A different NRA

Sun., August 6, 1933 - Got up just in time to go to church with Mom.  Slept most of the afternoon.  Howard came before I was ready this evening so I had to hurry.  I drove to Wayne.
Mon., August 7, 1933 - Uncle Chris doesn't go to work now until 10:00 because of the N.R.A.  I bought some school material from a Harter representative at school.  We had to wait until about 12:30 at the Campus Inn this noon before there was room for us.  I got a letter from Mote asking me to spend this next weekend with her.  Gerald and I worked jig-saw puzzles tonite.
Tues., August 8, 1933 - My walk to school this a.m. rather tired me.  I worked in the library until 5:00 this afternoon.  Wrote to Mom, Howard, and Mildred W. this morning.  I finished my jig-saw puzzle soon after supper.  Went to bed at 9:00.

Being rather confident that the National Rifle Association had nothing to do with when Uncle Chris went to work, I looked up other NRAs and found (via wikipedia) the National Recovery Administration, to wit:

     The National Recovery Administration was a prime New Deal agency established by U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) in 1933. The goal was to eliminate "cut-throat competition" by bringing industry, labor, and government together to create codes of "fair practices" and set prices. The NRA was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) and allowed industries to get together and write "codes of fair competition." The codes were intended to reduce "destructive competition" and to help workers by setting minimum wages and maximum weekly hours, as well as minimum prices at which products could be sold. The NRA also had a two-year renewal charter and was set to expire in June 1935 if not renewed.

     In 1935, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously declared that the NRA law was unconstitutional, ruling that it infringed the separation of powers under the United States Constitution. The NRA quickly stopped operations, but many of its labor provisions reappeared in the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act), passed later the same year. The long-term result was a surge in the growth and power of unions, which became a core of the New Deal Coalition that dominated national politics for the next three decades.

     The NRA, symbolized by the Blue Eagle, was popular with workers. Businesses that supported the NRA put the symbol in their shop windows and on their packages, though they did not always go along with the regulations entailed. Though membership to the NRA was voluntary, businesses that did not display the eagle were very often boycotted, making it seem mandatory for survival to many.

The things you learn snooping in your grandmother's diary.  Also, I would love to lay hands on any letters Grandma wrote to Grandpa during this period.

Hats

Mon., April 3, 1933 - Felt pretty tired.  I got my blouses from Mother today.  The sleeves are surely puffed pretty.  Evie, Mote, and I worked on a puzzle in the S.S. paper a while this evening and then went to bed.
Tues., April 4, 1933 - I'm still tired and sleepy.  The weather is acting funny, so cloudy and threatening most of the time.  We went to League at Dorothy Jochens tonite.  Willard told me he liked my hat because it had a brim, but the other new hats without one, he didn't like at all!  Ha!  Ha!
Wed., April 5, 1933 - Review!  Review!  And more review!  I'm more tired than ever today.  Got the answer to my letter from Miss Mettlen about agriculture.  The ladies and Mike went to church tonite.  The rest of us stayed home and went to bed.

Fun picture I found here, with both hats and finger-waved hair.  That's all I have today.  But we are one post closer to Grandpa's entry into this tale, so that's something at least.

Brrrrrr!

February 8, 1933 - The thermometer at school registered 29 degrees below zero this morning.  We had to study around the stove until noon.  Evie went to Ed Scheurichs to help today.  Mote, Mr. Walker and myself played 500 this evening.  We kids have been talking about giving a roller-skating party at Norfolk sometime soon.
February 9, 1933 - 22 degrees below zero today.  Only 10 degrees above zero in the schoolhouse this a.m.  Harry and Minnie absent today.  I wrote a letter to Mrs. Smith this evening.  Mildred and I took hot salt bags to bed last nite and tonite to keep our feet warm.
February 10, 1933 - Warmer today.  We finished our valentines in drawing period.  Ray came about 3:30.  We stopped at Bojens for Alma.  Had a lunch there.  Ray took Alma and I to lodge tonite.  There were quite a few there.

All I can say is I am so glad it is not that cold in the here and now.  Seems to me we had less of those frigid days, one after the other, this last winter.  Or if we did, I have already blocked out the memory.

Hektograph

January 30, 1933 - Nice today.  Harry was absent from school today.  He has a bad cold.  I'm glad I'm not home today.  They're taking care of the meat Ola brought in Saturday.  Played "Over the Top" with Mr. Walker this eve.  I won the game.  Evie and Mote walked to town to a committee meeting this evening.  Mike went to P. Scheurich's today.  Wrote a letter to Mildred Andersen.
January 31, 1933 - Rainy and foggy.  Harry and Ronald absent today.  Kenneth and Doris Jonson came after Ronald's lessons after school.  Mr. Nurnberg and George were over this evening.  I fixed my hektograph.  Evie colored some pictures for me for patterns for the kids at school.
February 1, 1933 - Ronald back, Harry still gone.  Snowed a little last nite.  Washed and finger waved my hair tonite after school.  Bud and the girls went to prayer meeting.  Manicured my finger nails, hektographed some school material and wrote a letter to Walter.

