Other thoughts on a motto?

December 22, 1932 - Warm and thawing again.  Alfred came back to school this morning.  We practiced quite a bit.  Tonite I popped corn. Mote helped me make "cracker jacks" of it.  Lou Scheurich and his mother were here this evening.  Lou and Evie made out their S.S. Xmas program.  Florence Frink's birthday.  Donald Podoll birthday.
December 23, 1932 - We cleaned up the schoolhouse and practiced this morning.  About 25 were at school this p.m. for the program.  "Santa Claus" distributed the treats and gifts.  I got hankies, stationary, salt & pepper shakers, candles and candle stick holders from the school kids.  Mom, Ray and I took down the decorations.  We went to bed early this evening.
December 24, 1932 - Cleaned up and got ready for tomorrow.  Went down town this p.m.  Ola was in town.  They won't be able to come tomorrow, Annie and Annabelle have the flu.  Mom, Grussmother and I went to the Xmas program this evening at church.  Opened our presents.  I got a comb, brush and mirror set, earrings, bath salts, and a motto.

The best I can tell, a motto used in this way is a saying on a badge or banner or some such.  If anyone else has a thought on that, I'd be glad to hear it.

Call me silly, but the images I have in my head of a country schoolhouse full of excited kids, adoring grown-ups, and a dressed-up Santa Claus handing out gifts are hard to beat.  The photo isn't from a school but the era is right.  Love all the carefully-placed tinsel.

Another potential suitor's hopes dashed

December 19, 1932 - It was warm in the schoolhouse this morning.  We practiced a good deal on our program, wrote our invitations, and stung popcorn for the Xmas tree beside our other lessons.  Alfred has chickenpox!  So I guess he won't be able to be in the program.
December 20, 1932 - We practiced quite a bit on our program today.  I mailed the invitations this morning.  Got a card and "hankie" from Mrs. Smith.  Mildred and I played "Over the Top" tonite.  She won both games.  Went to bed at 10 o'clock.  Washed my hair right after supper.
December 21, 1932 - It was quite warm today.  Everybody except Mr. Walker and myself went to church tonite.  I finger-waved my hair.  Louie Meierhenry called up while I was doing it.  He wanted to take me to a show tomorrow nite.  But I had "to get ready for the program Friday".  Played Over the Top with Mr. Walker and lost 490 to 530.

Not sure why Grandma's answer to Louie Meierhenry's question is put in quotes, but there you have it.  The 21st was a Wednesday, so the program was still a couple of days off.

I tried stringing popcorn for a garland once.  Had a lot of broken popcorn to eat while doing it.

Almost through with 1932

December 16, 1932 - My overalls have surely been coming in handy this last week.  Ray came after me this evening, and we went to Edith & Harry Strate's charivari dance at Hoskins.  Ralph K. and Edna Ruschman came with Ray.  I had a good time at the dance.
December 17, 1932 - I slept quite late this morning.  Annie, Ola and the kids came in about 1:30.  Ola went down town, he took Annabelle down at about 3:00 to see Santa Claus.  Mom and I went down town this evening.  I bought my Xmas tree, and candy, etc., for the treats.  We filled the sacks this evening.
December 18, 1932 - I addressed my Xmas cards and wrapped my Xmas packages this morning.  Mom, Ray, Lena Nieman and I went to the schoolhouse this afternoon and decorated it and the tree.  I was at Walkers for supper.  I led League tonite.  In calling for the readings I repeated a number, of course I'd pull some kind of a boner.

I have peeked ahead and there is no mention of Howard, or any of the Iversens, for the rest of 1932, so I'm just pushing through with high hopes for 1933.  I know Grandpa will be mentioned eventually!

Playing cards

December 13, 1932 - Lawrence, Ronald and Harry were absent today.  Kenneth J. came after Ronald's books and assignments.  Mildred, Evie and I played "500" this evening.
December 14, 1932 - All back in school except Harry.  He isn't coming back until next Monday.  We're getting our program for December 23 lined up pretty well.  We're going to send invitations to everyone in the district.  Raymond Kahler birthday.
December 15, 1932 - Tonite Evie, Mote and I played "500".  We surely had fun.  When we quit Mote and I were in the hole and Evie had about 200, we bid too much and then of course, we'd be set.  Mr. Walker had to chase us to bed or we'd played until morning, just about.

Grandma's love of playing cards started long before I remember her teaching me solitaire games, that's for sure.

