It's genetic

April 7, 1931 - Real warm today.  We had a field trip in Nature Study.  Walked down town with Jane and Florence J. this afternoon.  Mailed a letter to Loretta, too.  Saw Miriam Bracken and Tillie and walked around with them until 5:30.  I was tired after that long walk.  Wrote a long letter to Mayme tonite.  Aunt Mildred had her hair cut today.  Tillie said today that Ella and Herman Willers are going to give a chivari dance in Pilger Friday nite.  I hope I get to go.
April 8, 1931 - Miss Schemel spoke in chapel this morning about the University of Paris and student life there.  We had a terrible dust storm today.  Aunt Mildred went to Sioux City with Mrs. Gifford.  Tillie and I went to Lutheran Club tonite.  Rev. Olson of Wausau spoke concerning Mormonism.
April 9, 1931 - Talked to Jane and the girls in Ad. Hall tonite.  Stamped the pillowcase tonite to embroider.  I am making my first attempt at cutwork.  I finished the buffet scarf of Mother's that I started about four years ago.  Aunt Mildred and Uncle Chris went to Forrest and Hattie's for a card party this evening.

Allllllright!!!  It is genetic that I start projects and do not finish them for, well, yes, years.  I am soooo glad to know this. 

I found a number of photos that looked to be of Grandma and her college friends, but it is hard to be sure.  This one had names on the back, but I learned from looking at some of the other photos that the names were not necessarily those of the people in the photos, but instead those that wanted or were going to be gifted prints.  This is because there would be more names than people in photos, for instance.  So, this photo may or may not have Mayme, Edna, Tillie and Carrie in it.  One thing I do know for sure is that there are some serious finger-waves going on.  What did Grandma call her hair a few posts back? -- grand and glorious?  I think the photo bears that out.

Underwear and kerosene and sandwiches

April 4, 1931 - Mended and washed my silk underwear this morning and Momma and I cleaned up the house.  Annie and Ola wanted to go to Norfolk today but we couldn't because Momma was baking coffee cake.  Martha, Florence, Edwin, Hans and Ralph came up tonite and we played pinochle rummy.  We girls played against the boys and won the first game and they won the second.
April 5, 1931 - Easter Sunday.  We went to church this morning.  The church was filled.  Uncle Hans, Lillie, Sophia, Ralph, Edwin, Hans and Willie were here for dinner.  F.S., M.B., R.K., H.B., E.B. and I were all down to Schellenberg's this afternoon.  Took crazy pictures, etc.  All went up to Uncle Hans', had supper and went to the Welsh Church this evening.  We thought there'd be an Easter program but there wasn't.  After church we went to Uncle Hans' and played cards! (P.R.).  Orville drank kerosene today and was pretty weak this afternoon.
April 6, 1931 - Visited school this morning with Florence.  Went to the church for quilting this afternoon with Momma.  Mrs. Trautwein entertained the ladies because it was her birthday.  I helped her with the lunch.  She served meat and peanut sandwiches, baked beans, pickles, coffee cake with whipped cream.  Stopped to see Grandma Petersen a few minutes.  Ray and Mom brought me back this evening in Ray's "open air bus."

Well, now I am thinking either Grandma did not remember her diaries were in the trunk, or else she completely forgot she mentioned her unmentionables in them.  Ha!  I suppose she wouldn't care that people know she washed her undies.  It is a much better situation than having people think she didn't. 

Now I have some questions:

The Welsh Church?  Was this a church in Winside?

Why would Orville drink kerosene?

Did the meat and peanuts go together on the same sandwiches?

Why was Uncle Ray's car called "open air bus" and was it only a temporary name?

I thought a cute photo of Grandma and Uncle Ray was in order.

Photos of one sort or another

April 1, 1931 - Dr. Lewis spoke in chapel this morning.  He contrasted the conditions of 100 years ago with those of the present day.  The program committee of the Lutheran Club had a committee meeting this afternoon.  It started raining tonite.  Mom called up and said Ray wouldn't come after me because he didn't have his car fixed.  I went to a piano and voice recital this evening with Opal Wingett and Mildred Grier.  I enjoyed it immensely.
April 2, 1931 - Rainy all day today.  Got my estimate grades at the office.  I also found out that my scholarship pays for my certificate.  It makes me feel real good.  Grammar test wasn't so bad but it could have been easier.  I went home on the train tonite.  There were lots of girls that went home on the train.  Ray met me and carried my suitcase up the hill.  Mom, Ray and I went to the movie and saw "Sweethearts On Parade."  Got the Laurel pictures today.  Talked to Florence over the phone tonite.
April 3, 1931 - Washed my hair this morning and went down to Anna Pete's this afternoon and had it cut and finger waved.  It feels grand and glorious.  Mamma and I went down to Schellenberg's tonite.  I had a good talk with Florence.  We all played Pinochle Rummy.  Ed Schellenberg's were there and we had a real good time.