I know I've commented on what on earth a hektograph was way back earlier in this blog.  I'm pretty sure I didn't include a photograph.  I do not know the vintage of this one, but it looks like it could have been used in the 1930s.  I found a photo of the one from Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, but thought it might have bad Communist mo-jo so I didn't use that one.  This one does not have a sordid past, to my knowledge anyway.

Job security

January 21, 1933 - Washed and fingerwaved my hair.  Annie, Ola, Annabelle, Leeroy, Aunt Emma, Uncle Max and Hilda were here for dinner for Grandma's 80th birthday.  Heavy fog tonite.  Ray, Willie and I went up to a party at Uncle Hans' tonite.  Ervin R. and LeRoy Frost were here from Omaha.  I went home with LeRoy.  Ray played "follow the leader" I guess, anyway he was always just behind us.  In bed at 4:00!!
January 22, 1933 - To S.S. and church this morning.  Uncle Hans, Aunt Lena, Meta and baby were here for dinner.  Martha and Lily came later.  We went upstairs and slept.  Ray, Lily and I went to Hoskins tonite.  I didn't have a very good time.  Hardly anybody there I knew.  After the dance Ray was to take Lily out to Ola's.
January 23, 1933 - Warm and clear.  Rather tired.  I walked over to Behmers right after school tonite.  I had my monthly report signed and got my order.  Mr. Behmer said I could have the school again next year if I wanted and I do.  Mr. Walker went to Omaha today.  All the kids are home again.  Mote and Evie have been telling about their fun of last week.  Listened to the radio.

Grandma doesn't say either way, so I don't know if she was holding her breath about having her school again the next school year or if it was expected.

Hmm.  Was Uncle Ray being the watchful brother by following Grandma and her ride?  No wonder, if Grandma wasn't home earlier than 4:00!

The photo of Grussmother is from 1925, so not too far off.

Lots of goings on, some that I can't decipher

January 15, 1933 - To S.S. and church this a.m.  Harry H. came home with us and had dinner.  We played Rook and Pitch this p.m.  Harry kept us laughing most of the time.  Some of the neighbor boys were over awhile, they didn't stay long.  We had fried bananas for supper, they were very good.  To League and church this evening.  The fernery was blocking my door when I got home tonite.
January 16, 1933 - Much colder.  Nurnbergs back to school.  Bud surely felt ornery today.  Scared me twice.  Came up to the school house and knocked so hard I thought a giant was there.  When I came down stairs before supper, he made a funny noise that caused me to wilt.  Listened to minstrels, embroidered, and helped Mote hunt Bible questions.  Mayme left me a Xmas present at the school house last nite, a blue silk bag for soiled hankies, etc.
January 17, 1933 - Still cold this morning.  Walkers had company for supper tonite, Fred Jochens, Albert Meierhenrys, and Clarence Schroeders.  After supper the girls went with the Wittler kids to Madison.  Lydia, Evie, and Mote are staying until next Sunday.  The men played Rook this evening and the ladies talked.  To bed at 12:00.

I would try a bit more to make sense of or find a deep meaning in Grandma's words, but I am a bit brain-weary.  Long story short, last night I found a freezing cold baby goat in the goat shed (thank goodness we finally got it inside the pen -- another long story).  Was not certain his momma had been bred, let alone that any birth was near.  She wasn't too interested in him.  So, I spent a long night thawing out goat milk I had planned to make cheese of (sorry, Mom), looking online for advice, trying to figure out how best to handle the whole situation, and cuddling a little bundle that didn't sleep the best but did manage to pee buckets on me.  Having a blast!  (Check out the little bit of white at the end of his tail!)

Good heavens!

January 9, 1933 - I got a ride part of the way to school with Mr. Walker this a.m.  Laurence was up there.  He brought me my beads.  All the Nurnbergs were gone today.  School was quite peaceful and calm.  Read and talked this evening.  I took the Good Housekeeping magazine to bed with me and read until 11:30.  Mr. Walker cut off about 2 inches of my hair tonite.  It feels and looks better.
January 10, 1933 - Got to school a little later than usual this a.m.  This noon Laurence said that anyone that drank bootleg whiskey should be hung up by their toes and cut to pieces.  Delmar said there wouldn't be many people left.  Nurnbergs absent again. Mr. W., Mote and I played Rook and Rummy tonite.  I was 2nd in Rook and low in Rummy.  I copied a few examination questions.
January 11, 1933 - Much colder this morning.  We sat around the stove for lessons until 10:00.  Nurnbergs still absent.  The boys are shelling corn in the sand table.  And what a time they have.  Went to town tonite to get my check.  Mr. Strate is in Omaha and won't be back until Fri or Sat.  Went to prayer meeting.  Lydia asked me to spend this weekend with her.  Wrote a letter to Mom when I got home.

I wonder what Laurence thought on December 5 of this same year when Prohibition was ended.  I peeked ahead and Grandma is silent on the whole topic.  Everyone in the photo looks pretty serious, except the barkeep who has a bit of a smile on his face.  Get a load of that decanter or glass or whatever that the lady in the foreground is holding!

What exactly is Grandma implying with school being peaceful and calm without the Nurnberg kids present?

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.

