Thursday, September 30, 1926

Grandma didn't write in her diary on this date. It must have been a busy time, as she next writes in her diary on October 3rd. Now might be a good time to look over some of the pictures I posted in this companion blog.

Wednesday, September 29, 1926

Grandma did not write in her diary on this day. A year earlier, she was awaiting the birth of her first daugher Marjorie and trying to get her 3rd son, Albert, to stop sucking his thumb.

And 69 years later, on this day, a great grandson would be born, and then 71 years later, a great granddaughter would be born. Happy Birthday to Sam & Sophie!

Tuesday, September 28, 1926

Tuesday, September 28, 1926
Rainy

Mama came out and kept the babies while I went to a missionary meeting at Grace’s. Nola Pegg took me, and I had such a nice time. It seemed as if people were more friendly there than they are at the class meetings. Maybe it is imagination but it seems as if they are a little bit “snippy” and “clannish” in the class. I suppose if such is the case I should appoint myself s a committee of one to see that no other poor member is “left in the cold” but I feel a little self-conscious myself because I am always about the poorest dressed one there.

(Grandma's social life seemed to be centered around her church and Sunday School class.)

Monday, September 27, 1926

No diary entry today. I suppose with Gilbert going out of town the day before and all the kids getting over whatever flu/food poisoning they had the week before that Grandma was backlogged with laundry and cleaning. And Mondays were always laundry day!

Sunday, September 26, 1926

Sunday, September 26, 1926

Gilbert gone to Crawfordsville. I sent the three boys to Sunday school and got the babies ready to go to the folks for the day. The boys came back here to the show in the afternoon and I came home about five o’clock to find a W. Lafayette church program in the door, signifying that Jessie and Clarence must have been here. I was so sorry to have missed them. There is no one would rather see.

(According to Aunt Marjorie, Jessie was a friend of Grandma's from when they were teenagers. Gilbert problably went to his cousin's funeral.)

Saturday, September 25, 1926

Saturday, September 25, 1926
Colder and rainy

Got a letter from Bess that Gilbert’s cousin, Dora Francis was dead, so he went in the evening after fixing the crack in the furnace and building a fire. The boys were so good to work today. Cleaned out the basement, the furnace and the registers. It was too cold and rainy to go out but they didn’t fuss about it a bit. Dale is getting interested in wood working and is going to buy himself tools to work with. Is making himself a tool box.

(This is the first mention of Dora Francis. As far as I know, Grandma never mentioned her in the family history. I don't know if Francis was a middle or last name.)

Friday, September, 24, 1926

Friday, September 24, 1926

Such a relief to have the children on the mend and able to go to school. It seems as if I don’t get anything done when any one is sick.

Thursday, September 23, 1926

Thursday, September 23, 1926

Dale stayed home this morning but was better by noon and this PM they all went back to school, a pale, peeked looking bunch.

(It appears whatever this illness was, they all got it eventually.)

Wednesday, September 22, 1926

Wednesday, September 22, 1926

Dick and Albert still bad. Dale has a touch of the same. Let the two sick ones spend the night on the couch near the bathroom.

(Whatever they had was either contagious or if it was food poisoning, it was affecting everyone at different times and to varying degrees.)

Tuesday, September 21, 1926

Tuesday, September 21, 1926

Albert and Dick both up a dozen times in the night, their bowels so loose. Then all day they lay on the couch or scrapped over the stool in the bathroom. They like to scrap anyway and feeling so sick, they are cross and so lay and quarrel by the hour. It is hard on nerves. Ned is getting better and though pale and thin is soon going to be well again,I believe. Marjorie getting as devilish as ever again. Got Robert Miller to carry Dick’s news route.

(Whatever they had, it seemed that nearly everyone got it.)

Monday, September 20, 1926

Monday, September 20, 1926

Dick didn’t feel a bit well when he got up this AM but the thought never entered his mind that he might stay home from school, he had not been absent for two years. But at noon he was real sick, fever and dysentery like Ned so of course gave up school but felt he had to take his papers, though I know he shouldn’t have gone. Albert too insisted he was sick but I wasn’t so sure about him. He doesn’t like to go to school very well. However I let him stay at home and I doctored him too, for it is only just to give the benefit of the doubt. Cleaned the bedroom and moved back upstairs.