I still remember the first game she taught me and that she couldn't believe how many times I was lucky enough to win "Clock" -- I couldn't believe it either.  I remember Grandma Anna cheating at solitaire, but stating that it didn't hurt anybody if she did.  I also recall being extremely perturbed playing "99" with the family, because for a time there I was sure everyone was ganging up on me.  I was at that age when kids really, really hate losing at anything.  I did survive the ordeal and now consider it character-building.  I used to "help" Grandpa with his solitaire games, so much so that he'd act all put out about it.  Of course, he wasn't fooling anyone with that act.

The right "Over the Top"?

December 10, 1932 - Snowed today.  We baked and cleaned for tomorrow.  Ray went down town and bought me a pair of overalls to wear to school.  Ray and I went to Hoskins tonite to Lisetta and Walt Gutzman's charivari dance.  We had a real good time.
December 11, 1932 - Art, Rudolph Kahler, Annie, Ola, Marie, Clifford, Meta and Lyle were here for dinner for Granddad's birthday.  I was going to the party for Raymond K. at Hall's with Art and Rudolph.  Rudolph's car wouldn't start, so Ola took us.  Ray stayed home, he said it was too cold for him.  Had a good time.  Stopped at schoolhouse on way home and started a fire (2:00 a.m.).  Grandpa Brogren's birthday.
December 12, 1932 - 25 degrees below zero this morning. I was surely glad we stopped at the schoolhouse "last nite" and started a fire.  Ronald and Harry were absent today.  I guess both are sick.  I went to bed at 7:00 this evening just because I was tired and sleepy.

In answer to Nancy's question about an earlier post and the game "Over the Top", this is the best I came up with so far.  I seem to remember Grandma talking about Rook previously, so maybe I am on the right track.

Boy, it was sure nice that Grandma had a good excuse for coming home late . . . "But, Mom, we went up to the schoolhouse to start a fire and it took FOREVER."  Or, Grandma Anna figured she was a grown-up and could do as she pleased.  I don't have a good grasp on which way that might have gone.

More of Art

December 7, 1932 - Cold again today.  I stayed home tonite and read the "Good Housekeeping" magazine while the folks went to church.  Hans Brogren, Jr. [birthday].
December 8, 1932 - Mr. Walker and I played "Over The Top" tonite.  I won, wonder of wonders.  I hektographed some Santa Claus', too.
December 9, 1932 - Ray came after me about 4:30.  We stopped out to Ola's.  Art and Rudolph were there.  I stayed for supper while Ray went into town.  He came out after supper.  We looked at Art's scrapbooks of China.  He explained a lot of the pictures.  It was surely interesting.  Gladys Schmitt [birthday].

Here we have Art again.  Now we know he went to China, but that doesn't help me figure out anything else.

I looked and looked for December 1932's Good Housekeeping magazine's cover but did not find it.  Maybe Grandma was reading an old issue.  (I didn't look for January 1933, maybe that is what she had.)  This is a really sweet cover, though.

And speaking of Good Housekeeping, here's a little bit of information from wikipedia:

     "Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval."

     The magazine was founded May 2, 1885 by Clark W. Bryan in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

     The magazine achieved a circulation of 300,000 by 1911, at which time it was bought by the Hearst Corporation. It topped one million in the mid-1920s, and continued to rise, even during the Great Depression and its aftermath. In 1938, a year in which the magazine advertising dropped 22 percent, Good Housekeeping showed an operating profit of $2,583,202, more than three times the profit of Hearst's other eight magazines combined, and probably the most profitable monthly of its time. Circulation topped 2,500,000 in 1943, 3,500,000 in the mid-1950s, 5,000,000 in 1962, and 5,500,000 per month in 1966. 1959 profits were more than $11 million.

     Good Housekeeping is one of the "Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines.

     The Hearst Corporation created a British edition along the same lines in 1922.

     Famous writers who have contributed to the magazine include Somerset Maugham, Edwin Markham, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Frances Parkinson Keyes, A. J. Cronin, Virginia Woolf, and Evelyn Waugh."

Winter undies

December 4, 1932 - We went to church this a.m.  We found out that our Aid won the contest at Wayne.  Mom and I slept and read this p.m.  Ray worked at Nieman's today and yesterday afternoon.  Ray brought me to Walkers this evening.  Esther Boyen's [sp?] birthday,
December 5, 1932 - I believe winter is on its way in earnest for it was colder today than yesterday.  i went to bed quite early this evening.  Marvin Trautwein's birthday.
December 6, 1932 - The weather turned much colder today.  I donned my winter undies.  We went to League at Meierhenry's tonite.  We had a good time.

I looked for a legitimate 1930's ladies' underwear ad to put here, but I thought this was cute in a weird sort of way, so here it is.