I am not surprised, but I didn't know Grandma went to college on a scholarship.  Good for her.  And I am really glad her hair felt grand and glorious!

The photo is from Sweethearts on Parade -- I couldn't find a photo of a poster.

I don't know that Grandma mentioned when she mailed her film, but the Laurel pictures were taken on March 22.  I am impressed with the film processing and the mail service of the time.  Not bad 1931, not bad.

Counting

March 29, 1931 - I got up late this morning and had to build a fire, of course.  Had breakfast and dinner.  Laid around all afternoon waiting for those kids to come but they didn't show up! Brr!  I was peeved.  R.K., F.S. and E.B. came here tonite but I asked R.K. to take me home a few minutes, 'cause I wanted to get some things from home.  We had a gloryiferous time going and coming.  Went over the new highway and was it bumpy!  I counted 70 bumps and then quit.  Talked with Mom about an hour, while the kids played "mill".
March 30, 1931 - Warmer today but still cloudy.  Talked to Jane this afternoon.  She walked down town with me.  Saw Hattie in at The Golden Rule.  Hugo Berg and his mother were up here this evening.  While Hugo played and Aunt Mildred sang, Uncle Chris helped me with my Arithmetic.  I went to bed about 11 o'clock, I was sleepy.  Went up to Wilma and Tillie's room this morning as usual.
March 31, 1931 - Warm and like spring today.  Went up to Tillie and Wilma's room this morning.  We got out of Rural School Management early today.  Ironed this noon and after school.  Went with Mae Beckenhaur to a piano and voice recital in the auditorium this afternoon.  Arlowynne was here for supper.

I am not surprised to read that Grandma counted the bumps in the highway for a while.  I am not sure which cat it was, but somebody's cat sat on Grandma's lap and kneaded like cats like to do.  Apparently it was a really good kneader, so much so that Grandma counted each knead.  She ended up with quite a big number, but I forget now what it was and whether or not Grandma gave up after it got a bit ridiculous.  For some reason, I count the back-and-forths when I am sawing.  (There has to be a better term for each mini-cut while sawing, but I can't think of it.)  I did it just last night while I was cleaning up the fallen tree mess in the goats' pen.  I didn't plan to, just found myself counting, branch after branch.

There they are, the one little escape artist and his brother; the reasons I had to cut up the fallen tree and re-arrange the fence a bit.  Goofy goats.

Who is Grubby?

March 26, 1931 - Nature Study test today.  It started raining this morning and turned into snow tonite. It acted like a regular blizzard.  Stayed up until 12 o'clock tonite working on my Nature Study notebook.
March 27, 1931 - Woke up at 6 o'clock this morning and worked on my notebook in bed.  I called Mom up this afternoon and told her I couldn't come home because the folks are going away tomorrow.  Aunt Mildred asked Grubby and Pete over this evening.  Pete and I played against Grubby and A. Mildred.  We played 500 and lost 5 games out of seven.  Had lunch when Uncle Chris came home.  Ray's car is on the blink.  "A valve head blew off and poked a hole in the piston."  That's what they said happened, can't prove it by me!!!!
March 28, 1931 - We got up late this morning.  I helped Aunt Mildred clean up the house.  They left this afternoon for Louisville at about 5 o'clock.  I made candy this evening and Mrs. Smith and I played cards.  Ralph called up about 8 o'clock and said he, Florence and Edwin would be over this evening.  They came and we played pinochle rummy.  Florence and I played against the boys.  Gee we had lots of fun.  Florence said if Martha came to see her tomorrow they might come over.  I hope they do.

Does anyone know who Grubby and Pete are?  Sounds like a good name for a play or a comedy duo or a cartoon or something.