Belated Thanksgiving information

November 28, 1932 - So tired today.  Got teased today about the "business trip to Cushing Iowa" two weeks ago.  That's what the Norfolk paper said about it a couple of days ago.  Went to bed quite early, didn't even stay up to hear the minstrels.
November 29, 1932 - So nice and warm, just like a spring day.  Harry H. was up at school this morning before school started.  Mike, Mote, and Evie went to a committee meeting tonite.
November 30, 1932 - Nice again today.  Rudolph and Raymond stopped at the school house tonite.  I went home with them.  We had supper at Raymond's and then went over to Ola's.  We played Pitch.  I got home at 12 o'clock.

What's this with folks just dropping by at the school house?  And what minstrels were there around to listen to?  I have more questions than answers.

I missed anything Thanksgiving-ish for 1932 (it was on the 24th that year, a couple of posts ago), but I stumbled upon this tidbit for today's post.  The above is from the New York Times in 1932, pricing out the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner.  The article read, in part:

     “All the ingredients of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner are less expensive this year and families of moderate incomes should be able to afford the best on the market, it became apparent yesterday. Experts in the Bureau of Home Economics of the Department of Public Markets figured that a New York housewife would be able to serve an old-fashioned turkey dinner, with all the fixings, at a total cost of not more than $5.42.”

I was a bit thrown by the oranges and bananas, but shrugged it off.  Then I found a menu for the USS Altair, a Navy vessel of some sort and their Thanksgiving dinner included . . . oranges and bananas.  Also on the menu, cigars and cigarettes.

Who knew?

So am I the only person who hasn't heard of this?

September 14, 1932 - Lloyd brought Ronald and me to school.  I didn't play with the kids this noon because I was too tired.  Mrs. Walker and the girls went to church tonite.  I did the dishes for them.
September 15, 1932 - Delmar went to the fair today and wasn't at school, of course.  Mr. Walker, Bud, Mike and Mote went too.  Mike entered the Ford and Pig race and won 1st prize, which was $5.  Bud's going to enter tomorrow.
September 16, 1932 - Lawrence and Ronald went to the fair.  Mrs. Walker sent 4 large cantaloupe to school today.  We ate 3 at noon and the other at recess.  Dismissed school at 2:45.  Mom came after me at 4:00.  I drove home and tried to run over a truck.

I am positive I have never heard of a Ford and Pig race.  Here is what I found on wikipedia:

"The Pig-N-Ford Races are an auto racing event staged at the fair.  The races are run every August during, and as a feature of, the Tillamook County Fair. Drivers use stripped Model T Fords with stock mechanicals. Five cars are lined up with the engines off at the start line of the Averill Arena horse racing track. Drivers stand next to the grandstands. When the starter pistol fires, the drivers run to the opposite side of the front straight, grab a live 20-pound pig from a bin, then must hand-crank their car and drive it one lap. They then stop, kill the engine, get a different pig, and race another lap. The first driver to complete three laps in this manner without losing their pig is the winner.  The race was first run in 1925. The official story is that two local farmers were chasing a runaway pig in their Model Ts and were having so much fun, they decided it should be a race at the next county fair. The Pig-N-Ford Races have been run every year since 1925. Drivers belong to the Tillamook County Model T Pig-N-Ford Association, and membership is often a lifelong affair. Cars and memberships are often passed down through families or sold to close friends. Some of the cars that first ran in 1925 are still on the track today."

I wonder if PETA knows about this.  Must not, or no one cares, because they still hold the races, at least in Tillamook County.

And all of that is distracting me from Grandma's comment about trying to run over a truck.  Sounds like she had a full day that day.

Playing ball, and the big ball in the sky

August 30, 1932 - Played ball this noon.  This evening the girls and I looked through the catalogues and did some shopping.  We each "bought" a new hat and dress.
August 31, 1932 - Cloudy about all day.  Minnie wasn't at school, George said she was sick.  Played ball today.  This afternoon we looked at the eclipse of the sun.  It was only a partial eclipse here.  In the New England states they had a total eclipse.
September 1, 1932 - Played ball at noon and recess.  I fixed my "dress" for tonite before supper.  Dorothy J. went along with us to the party. Mike, Mote, Della Meierhenry, and Clarance Schmitt won the prizes.  It was a tie between the two girls and the two boys.  Roland Stahl and Gustav Perske birthday.

Lots of ball games going on at the start of school.  I have assumed Grandma meant baseball or softball, but I suppose that isn't necessarily the case.

I hope they looked at that eclipse safely. 

Handsome fellers

June 10, 1932 - Marked my design on a rug and painted part of it.  Annie and kids came in this noon and Mom and I went with her to the graduation exercises for the 8th graders at Wayne.  Saw Jane and stayed with her.  Went up to the park to the band concert this evening with Jane, Mabel Levi, Elizabeth Woods and Mae Beckenhauer.
June 11, 1932 - Went down town with Jane and a.m., saw Uncle Chris at the garage.  Went down to Aunt Mildred's this p.m.  I had supper there.  Tonite they took me to Carroll.  Mrs. Trumbaur, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis, Jane, Helen Kilmer and Sonny went along.  Stopped at Mrs. Smith's.  Ray met me there and we went to the dance, had a good time.
June 12, 1932 - To S.S. and church this a.m.  Ray went up to Uncle Hans' and Mom went out to Ola's.  Lydia, Evie and Mote came after me this p.m.  We went to Wittler's and watched the boys play baseball.  Went to church to the Children's Day Program tonite.  Arnold took me home.  Mrs. C.A. Andersen's and Grandma Andersen's birthdays.

