members established and ran local telephone exchanges.
Fri 23. The day of our sale. We saw things go terribly cheap but we will have a few hundred dollars to start with. We came over to Johns after the sale and went to a potluck supper & TO program at the church.
With their furniture and equipment sold, Tell and Emma are now homeless and looking toward the next chapter of their lives.
Sat 24. Back to the farm. We worked all day cleaning up. Took Ruth to the Falls. We are at Johns now. Got my hair waved last night.
It sounds like they are staying in Eldora with John and Alice Boylan for now. (I’m not sure where Gerald and his family were at this point, but they had clearly left the farm as well.)
Sun 25. We stayed in Eldora last night. Alice, Tell and I went to church. After a chicken dinner we went to Iowa Falls and then to Waterloo where Ruth and Robert broadcasted with the Madrigal club. We called on some Boylans and drove back to Iowa Falls staying for the Anti Saloon play “The Prisoner at the Bar.” Got back to Eldora for the night.
Even though Prohibition had been repealed in 1933, the Anti-Saloon League was still active. This looks like a really interesting museum of their history in Westerville, Ohio. I found several online references to performances of this play, including this one that lists the various characters. I also found a 1910 article that includes a segment of dialogue that I believe is probably the core of the play’s message.
Mon 26. Back to the farm to sort things—and help with moving the piano.
Tue 27. Today we (Dad, Ruth, Bob & I) went to Ft. Dodge to have the car looked over. We had a lovely day. Got some things I needed. Uncle Pete took us out to dinner and we stopped at Alden and had supper with Dr. & Mrs. Johnson. Stayed all night at John & Alice in Eldora.
Wed 28. Left Eldora about 10 AM for the farm. Packed our car & rode in Jerry’s new one to say “Good bye“ to the kiddies. Went to Iowa Falls after Ruth & Bob who are going to Denison with us. Left Iowa Falls at 2 PM. Are leaving Hubbard at 2:35 PM. Had a nice trip. Stopped to see Miss Mahlen at Glidden. Got to Denison about seven PM.
Here’s a map of their first few days on the road.
Thu 29. Thanksgiving Day! We enjoyed a nice turkey dinner at John Sullivans today. There were ten of us here—Florence’s sister and another couple from Knoxville, Ill. We have had a pleasant day. We plan to get up and go to Ft. Dodge tomorrow. We hope to get the car fixed. Ruth is not feeling well tonite.
Fri 30. Ruth, Robert, Dad and I drove from Denison to Ft. Dodge today. We came through a bad blizzard. Could not see 3 ft ahead in some places. We were glad to get there. Bob & Ruth went home and we stayed in Ft. D. over night. I went to a show in the afternoon & we slept at Ericksons in Stella’s room.
It’s been a week since the sale, and they have been staying with family. We’ll see where they go from here!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for December 1934.