I missed posting last night as I stayed in Lincoln late to go hear Dane and his group sing downtown.  A very nice performance.  Dane's fan club included Mom, Dale, Lynn, Kyleah, Allison and myself.  Nancy and Wayne couldn't find a parking space and were not there.  Kyleah was late and missed the entire performance so Dane asked his friends to sing one more song.  They went outside since another group was going to be performing inside where they had been.  The one song was such a hit, they decided to do another.  Great fun.  Grandma would have enjoyed it to be sure.

Kyleah was much happier after that special performance than she looks in this picture.

Wayne County

March 23, 1931 - Rainy and misty all day.  Went up to Tillie and Wilma's room as usual.  An entertainment at the school auditorium tonite but it was so cold and snowy I didn't go.  Aunt Mildred and I popped corn.  Then played cards with Mrs. Smith.  I went to bed quite early, for some reason I was tired, but I don't know why! [At the bottom of the page in handwriting different from Grandma's:  "In the morning, down the stream of time, goes your old friend in a watermelon rind." - M.S.]
March 24, 1931 - Really rained today.  Studied and went to be early again tonite.
March 25, 1931 - Helped Aunt Mildred get ready for her Larkin Club party.  This evening Mrs. Smith and I played 66 and 500.  I tried to study but failed.  Helped Aunt Mildred get the lunch ready.  After everyone had gone we did the dishes and straightened up the house before we went to bed.  Went to a piano and voice recital this afternoon.  Arithmetic and Algebra tests today.  Went to Lutheran Club tonite with Tillie.  Dr. Phelon spoke about his experiences in China.

I don't have anything to add to Grandma's words here, so I'll resort to using some tidbits I read in the History of Wayne County book I found recently.  I have only skimmed it so far, but I see that Henry Langenberg had the last herd of buffalo in Wayne County, kept somewhere near Hoskins.  Of the first four Wayne County Superintendents, three were women and one looked like she could have been a movie star.  The first county seat was LaPorte, a town I have never heard of.  I haven't found where the town was, but the cemetery which I suppose was fairly close, was six miles southeast of Wayne.  There are some depressing stories of deaths by freezing and fire and murder, but I won't share those.  I'll read more to find something interesting and upbeat for a later post.

The photo is Winside's Main Street, but I do not know when it was taken.  What a nice, wide, muddy street!

Not an English teacher yet

March 20, 1931 - Ray came after me tonite after school.  He stopped at Uncle Charlie's to get those electrical books that U. C. is giving him for a graduation present.  But U. C. wasn't home.  I went down to Florence's this evening.  We had a real good talk.  Mom went to G. P. tonite and I stopped in there for her on my way home.  Coming home this afternoon Ray and I watched them working on the new highway east of Winside.
March 21, 1931 - Worked like the dickens today.  Cleaned up the house, washed out my clothes, ironed, and frosted cakes!  All the kids came, Florence S., Ralph, Loretta, Hans, Martha, Edwin, Willie, Lillie.  Mom and Grandad played P. Rummy, too.  Made just three tables.  Had sandwiches, salad, pickles, coffee, jello, cake.  It was 4 o'clock before the kids left.  Ralph and Edwin took Florence and I to Wayne tonite.  It was five before Florence and I went to sleep.
March 22, 1931 - Got up about 11 o'clock and had breakfast.  Did the dishes.  A. M. and U. Chris left about 2:30 for Wakefield.  R.K. and E.B. came about 2:30.  I drove the car.  We followed the Highway to Coleridge (from Laurel we went to Dixon and back to Laurel.  Stopped east of L. by R.R. and took pictures.)  From Coleridge followed cow trails.  We teeter-tottered, went down slippery-slides, picked up rocks, picked pine bouquets.  Finally we came to Hartington.  Had a hamburger.  Florence drove home.  This has been a glorious day.

I believe it is "Ralph and Edwin took Florence and me to Wayne . . . " but I am only pointing that out so Grandma knows that I know how it should be. 

I think G.P. on March 20 is Grandma Petersen, but it is just a guess.  I also had to guess on a few of the names of the kids that came on the 21st.  Grandma's handwriting left just a tad to be desired.  Plus, I am typing this in a dark room and using the light from the next room to read.  I need to get a good lamp to put on or near my desk.

I just realized Grandma hasn't been to a dance or a movie for a while.  I wonder what is up with that.

I know the photo isn't from 1931, it isn't even from the 1930's but I really like it.  And Ralph was mentioned in this post, and the photo is from a Kahler reunion.  So, it all fits.  I think it was a Kahler reunion anyway . . .