Sun 1. Bob got up and milked for me this morning. It is a lovely morning. We went to church & SS in the AM. Had a chicken dinner. We also went to church at night. I called on Mrs. Fifield for a few minutes.
Mon 2. Did not do much today but the ordinary work. The day was warm so we went fishing & swimming. Ruth is crazy to swim. Has swam across the lake. I can not seem to catch a fish. No mail today as it is Labor day.
I was very interested to read this, because 20+ years down the road Ruth and Bob bought/built a cottage on a mountain lake in Pennsylvania that is still in the family. It’s fun to think of how the seeds of this venture may have been planted so long ago in Oregon.
Tue 3. I do not feel very well today. My head aches. Guess my heart keeps too heavy all the time. Bob & Ruth have gone to town. Our finances keep so low.
Wed 4. I was too sick to go to the WFMS dinner but went in by 2 PM to the meeting. I was elected president for the coming year. Came home and had supper & went back to the Baptist church to hear the concert by Rev. Harkness. It was very interesting. There are so many expenses coming in—we hardly know which way to turn. Have asked Katharine for so much I am ashamed.
Thu 5. Robert hiked into town today to work on the church organ. We took a lunch in and ate at the park. Dad says the happiest minute he has had here was when I said I’d go back to Iowa. If he would quit his tobacco & get something to do he would be happier.
Awww…from comments in one of Ruth’s memoirs, it sounds like Tell was miserable in Oregon. I think he didn’t have nearly enough to do on the small farm, with chickens and cows, when he was used to lots of acreage, big crops, and farm machinery.
According to this story, the Newman M.E. Church in Grants Pass has three organs, with the newest having been donated in 1939. Since this is only 1935, the organ Robert probably worked on was the Hinners Tracker Pipe Organ, a Victorian pipe organ with electric bellows.
Fri 6. We went to Medford today to get Bob’s chauffeur’s license. We took our lunch. Stopped at Tices to get some peaches—canned them in the afternoon. In the evening we went to a pot-luck supper at the church (choir). Mostly tomatoes & cabbage. We heard that Berne & Betty went through to Ashland and would stay over the week-end with us.
Sat 7. Dad and Berne went to Ashland—got home about noon. The afternoon was beastly hot. This is Dad’s birthday. He is having several days’ celebration. Bob & Ruth went to the Redwood hotel to a teachers’ reception. Berne & Betty, Dad & I went to town. Berne got us some ice cream. I made cucumber pickles this PM.
Tell turned 64 this year.
Sun 8. Sunday & oh! so hot! We went to SS & church. Bob had charge of the choir. They did very well. Went up to Gertie. She gave me some corn, tomatoes & carrots, also cucumbers. Mrs. Rearick will give me more tomorrow. It was interesting to go to see Bob & Ruth’s place last nite. We went over with him in the bus.
In the “special feature” at the end of this post, an excerpt from one of Ruth’s memoirs describes the little house that they were living in.
Mon 9. Berne & Betty left this AM. He took Betty to town to take the bus. Bob started on his bus route this AM. Ruth & I worked at the house in the PM. It has been a busy three days.
As part of Bob’s teaching job, he was driving a school bus. Here’s an example of a 1935 school bus.
Tue 10. Ruth & I went over to her house this PM to clean up. We were in town this morning. Got some paint & a few other things to fix up her house. We did not go in to the SS Board meeting as I was so tired.
Wed 11. Dad & Ruth went over to do some painting at her house this AM. They got home in time to get the mail. Check came from Katharine for $30. We needed it so badly but how I do hate to be such a drag on her.
Katherine was teaching school in the Cleveland area. From the information I could find, I believe her salary would have been about $2,000/year, probably on a 9-month contract.
Thu 12. We went to town today. Paid 10 to the Star. Paid the light bill, etc. So glad to have this money.
Fri 13. Bob has finished a week of school. We were all tired tonight.
Sat 14. Robert & Ruth went over to their house to paper. Dad & I went over after the mail came and helped. We finished the front room and kitchen by 8:30 PM. I was tired. Had supper after we came home. We got a few peaches from the Eureka Fruit Farm.
In the special feature below, Ruth describes their adventures in wallpapering. Here are some examples of 1930s wallpaper patterns.
Sun 15. SS, church, as usual. Miss Pratt came after Bob & Ruth for a League party. We went in to church. Too long a sermon. Ruth played an organ solo. Mr. & Mrs. White, Gertie and the children called in the evening.
Mon 16. Ruth & I canned pears, peaches etc today. Found some fruit ready to spoil so re-canned it. Divided it for Ruth to have her half. We went over their place about 3 & worked till Robert came. He drove the bus over & we came in the car. John & family came out this evening. Dad & I were in bed.
Tue 17. We came in to a WFMS Com. meeting this PM. Bob & Ruth moved over to their house after supper. We got several things for her house in town. We drove there after supper.
Wed 18. We drove into town this AM to take Ruth to play for Robert at the Rotary Club. We went over to her place after her first. We were too tired to stay for the WHMS this PM. Dad went over to hang the doors in Ruth’s kitchen.