(Whatever they had that was making them sick seemed to be affecting others in the family.

For someone who didn't like school, Albert sure went to a lot of school including college and then another four years of theological studies to become a Jesuit priest. Or was it eight more years of school after college? Dick eventually went to enough school to get his PhD in philosophy.)

Sunday, September 19, 1926

Sunday, September 19, 1926
Fair and warm

Would be a good day to get out if the children were all well. Gilbert and I both having a little bowel trouble. Papa came out to see Ned and left a tonic for the rest of us. Ned seemed brighter this PM and played a little. So afraid he will over do himself again. Sent the boys to the show again for the sake of a little peace. Don’t like to do it. Don’t want them to feel they are in the way, here at home. But this is an unusual situation as I have not slept only little snatches at a time all week and am awfully nervous and done up.

(It was a rough few days with sick children, but now it seems others were starting to get sick, too.)

Saturday, September 18, 1926

Saturday, September 18, 1926
Fair and warm

Dick needed a pair of shoes so I sent him to Papa to help pick them out on our account at Goldsteins but instead he went to Stouts and bought them outright, also a belt. Guess it is all right as he keeps Winifred and spends lots of money on her in spite of Harry’s brags on how much money he makes! Ned seemed brighter this afternoon and sat in the window and called to Phillip and the boys who played in front. An hour or so of this and then he wilted – had over done himself and lay so still after that. Poor little sick baby boy!

(Goldsteins is no long around that I know of, but Stout's Shoes is still in business, in the same place where Dick and great-grandpa Campbell would have gone!)

Friday, September 17, 1926

Friday, September 17, 1926
Fair and warm

Such a day! Ned was so restless and feverish from 1:30 last night and still had such a diarrhea with bloody stools. He cried for me to hold him all day and Marjorie who is about to get two “butter teeth” through would cry when I took him. She didn’t sleep much but wanted to be nursed so much of the time. Mama came over and helped me or I never would have got through. Finally washed out their clothes but that’s all. Marjorie is about as near well as she will be till she’s through teething I imagine. A little Dickens she is. But pour little Ned, so sick!!

(With Ned so sick, perhaps his was food poisoning?)

Thursday, September 16, 1926

Thursday, September 16, 1926
Fog then fair

Ned got sick in the night, had convulsions. I was so scared alone with him, I called Gilbert who was having asthma upstairs but he didn’t hear me. I couldn’t leave Ned for a minute. He was cold with pain and I was afraid he would pass out. I never saw convulsions before and never want to again. The plums he ate caused it I think. He throwed up some which seemed to be pure plum and I found so many seeds on the floor when I swept. I was so busy yesterday I didn’t notice how many he did get. He seemed better in the evening and talked a little. Gilbert had asthma and stayed home till noon.

(Today if a child woke up with convulsions, we would call 911 and go right to a hospital. Not in 1926!)

Wednesday, September 15, 1926

Wednesday, September 15, 1926
Fair and hot

Marjorie some better but wanted lots of attention when she was awake, I tried to sew on a new fall dress I want to wear to the class party tomorrow if I can go which is doubtful. However I want to get the dress done anyway and did quite a lot to it with Marjorie on my lap. Ned played so hard out in the sun with Philip that I’m afraid he overheated himself. He came in at supper time and lay down on the floor and went sleep. He had been eating some plums and I thought his stomach needed a rest so I let him to sleep through supper. When I put him to bed he was feverish.

(Perhaps Ned was coming down with whatever ailed Marjorie?)

Tuesday, September 14, 1926

Tuesday, September 14, 1926
Fair

Marjorie’s fever is about gone but she still looks so pale and her bowels are moving so many times I have to be careful of her. She has always been so husky and such a rowdy that I forgot what a delicate flower she really was and she had to get sick so as I would be more careful of her I guess. I’ve such had a scare, but I believe she will get all right again.

(I wonder if this is a bug that others in the family would get?)