What's this thing with painting rugs?  I don't recall hearing Grandma talk about that.  What was painted on exactly?  Inquiring minds.

And does anyone know how long Uncle Chris had the garage?  Obviously, he carried on after Grandpa Andersen died, but for how long?

The things you learn . . .

May 7, 1932 - Ray turned the machine for me this a.m.  Ola was here for dinner.  Cleaned up the house.  Went to Norfolk with Arnold this evening.  Saw Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in "It's Tough to Be Famous."  Bridge north of Norfolk not fixed as yet.
May 8, 1932 - Ray came in this a.m. and took me out to Annie's.  She gave me some instructions about the picnic.  Took a picture of the kids.  Was getting ready to have Ray take me to Walker's this p.m., but Arnold and Lydia came.  Was at their place for supper.  Went to the pageant "Life Immortal" at the church this evening.
May 9, 1932 - Nice day today.  Finished giving examinations today.  Minnie asked me to come over to their place tomorrow nite.  Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Mote and I went down to Ed Scheurich's tonite.  The baby surely is sweet.  Stopped at Lou Scheurich's and got some fish.  They caught them last nite and had them in the tank.

I didn't find a movie poster for "It's Tough to Be Famous" but I did find this summary:

"When his submarine, S89, is sunk by an excursion boat, Scotty is the last one left aboard after helping the crew to be rescued. However, Navy divers are able to save Scotty and his heroics make him a hero. Retiring from the Navy as a Commander, he finds that, as a hero, he is in great demand. There are parades. speeches, endorsements, banquets and autographs galore. Even his marriage to his sweetheart Janet is headline news. Everyone wants a piece of Scotty. The only thing that Scotty does not have is his freedom and a life of his own."

This is rather reminiscent of the much more recent movie, "Flags of Our Fathers" detailing what happened in the lives of the Iwo Jima flag-raisers after the famous photo.

I had previously heard, of course, of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. but did not know of his WWII service.  I found this on wikipedia -- interesting stuff.


In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him special envoy to South America.

Although celebrated as an actor, Fairbanks was commissioned a reserve officer in the United States Navy at the onset of World War II and assigned to Lord Louis Mountbatten's Commando staff in the United Kingdom.

Having witnessed (and participated in) British training and cross-channel harassment operations emphasizing the military art of deception, Fairbanks attained a depth of understanding and appreciation of military deception then unheard of in the United States Navy. Lieutenant Fairbanks was subsequently transferred to Virginia Beach where he came under the command of Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, who was preparing U.S. Naval forces for the invasion of North Africa.

Fairbanks convinced Hewitt of the advantages of such a unit [clarification needed], then repeated the proposal at Hewitt's behest to Admiral Ernest King, Chief of Naval Operations. King thereupon issued a secret letter on March 5, 1943 charging the Vice Chief of Naval Operations with the recruitment of 180 officers and 300 enlisted men for the Beach Jumper program.

The Beach Jumpers' mission would simulate amphibious landings with a very limited force. Operating dozens of kilometers from the actual landing beaches and utilizing their deception equipment, the Beach Jumpers would lure the enemy into believing that theirs was the principal landing.

United States Navy Beach Jumpers saw their initial action in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Throughout the remainder of the war, the Beach Jumpers conducted their hazardous, shallow-water operations throughout the Mediterranean.

For his planning the diversion-deception operations and his part in the amphibious assault on Southern France, Lieutenant Commander Fairbanks was awarded the United States Navy's Legion of Merit with bronze V (for valor), the Italian War Cross for Military Valor, the French Légion d'honneur and the Croix de guerre with Palm, and the British Distinguished Service Cross. Fairbanks was also awarded the Silver Star for valor displayed while serving on PT boats and the National Order of the Southern Cross, conferred by the Brazilian government. Among his other exploits was the sinking of the light cruiser Capriole while in command of a mixed division of American PT Boats and British Motor Gun Boats.

He was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1949. Fairbanks stayed in the Naval Reserve after the war and ultimately retired as captain in 1954.

Sounds like the stuff of movies.

I am giving the Winside history book the day off.

And the play makes a profit!

April 28, 1932 - Tired and crabby as the dickens today.  Evie, Mote and Mrs. Walker went to the pavilion this p.m. and finished fixing up things.  Practiced in the evening and things went much better than last nite.  Evie finger-waved my hair after school tonite.  Louise and Raymond aren't coming to school anymore.
April 29, 1932 - Well we gave our play tonite.  We took in $21.25 and had $12 in expenses.  The play went along pretty good I guess, but it seemed to me there were a lot of pauses.  Dora Brogren Staben's birthday.
April 30, 1932 - Evie, Willard, Gilbert and I cleaned up at the pavilion this a.m.  Washed some hose and slept this p.m.  This eve, Clayton and Jessie, Millie and Luke, and Dudley and I went to the show at Norfolk.  Willard cut his head this noon and had to go the the M.D.  So we went to the midnight show.  Chester Morris in "The Miracle Man.'  Of all the candy we didn't eat.  Had ice cream at Trano's.  We got home at 1:45.  The slate in my bed looked so funny and the girls and I found tacks in our beds.  So queer where they came from!  I had to sleep with the girls.  My bed was too unsafe.