The Grants Pass chapter of Rotary, an international service organization, was formed in 1929.
Thu 19. We went over to Ruths and canned tomatoes today. Dad hung the doors to her kitchen cupboard. Ruth went to a meeting of the HS teachers’ wives and we came home about two PM. Mrs. Probst called in the afternoon to invite me to their farm bureau meeting.
Fri 20. We took some dinner and went over to Ruth’s before dinner. Helped her cover some chairs. Her little house is going to be cozy when she gets it fixed up. We plan to go into town this evening to get our hairs cut. Kept the family letter almost a week. It came the 14th & it got off today.
This was the family “robin,” a round-robin letter that was sent to multiple members of the Boylan family scattered around the US.
Sat 21. Today we drove into town to see to getting the piano Ruth & Robert bought for $35. I spent the afternoon with her cleaning it and waxing the front room floor. Came home & went over again in the evening. They are pretty well straightened up.
Based on the numbers in this newspaper ad from 1935 in Eugene, OR, a piano for $35 was relatively inexpensive. It was still a lot of money when things were so tight, but as professional musicians it was an important investment.
Sun 22. Dad has gone over after Ruth & Robert to go to SS & church. This is a beautiful morning. I am finding that it is possible to be kept sweet amidst trials.
Mon 23. Ruth, Dad & I went in to Gerties to wash today. We did not get home until after dinner.
Tue 24. We went over to Ruth’s today to can tomato juice. We put up a lot of bottles using the new bottle capper.
Here’s an example of a vintage bottle capper. I found a newspaper ad for a similar one that sold for 37¢, with a gross (144) of cork-lined bottle caps for 24¢.
Wed 25. Today I got up early to do my ironing. Cleaned up the house & went after Ruth to go to the Farm Bureau Club at Mrs. Russels. We heard about hose. In the evening after taking Ruth home we went in to the Board meeting. Ran out of gas on the way home.
Thu 26. We went after Ruth today and got some deer meat from her neighbor. He had killed a “mule-tailed” deer. Then we came in to the WHMS meeting—or convention at 1 PM. Was asked to take the presidency of the Cascade District. Promised the ladies I would think it over & pray about it.
The mule deer is indigenous to the western United States.
Fri 27. Ruth & I went in to the convention today. Ruth played & I heard many compliments. Was elected president of a big district. Only 13 auxiliaries. Lots of chance for growth. In the evening we went in to choir practice.
This was an interesting curiosity trail! I knew that Emma was very active in the WFMS, and when I saw WHMS in the previous entry, I thought I had read it incorrectly. But it turns out that there was *another* organization in the Methodist Episcopal Church called the Woman’s Home Missionary Society, which supported women’s missionary work in the US and territories. Here’s an excerpt from a 1912 manual that describes its purpose.
I found the WHMS annual report for 1935-36 but couldn’t find anything specific about the Cascade District or Emma’s involvement.
Sat 28. Have kept busy today catching up the loose ends. Went to town this PM after some feed. Will be glad when the chickens begin to lay. Took the car over to Ruth tonight. Dad & I walked home in the dark—“More fun!”
Sun 29. We all went to church & SS today. The little Anderson girl came over to go with us to SS. Ruth Pratt came after Bob & Ruth. Louise spent the day with us. Our car got to leaking gas so John & Gertie brought us out home about 11 PM.
Mon 30. Bob came over after school to fix the car. They stayed for supper. He came over in the bus. We or I did the washing by hand today. Dad cut down nine trees.
Special Feature: The Newlyweds
Here is another excerpt from Ruth’s memoirs, written in the form of a letter to her music teachers the Thalmans:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Thalman, We have moved into our first little house! It is very small, but large enough for the two of us. Bob has a job being the study hall supervisor in the local high school. He hopes to have a music group to direct also. One of the benefits is that the school rents a house for the teachers who are also bus drivers, and they live at the end of the route. So we are living on Leonard road, and our back yard extends to the Rogue River. It is a very cold stream—but very clear—as it comes down from the mountains. I enjoy swimming in it, but Bob finds it a little chilly. Our house needed some decorating—so we have been papering the kitchen. We bought paper at 10 cents a roll. I wish we had been able to afford better paper, for we had an awful time. By the time we had the paste on, the paper was so soggy that Bob's hands went through it and it all came down on his head. I really couldn't keep from laughing at him but I think he didn't think it was very funny. We were given many nice household things from people in the church, and we have bought some used furniture and reupholstered it. It is a set of old-fashioned walnut pieces: a love seat, an arm chair, straight chair, and a rocker. My Dad helped us by tying the springs and fixing the webbing so they are fairly comfortable. We have one oriental rug that the Frank Petersons sent to us. It is not very heavy, and maybe should be hung on the wall, but we have it in our little living-dining room. We are a few miles from my folks. They are living on a small acreage (called a ranch out here) and have a cow and chickens. Of course they are active in the local Methodist church, and we are becoming so, too. There is an active young married people's group, and we have been in some plays in the church. My Aunt plays the piano for church. They have found a reed organ for me to play, and Bob is directing the choir and singing solos.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for October 1935.