Monday, September 13, 1926

Monday, September 13, 1926
Rainy

Gilbert home till noon and probably would not have gone then but his stenographer was home sick. Marjorie slept a little but wanted to lay in my arms most of the morning. After noon she took a long nap and seemed a little better after that, but still lots of room for improvement.

(Days are longer, it seems, when someone is sick.)

Sunday, September 12, 1926

Sunday, September 12, 1926
Cloudy and cool

My darling baby sick, she took such a diarrhea and she had high fever all day. She’s never been this way before. She is usually such a romp but today she only lays in my arms. Mama met the boys at Sunday school and took Ned out of their care for his birthday candle ceremony. Albert got his silver star at last although he should have had it months ago. Sent the boys to the picture show in the afternoon to have it quiet for the baby. They are too peppy to keep still here with nothing to do.

(Does anyone know what the birthday candle ceremeon at Sunday School was all about, or what a 'silver star' was for?

And to think that the diapers were not disposable and all had to be washed up.)

Saturday, September 11, 1926

Saturday, September 11, 1926
Cool

Cleaned up the house then went down town with Dale to get him some shoes and myself a new dress. Dick took care of Marjorie. She loves him and he adores her. She cried and he rocked her and had put her to sleep when we got back. We met Miss Donnan in the store and talked a few minutes with her. I was glad Dale saw her she is such a character.

(Aunt Marjorie noted that Dick was about seven and a half years older than she was, which means he was about eight and half years old when he took care of her on this day. She did not know who Miss Donnan was, perhaps she was a teacher or someone from church. And I wonder what made Miss Donnan "such a character"? We will never know.

And we may never know who, but I suspect that based on the "hits" counter for this blog, someone found it yesterday and read the whole thing. Normally, this blog gets about 30 hits per day, I assume mostly from readers who come by and read the current post each morning to find out what was going on 81 years ago. I am curious about yesterday, when there were 319 hits. "Come out come out, whoever you are!" Leave a comment and let me know how you found this blog and what you think of it. Are you a long-lost cousin perhaps? Or if you would prefer not to leave a comment, email me at mdg_blog AT comcast DOT net.)

Friday, September 10, 1926

Friday, September 10, 1926
Fair

A dandy fall day. I finished my ironing and got quite a bit of other work done. Marjorie got a bad fall today down the front steps. I always lay the wagon on its side in front of the steps when I put her out in her Taylor Tot and I did this time but Ned moved it to get his kiddy car down and of course didn’t put it back. So she followed him I supposed and must have turned a somersault. She bruised one cheek badly and scraped it.

(Falls in the Taylor Tots are why we don't see those sold any more! Ned would be about two years old, maybe three. Hardly old enough to know to put back the wagon to block the stairs.)

Thursday, September 9, 1926

Thursday, September 9, 1926
Cooler

Big rain last night. It just poured down for several hours. Of course it laid Gilbert up again. He didn’t go to work at all today. The folks are still having visitors and Aunt Mat. Posy and Mama all came over this afternoon before I got my ironing done. So I still have some to do. Ned is three years old today. I made fudge while Dale went down town to get him some toys. I sent Dick to buy a cake as I would have no time to make one when I found the folks were coming. He got two halves – all Anderson had and they were molded.

(According to Marjorie, Dan Anderson owned the grocery store two blocks down the street from them. I hope they didn't eat the moldy cake!)

Wednesday, September 8, 1926

Wednesday, September 8, 1926
Cloudy

Gilbert did some work here in the morning and then went to work at noon. I tried all day to get my ironing done but finally gave up. I have no pep these days. This evening I began to take the beads off of a dress of Mama’s she gave me. It is beautiful material and black is so stylish I could make a good dress if I ever get the beads off, but there are so many.

(They certainly tried to reuse and recycle in the 20's. Today, who would try to reuse material from one dress to make a new dress? I assume Grandma's mother still wore dresses that were fairly long and full, so there would be plenty of material there.)