Well, I'm confused about the slate and the tacks to be sure.  Also, confused by Grandma's incomplete sentence about eating candy -- it hasn't been like her at all to do such a thing in her diary.

According to the Winside history book, there was no pavilion in Winside in 1932 and entertainments were staged in the pavilion at Hoskins or Carroll until the new auditorium was completed.

I found the plot to "The Miracle Man" but it is very long.  I'll just say that it involves a gang of pickpockets in Chinatown.  There are some fights, at least one romance, and at least one natural death.  Good enough.

Speaking of the Winside history book, here is 1890:

     February 10, We, the undersigned women of Winside and vicinity, do hereby petition you (Wayne County Commissioners) to refuse to anyone who may ask for it, a license to sell malt liquors in or near the village of Winside.  We make this petition on behalf of our homes.  Signed:  Belle Willy Gue, Agnes V. Coons, Mrs. J. F. Ireland, Opal R. St. John, Mrs. Mary Morin, Mrs. Mary Tillson, Alice M. Dodge, Mrs. Laura Grothe, Miss Mamie E. Hollenbreck, Mrs. Lydia Hayes, Mrs. Jennie Cogley.  On the reverse side of this petition was L. McDerby's liquor license.  This was not granted according to the Commissioners proceedings.
     April 30, Winside is making very rapid strides, the census shows 130.
     May 19, Wayne County, State of Nebraska -- Personally appeared before me, M. H. Dodge, a Justice of Peace, in and for said county -- parties whose names are hereto signed, who being duly sworn, state that they personally know John Dedla, that he was honest and capable of conducting the election held on the 16th of May 1890 -- Signed A. H. Carter, F. Weible.
     September 6, L. S. Needham, J. R. Mundy and other petitioned the County Commissioners to incorporate the town of Winside as a town of 200.  John T. Bressler and W. M. Wright offered objections -- it was laid over until the next regular meeting on October 7th.
     September 30, Bressler and Wright filed an amended petition to incorporate.
     October 7, Winside was incorporated as a town of 200.  The story is told by A. H. Carter that in order to have 200 in the town it was necessary to draft the railroad crew, then working out of Winside, to vote in order to have enough votes to carry.
     October 11, Board of Trustees appointed by the county for the village of Winside met at the office of McClusky and Needham.  W. M. Gue, a notary, having been sworn in by A. L. Hansen, notary -- the balance of the board was duly sworn.
     October 20, an Ordinance fixing the time and place of holding the meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Winside, Nebraska:  Sec. 1 -- That the stated meetings of said Board of Trustees shall be held at McClusky and Needham's Hall in said Village of Winside on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m., Sec. 2 -- This Ordinance shall be in force and effect from and after its approval and publication as provided by Statutes.  Signed W. H. McClusky, chairman of Board of Trustees, George H. Lyon, Village Clerk.
     December 2, A. B. Clark having refused to serve as Village Treasurer, Dr. A. B. Cherry was appointed.  A calaboose committee was appointed and directed to build same, not to exceed $100.00.

I will admit, I had heard the word 'calaboose' but completely forgot what it meant.  I looked it up and reminded myself that it is a jail.  I wonder how secure a calaboose could be built for less than $100 in 1890.

Bud in a dress

April 25, 1932 - Cloudy all day today.  Ray came up to the schoolhouse and took me up to Mayme's.  I got 3 of her dresses, one for Hazel, Bud and myself.  We practiced at the schoolhouse tonite.  Went in the Ford.  Mike, Evie and I sat in the truckbox.
April 26, 1932 - Trying to clear up today.  Got a ride with Bob N. to school this a.m.  Straightened the library.  Raymond and Louise are tracing patterns for me.  Last time to practice at the schoolhouse tonite.  Practiced quite late tonite.  Laurence Jochens and Willie Stahl birthdays.
April 27, 1932 - Grandpa Kahler died.  Nice today.  Got the grades today.  Raymond passed with an average of 90 1/2 and Louise 90 13/14.  Dismissed school at 2:30.  Evie, Mote and I went down to the pavilion to get things fixed up.  We had a terrible time.  Washed my hair.  Practiced at the pavilion this evening.  And it was terrible!!!  Harold Jensen's birthday.

Sounds like a fun play already if you have a boy in a dress.  Can't go wrong with that.  I remember one of Dale and Lynn's friends (nicknamed Tree as I recall, or could have been at least) dressed up as a woman for Halloween one year.  Not original, but very, very funny.

Oh, teaser alert - my next post will have Grandma's review of how the play performance went.

