Sat., November 2, 1935 - Sleeting today. Did the usual Saturday work.
Sun., November 3, 1935 - Still cold. Ray worked today. Mom and I worked on jigsaw puzzles this afternoon.
Mon, November 4, 1935 - School dismissed today. Cold, everything icy. Left here about 10:00 with Irene and Howard for the State Corn Picking Contest at Oscar Reinhart's place south of Wayne. A Dixon Co. man got first. Chris Maas was the Wayne Co. man but he didn't do so good. Howard was here tonite.
So, it was too icy for school yet they still held a corn picking contest? Wow, those northeast Nebraska farmers (I am assuming the contestants were farmers) were made of tough stuff.
And look what I found at cornhusking.com:
"Over seventy-five years ago there were 80 minute contests to determine who was the best person at picking corn by hand. Today the National Cornhusking Association sponsors a contest the third weekend in October to determine who is the best. There are ten classes that are from 10 to 30 minutes long that people can participate in. There are nine states that are members of the National Cornhusking Association, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska."
Looks like those fellers in 1935 picked for a much longer time. Tough, like I said.
There's even more on this particular sport. (I had no idea this was as big of a deal as it was.)
Also from a link on cornhusking.com:
"In 2009 Heritage Documentaries completed the production of this 27-minute video documentary. We received substantial support for the project from RCH/Innovative Technology Partners, the Riverboat Development Authority, Pioneer Hi-bred International, the CHS Foundation, the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education, the Illinois Corn Huskers Association, and individual donors.
Husking is the oldest method of harvesting corn. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, national contests drew over 100,000 spectators. Our documentary DVD, complete with original film, showcases this traditional farm skill and the traditional farm values celebrated throughout the Midwest during corn husking contests... values like individualism, determination, work ethic and self-sufficiency. From the early 1920s through 1941, local, state, and national corn husking contests were prominent on the national scene. National contests were broadcast live on nation-wide network radio, providing "ear-to-ear" coverage. In 1936, Time magazine declared corn husking "...the fastest growing sporting spectacle in the world." Contest winners became idolized heroes who were sought after by national media for interviews, paid to endorse products, and received proposals of marriage from female fans.
The rise in popularity of corn husking contests and their role in buoying spirits during the Depression are unique in American history. When Farmers Were Heroes: The Era of National Corn Husking Contests, portrays the rich and traditional farm heritage of corn husking. Farm historians in Illinois and Wisconsin have written books about this subject, but no documentary has been created to visually bring the subject to life for students and the general public. We assembled a wealth of background material for this project, much of it as the result of research conducted by Heritage board member Ronald Deiss. Materials include books and articles, artifacts, photographs, audio broadcasts, and several original films of corn husking contests. We also conducted filmed interviews with former contestants. Husking contests continue today on a small scale; we include live footage from the national contest at Roseville, Illinois, held in the fall of 2008."
Here's a link to the trailer for the documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cmZxNBQuKE
The 2017 Nebraska contest had 13 classes, from kids 14 and under to Golden Agers (75+ years old). The men's open class winner had 423 pounds shucked in 30 minutes. I think this bears monitoring as something to go see next year.
The photo is of the 1932 national champion, taken from the documentary.
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