Tuesday, September 7, 1926

Tuesday, September 7, 1926
Clear and warm

Mama called up that Uncle Jim is sick in bed there so they could not come out but she wanted them to see the children, so I had to take them over. However I took time to make up my juice into jelly as this was a clear day for it and the paper said cloudy again tomorrow. I got a late start and was late getting home for supper but Gilbert is so good natured, he never says a word. He did not go to work today and coughs all the time. Poor boy, I wish I could help him but I can’t so I was glad to be where I couldn’t hear him.

(Aunt Marjorie commented, "Mother always accomplished more than any other person I ever knew". Grandma was certainly a busy person washing, mending, sewing, cooking and cleaning for her family.)

Monday, September 6, 1926

Monday, September 6, 1926
Cloudy

Tried to wash even if it was Labor Day but had a hard time of it. My washer finally refused to work and I had all the things to wring by hand wringer and the colored clothes didn’t get washed as much as they ought but I had no wash board to supplement that so I left the worst for next time. Mama called about the reunion yesterday. Uncle Jim’s and Posy Keens and her husband all came home with them and wanted to see us but considering the fact that I was washing and having trouble they didn't come today.

(Grandma seems to be consistent in her routine, washing clothes every Monday.)

Sunday, September 5, 1926

Sunday, September 5, 1926
Rain

The Jordan reunion was held today at Turkey Run . The Smiths were not there. Gilbert said I could have gone but I would have to go alone with the kids on the train and bus and it would have been a bad trip. It was a miserable day for it. We found out what the medicine is Gilbert took and I had to go to Brookshire after Sunday school and get some as Gilbert was out completely and had a terrible attack of asthma last night. He felt he couldn’t breathe any position so he came down and took a morphine tablet so as he could get a little sleep.

(How times have changed regarding drugs, to think they had morphine on hand.

Aunt Marjorie wrote regarding the reunion, "Grandmother Campbell was originally a Jordan, so her four brothers' families and usually all of Grandmother's family congregated together on Labor Day weekend for a picnic and business meeting regarding Great-Grandpa Jordan's farm, originally about 1,000 acres near Gibson City, IL, which was to be sold after all his five children died. Grandmother outlived all of her brothers by many years. During the recession years when property prices were low, I used to hear many relatives say, "Aunt Lizzie hang on!" and Grandmother accomodated them. She was about 91 when she died."

Saturday, September 4, 1926

Saturday, September 4, 1926
Cloudy

Gilbert went to the plant but didn’t feel very much like it. But so near the 1st of the month he had to get some of his reports back to the office. Then he brought a big grip full of work home with him he intends to do Sunday and Labor Day.

(Even in the 1920's, people brought their work home to finish!)

Friday, September 3, 1926

Friday, September 3, 1926
Rain

Gilbert felt better this AM and went to the plant about 10:30. After that it cleared up and his nose started up. It was fair in the afternoon but sultry. I took Albert, Ned, and Marjorie down town and got Albert and Marjorie some shoes.

(Gilbert must have suffered terribly from asthma and allergies!)

Thursday, September 2, 1926

Thursday, September 2, 1926
Rainy

Had tomatoes to can but had to buy cans. Have some juice to make jelly in some cans and if the weather were fit could make that up but cloudy days do not make good jelly. Canned 5 qts of plums and some tomatoes about 13 qts. After supper I ran down town on the bus to get Gilbert some more asthmador.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I wonder if Mother had to go to Grandpa's office to get asthmador or did she go to the drugstore at Meridian and Ohio Street where they made up medicines from Grandpa's recipes sometimes?"

I wish we still had copies of those old recipes that Dr. Rolla Campbell had for making medicines, not to make them but just to see what kinds of ingredients he used.

Grandma is doing a lot of canning these late summer days. I don't know why "cloudy days do not make good jelly", is that "for real" or just an old wives' tale?)

Wednesday, September 1, 1926

Wednesday, September 1, 1926
Rainy

Had a near cloud burst last night. Gilbert had the asthma and wasn’t real bad but didn’t feel like going to work all day. The weather is all to the bad for him. The air is damp and oppressive. I canned 16 qts. of peaches.

(I can imagine how hot Grandma's kitchen might get when she was canning.)