Here's 1889 in the history book:

     March 1, Winside is decidedly on the up grade.  Everyone is happy and doing well.
     April 27, fire destroyed the McDerby store, Miller and Cherry's drug store and the unfinished building of Frank Matthews, designed as a paint and furniture shop.
     May 9, McDerby has nearly completed his new store building and Dr. Cherry will have his drug store finished soon.  (Dr. Craig's office).
     May 23, Carl Bronzynski's mother, sister-in-law and two sisters arrived from Germany.  The chances are Winside will not have a ball team as all of the equipment burned in the fire on April 27th.  (This is the first hint found pertaining to Winside baseball.)
     May 24, the town park north of the depot recently donated by J. T. Bressler and the town site representatives is taking shape, through the efforts and energy of the enterprising citizens.  Jimmy Hall, our agent, left for Bancroft.  Jimmy will certainly be missed at Carter's store as well as at the depot.
     June 14, Winside won the baseball game from Hoskins by the narrow margin of 56 to 16.  It was a fair game.
     July 4, Winside put on its first celebration this year in grand style.  The day started out with a salute of 100 guns and plenty of fire crackers at 4 a.m.  Frank Fuller was the speaker of the day, followed by foot races, horse races, ball game with Hoskins and in the evening a good display of fireworks.
     July 14, the first death in Winside occurred this morning when Harry Morgan, small son of a Mr. Morgan died.  The Morgan family was traveling by wagon back to Illinois and stopped on the way to visit A. H. Carter and a relative near Wayne.  The little boy had been very sick while they were traveling form Grand Island so Dr. Cherry was consulted while here and he pronounced it Cholera Infantum.  The little lad was too far gone to do him any good.
     July 30, F. H. Peavy is building a $20,000 elevator, yards for stock and corn cribs.  J. E. Barnett of Norfolk has opened up a barber shop and a pool hall the first door west of Dr. Cherry's drug store.
     August 1, McClusky and Needham are paying 10 cents for butter and eggs.  Winside bought the school site from J. T. Bressler for $500.

Seems they got a baseball team together after all, perhaps fueled by the idea that Winside could handily defeat Hoskins some day in the near future.  And Mr. McDerby sure didn't sit around once his store burned down as his new store was almost done less than two weeks later.

The photo is of a Winside baseball team taken "in the 90's".  The only players identified by name were "the tough looking" player in the front row on the extreme left (Wylie McClusky) and the player on the extreme right (Vere Carter).  Also playing on the team, but not noted in the photo were Tom Johnson and C. E. Needham.

Hard-boiled blizzard

April 22, 1932 - Cloudy all day, but we got a real good rain about 3:30 p.m. I didn't wear overshoes and I got my shoes good and wet coming home.  Went to play practice in Ford.  Mike, Evie and I in back with an umbrella.  It was raining!  Had to get "hard boiled" and lay down the law tonite.
April 23, 1932 - Washed and ironed three of my dresses.  Also had Mr. Walker cut off about an inch of my hair.  Cleaned my muddy shoes and darned hose.  Slept this afternoon,  To play practice in Ford in evening.  Kids behaved well after the "hard-boiled" talk last nite.  Arnold Wittler's birthday.
April 24, 1932 - Cloudy and rainy today.  Didn't get to go to Wittler's for dinner.  Mote made "kids" candy this p.m.  Willard, Harry and Raymond came down this p.m. and we went over the first act.  I went to bed about 6:15 this evening.  And I was tired, that's why!

Well, the 22nd was Friday and Grandma didn't go to the Hoskins class play with Willard apparently.  I wonder why not.

Does anyone know what kids candy is?

This is all the Winside history book has for 1888:

     January 5, a teachers meeting was held in Winside.  Those on the program were:  Carrie Atherton, biography; Mrs. Myra Fletcher, reading; Frank Pittenger, current history; P. F. Panabaker, infinitives; Hope Hornby, language work.
     January 12, the famous blizzard.

There are four separate stories about the blizzard in the "Short Stories" part of the history book.  I'll do one of them a day until finished.

The Great Blizzard

     Last Thursday, January 12th, was one of the worst and most extensive blizzards that has been experienced in the northwest for many years and practically the same features everywhere accompanied it in the territory covered.  There was a heavy fall of snow, with a warm gentle wind from the southeast, with the temperature about at the freezing point, which all suddenly changed to a terrible blizzard, with a violent wind from the northwest and a temperature below zero.  The storm extended from the Rocky Mountains to the eastern states, but was most severe in Montana, Dakotas and Minnesota.  The railroads were everywhere blockaded, the snow packing in very solidly, making a great deal of difficulty in removing it.  The loss of life so far reported is horrible, and from many isolated communities no reports have even yet been received.  In Dakota a very large number of casualties are reported and Minnesota is not far behind.  The total death roll will exceed two hundred.  Much suffering among stock and the loss will no doubt be very large.  Intense cold followed the storm everywhere, the mercury in most parts ranging from 20 to 35 below.  The greatest cold was reported from Montana, where a temperature of 49 below was recorded.  The railroads have now been generally opened with the exception of some of the minor branches, and traffic has been resumed. -- Wayne Herald, January 19, 1988.

Here is part of the wikipedia article that includes stories about the blizzard.  What made the storm so deadly was the timing (during work and school hours), the suddenness, and the brief spell of warmer weather that preceded it. In addition, the very strong wind fields behind the cold front and the powdery nature of the snow reduced visibilities on the open plains to zero. People ventured from the safety of their homes to do chores, go to town, attend school, or simply enjoy the relative warmth of the day. As a result, thousands of people—including many schoolchildren—got caught in the blizzard. Teachers generally kept children in their schoolrooms. Exceptions nearly always resulted in disaster.

• Plainview, Nebraska: Lois Royce found herself trapped with three of her students in her schoolhouse. By 3 p.m., they had run out of heating fuel. Her boarding house was only 82 yards away, so she attempted to lead the children there. However, visibility was so poor that they became lost and the children, two nine-year-old boys and a six-year-old girl, froze to death. The teacher survived, but her feet were frostbitten and had to be amputated.
• Holt County, Nebraska: Etta Shattuck, a nineteen-year-old schoolhouse teacher, got lost on her way home, and sought shelter in a haystack. She remained trapped there until her rescue 78 hours later by Daniel D. Murphy and his hired men. She died on February 6 around 9 A.M. due to complications from surgery to remove her frostbitten feet and legs.
• In Great Plains, South Dakota, children were rescued. Two men tied a rope to the closest house, and headed for the school. There, they tied off the other end of the rope, and led the children to safety.
• Mira Valley, Nebraska: Minnie Freeman safely led thirteen children from her schoolhouse to her home, one half mile away. The rumor she used a rope to keep the children together during the blinding storm is widely circulated, but one of the children claims that is not true. She took them to the boarding house she lived at about a mile away and all of her pupils survived. Many children in similar conditions around the Great Plains were not so lucky, as 235 people were killed, most of them children who couldn't get home from school. 
• Ted Kooser, Nebraska poet, has recorded many of the stories of the Schoolhouse Blizzard in his book of poetry "The Blizzard Voices."
• In 1967, a haunting Venetian glass mural of The Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888 by Jeanne Reynal was installed on the west wall of the north bay in the Nebraska State Capitol building in Lincoln, Nebraska for the 1967 Centennial Celebration. It captures much of the mood and drama of the storm. The mural, in a semi-abstract style, portrays a purported incident in which a schoolteacher, Minnie Freeman, tied her children together with a clothesline and led them through the storm to safety.

The mural mentioned (photo above) is one of the things I remember most from our 4th grade trip to Lincoln.  The others are that we overslept, the bus came to the house, and I ran out the door without my glasses.  Fun times.

Happy Birthday, Grandma Anna!

April 19, 1932 - Rainy all day today.  The kids played marbles in the schoolhouse.  Got a ride to school with Mike this morning.  Called up Mom this evening and wished her a "Happy Birthday".  Got a letter from Mrs. Smith and wrote to Florence S., Helen C., Martha and Florence Jenkins.  Didn't practice this evening because of the rain.
April 20, 1932 - Fair weather today.  I've started Louise making programs and Raymond and Louise making posters for our play.  Mrs. Walker went to quilting today and wasn't home for supper.  Evie, Mote, and Bud went to church this eve.  Studied my part this evening after I was in bed.
April 21, 1932 - Weather didn't know whether to be cloudy or clear today.  Kids played marbles in school.  We went to play practice in the Ford tonite.

Playing marbles in school -- sounds a bit scandalous!

Here's 1887 in the Winside history book:

     January 25, the first case was tried in the Justice of Peace Court.
     March 1, Railroad Mail Service -- The Sioux City and Norfolk route is 73.96 miles in length, and the number of miles traveled annually by the one clerk employed is 46,299 miles, an average daily run of 147.92.  The average speed per hour is 22.22 miles and the average daily weight of mail carried is 1,260 pounds. The size of the mail apartment is 11 feet 9 inches by 9 feet 4 inches, and the pay of the clerk is $1,000 per year.
     April __, Carter and Clark grand ball, dedicating their new building before they put their stock in place.
     May 4, there has [sic?] been several young men casting their eyes in the direction of Miss Fair of Dakota City, the new teacher in Chapin precinct.
     August 12, Tom Morin, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Morin, was the first child born in Winside.
     December 6, the Post Office changed its name form Northside to Winside.
     December 27, Samuel Stephens in indeed the "crack shot" around Winside, he shot across the creek at a poor innocent little rabbit and after the innocent little rabbit got tired of the noise and smell of burnt powder, modestly walked off and left Sam to mourn the loss of his shot and powder.

Poor Sam Stephens!  I certainly hope he was a good sport.

I know of at least two people right now that would like to run the rails for their job, probably even at $1,000 a year.

And someone please tell me who is in the photo with Grandma Anna . . . Tanta Emma and who?

Concentration issues?

April 13, 1932 - Last day of reviewing.  Wrote a letter to Walter tonite after school.  Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Evie and Mote went to Prayer Meeting this evening.  The rest of us went to bed early.
April 14, 1932 - Seems funny without Raymond and Louise at school.  Raymond stopped in after school and showed me the questions of exams they took today.  They should have passed in all of them.  Went to practice in the old Ford tonite.  It was great fun.
April 15, 1932 - Dismissed school at 2:30.  Handed out report cards today.  Raymond stopped and showed me the questions.  They should have passed them.  Ray, Mom and Grussmother stopped for me after school on their way home from Uncle Max'.  I gave them my suitcase and sent them travelling.  Practiced at schoolhouse tonite.  Went in the Ford again.  More fun!

Obviously, reviewing and play practice and riding around in the Ford has Grandma a bit off kilter.  Hopefully she is back on track soon.  I know I NEVER do this kind of thing in MY journal!

We haven't had a mention of Grussfather (Ola Brogren) or Grussmother (Dorothea Brogren) for a bit, so I will share a photo of them today.  This was taken in 1929, so very close in time to Grandma's diary entry.

Hopefully the Winside history isn't too dull yet.  Here's 1885:

     May 24, A. T. Chapin's farm home was destroyed by lightning, very little was saved.
     July 5, Wayne county's population this year is 3585.
     September 24, the last few windy days have ripened up the corn and put a red tinge on the grass.  H. N. Moore bought 78 head of cattle and will feed them out this winter.
     September 29, Candidates are ripening up fast this warm weather and we think that a large share of the crop will be harvested about October 14th.
     September 30, one of our neighbors went down to the east side, or the other side, anyway, to the new site with the intention of moving there soon.
     October 22, Northside is very quiet this week because there are no candidates around with cigars and whiskey to make them feel good.  Just a few days ago the boys were so happy you could hear them singing from Northside to This Side.
     October 29, Northside is like the Star Spangled Banner, "its still there", but not much left of it.
     October 30, a new Star was discovered early yesterday morning -- both mother and son are doing well says Warner.  James Hornby says "Northside is the longest town in Nebraska viz about four miles with a house at each end and plenty of room for more in the middle."
     November 12, Milligan and Co's. ware house at Northside will be open to receive grain Wednesday and Thursday of each week.
     November 26, J. W. Tillson has a hard time keeping a stock of lumber on hand -- he has not only sold what he had on hand, but seven car loads besides, also bought the Hoskins lumber yard and closed that out and every day some one wants more boards.

Some of these entries have a newspaper feel about them, others don't so much.  There is nothing in the history book on these pages citing sources.  Perhaps if I look elsewhere I might find some reference.

Imagine, candidates with whiskey and cigars roaming the streets!!

Some interesting data

April 4, 1932 - Lovely day.  Birds seem to be all here, they're singing all the time anyway.  Got the geography workbook tonite.  Went to schoolhouse for practice this evening.  Went thru first act and half of 2nd act.  Ironed my dresses after school tonite.  Mrs. T.J. Pryor's birthday.
April 5, 1932 - Nice today, but terribly windy.  Ray isn't at Scheurich's anymore.  I just found out this evening.  I wonder why?  Went to League at Wittler's.  We had a good time but not as good as some other times.  Everyone was sleepy.
April 6, 1932 - I was quite tired in school today.  Mrs. Walker, Evie, Mike and Mote went to Prayer Meeting this evening.  The rest of us went to bed early.  Mom called up this evening to see whether or not I wanted to come home Friday nite.

Speaking of the schoolhouse, I talked to Mom and she thinks Grandma was teaching at District 86 in 1932.  This is what the History of Wayne County (1938) book says about that school:

"Prior to 1915 pupils in district 86 attended school in district 78 or Hoskins.  As this seemed too far for pupils to travel, the district decided to build a school.  Among those who were in the district when the building was put up and still reside there are Carl Jochens, Wm. Maas, Andrew Johnson, Louis Nurnberg and Frank Maas.  Andrew Johnson is one of the earliest in the district.  Officers of the first term were Carl Jochens, Andrew Johnson and John Werner.  Anna Miller taught 24 pupils the first term.  The school had 36 students when Verl Wilson taught.  A cave was dug on the grounds in 1934."  The history was provided by Martha Utecht.

The book also lists the teachers for the 1937-38 school year, for the time the book was written.  The names I recognize most are Helen Iversen at District 28S and Dorothea Rew at District 40.  I didn't find Grandma's name so I am guessing that was the first year she didn't teach as she was starting her family about then.

This next bit of information has nothing to do with schools or teachers, and I should probably save it for a future post but I am inpatient.  Plus, I may forget.  From the 1930 census, of the 10,566 people living in Wayne County, 1,132 were foreign-born.  The greatest number of those, 592, were natives of Germany, while 174 were born in Sweden, 133 in Denmark, 64 in Wales and 38 in England.

The German, Swedish and Danish numbers don't surprise me, but Wales?  I wonder if there was a particular town most of them lived in.  And subtracting those figures from the whole leaves 131 from "several other countries".  Several?  I wonder what some of those were.

And get this -- in 1930 Wayne County had 6 miles of concrete, brick or asphalt roads and 73 miles of gravel roads.  Improved dirt roads numbered 774 miles, unimproved dirt roads 577 miles, and "other roads" totaled 74 miles.  No wonder rain kept Grandma from going places and different occasions.

Normal, normal

March 20, 1932 - Snowed this morning.  To Sunday School and Church this a.m.  This afternoon, Arnold and I won 2 games of 500 and 1 game of Pinochle from Lydia and Raymond.  To church this evening and then to Walker's.  Mote came back from Madison yesterday.
March 21, 1932 - Tired in school today.  Cold and windy this morning, but warmed up this afternoon.  Minnie and George not to school today.  Had play practice at the schoolhouse this evening.  Got new books for Delmar.
March 22, 1932 - Harry is coming to school again.  Mrs. Walker, Evelyn and Mike went to Fremont this afternoon.  The Midland A-Capella Choir is back from its western tour and is giving a concert tonite.  Ray and Mayme called me up this evening.  Early to bed.

Gracious, but I need more to work with here.  I wish I knew the name of the play they are going to put on and could look it up.

For no particular reason at all, here's a photo of Grandma's classmates.  I think.