Wednesday, June 30, 1926

Wednesday, June 30, 1926
Hot

Got up early feeling fine. Canned a few red plums which we had got to eat but didn’t like and made 3 glasses of jelly. Cleaned up the house a little and made me a dress of lavender striped with black and white – sport style.

(More canning and on a hot day. It must have really been hot in that kitchen.

I am having a hard time visualizing what a "sport style" dress looked like in the 1920's. I also can't believe she made it in one day.)

Tuesday, June 29, 1926

Tuesday, June 29, 1926
Hot

Mama had to have help and as I had my ironing on hand I sent Dale over. He seeded her cherries, combed her hair, went to the store for her and came back in time for his news route.

(Awhile back, Grandma wrote in her diary that she couldn't get Dale to stop playing and help with anything. Seems like he was a big help on this day.)

Monday, June 28, 1926

Monday, June 28, 1926
Hot

Mama had a few cherries on her little trees which she picked this AM and afternoon started down town to get an electric treatment for her rheumatism, which still bothers her left hand and wrist, when she caught her heel on the step and fell injuring her right hand and bruising her shoulder and hip. She went on to town later and got her treatment which she needed worse than ever. Her wrist was sprained I guess. Swelled up a lot. I washed.

(I wonder what the electric treatments were like?)

Sunday, June 27, 1926

Sunday, June 27, 1926

All went to Sunday school.

(I think that nearly every Sunday Grandma went to church and/or Sunday School, unless she was sick or one of the kids was sick. We always had a picture of her in our living room that was of her in her Sunday best, standing in the foyer of the church. I would guess she was in her sixties in that picture, and I recall she had on a hat and was wearing white gloves.)

Saturday, June 26, 1926

Grandma resumed writing in her diary on the 27th.

I think from reading past Saturday entries in her diaries, that Saturdays were particularly busy, getting everyone cleaned up for church and also straightening up the house in case they had any family or friends stop by on Sunday.

Friday, June 25, 1926

No diary entry again today. I checked Grandma's diary entry from a year ago and they were picking and seeding cherries. Dick was sick at the time, and Albert was still recovering from the "glandular fever" that he had for so long. I assume they were working on cherries again this year.

Someone commented asking what was my favorite memory of Grandma. I guess it would be going over there on Sunday afternoons and picking Lily of the Valley flowers or being upstairs discovering all kinds of old things hidden away. Sometimes we would get to play the old record player, an Edison, that you had to crank by hand. What I wish now is that Grandma would have still had a piano so we could have heard her play it. Until I read these diaries, I did not know she ever played the piano.

I also liked to go in her backyard with her and see the old "cigar tree", which I now know was a Catalpa tree, and the remnants of a little fish pond nearby.

Thursday, June 24, 1926

No diary entry for this day. Aunt Marjorie has been sending me notes every few weeks with her comments on the diary so I can post those online, and my mom (Eleanor) comments frequently. In some of the notes Marjorie sent me, she wrote the following about their life:

"I loved clothes probably because I didn't have many. I supposed I was a typical whining kid who wanted 'things', and I remember wanting new shoes and told Mother that Joanne (a neighbor) had two pairs of shoes, and Mother said, "Joann has a father." End of discussion."

Gilbert, Ruth's husband and my grandfather, died in 1935, when Marjorie was almost 10 and Eleanor was almost 6. Following that, Grandma did go back to work, at Tech High School, but never made much money. The older boys helped financially as they could, I believe. Aunt Marjorie said that Grandma never discussed her finances with her or Mom.

Does it make a difference reading the diary to know that Grandma would be a widow in less than 10 years?

Wednesday, June 23, 1926

No diary entry again today. My guess is that during these days, she was too busy canning cherries to write in her diary. It seems like she often got overly tired or hot, and I would guess the kitchen was very hot with the stove going for canning. Plus, none of her other daily work like washing clothes, ironing (and ironing and ironing), cooking and caring for an infant, a toddler, and three young boys stopped just because the cherries were ripe.

Tuesday, June 22, 1926

I just realized that Grandma didn't write in her diary today, or for the next several days. This might be a good time for me to take a break for a few days or I can answer specific questions about Grandma that readers might have, perhaps clear up some confusion? Comment if you have any questions!

Monday, June 21, 1926

Monday, June 21, 1926

Washed and prepared to put up the cherries. The boys began picking them but our trees are so big they can not get so many that hang in the top and out far on the big limbs. Our ladder isn’t the right kind.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Why don't I see cherry trees in Indianapolis yards these days? Is it because mothers are working in offices and companies and don't have time to seed cherries? What a loss!"

My other grandmother also did a lot of canning, in quantities we can't even imagine today. But if she didn't can, they didn't have anything to eat in the winter! They usually canned 2,500 quarts of fruits and vegetables every year. I don't think Grandma Ruth canned quite that much at all. I guess that was the difference of living in the city versus the country).

Sunday, June 20, 1926

Sunday, June 20, 1926

Took Ned to Sunday school and stayed with him in the baby room to get him accustomed to going but he is painfully bashful. In the afternoon Gilbert took the three boys to Broad Ripple to swim and I would have taken the babies to the folks but our trees are hanging red with cherries so I had to stay home to guard them but only caught one thief, Frances Miller who tumbled off the fence trying to get them while they have two trees fuller in their own yard. But her own mother told me once that “corn tastes better gotten out of some farmers field” so what can expect?

(My, my, a thief in the neighborhood! Who could believe that such a thing would happen? I guess Grandma knew what she was doing when she decided to stay home to guard her cherry tree!

By the way, this is the 500th entry posted from Grandma's diaries. We are about half way through the three years that I have. I hope you are enjoying this glimpse into the past, of how one woman raised her family in the 1920's.)

Saturday, June 19, 1926

There is no diary entry for this day. Instead, I will share some information that Aunt Marjorie provided on the family's reaction to Albert converting to Catholicism and becoming a Jesuit priest. He was ordained on June 14, 1954.

Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I saw your blog last night and saw that one of your readers asked how Albert became a convert and what was the family reaction. Someone asked Albert what started his interest in Catholicism and he said that in high school he learned type writing and was practicing by copying the dictionary and his interest was piqued by the word "sacraments". (I believe that was the word he said.)

When he went to Harvard, with a full scholarship (they probably thought he would someday make a lot of money and bequeath his fortune to the school), he majored in science and math. He apparently told some of his fellow students that a certain professor was a communist. That professor heard this and was so angry Albert was banned from the science department. So Albert changed his major to theology.

Apparently sometime later that professor was actually convicted as being a communist. I can't verify this - I have no names or dates. Being in high school at the time I didn't pay that much attention to my brother's life.

In college Albert made many Catholic friends, men and women, in an association or club, probably many students. One of his friends was Avery Dulles (son of John Foster Dulles) who graduated top in his class. He became a Jesuit priest and became a Cardinal. He also was a convert - his parents were Presbyterians, I recall. Albert graduated 2nd in his class.

Upon graduation, Albert went to a novitiate program on a mountain side in Los Gatos, California. (Albert told me Los Gatos meant "city of cats".)

Mother was disappointed Albert didn't marry and have children but there were no hysterics or trauma about Albert's decision to become a Jesuit priest. The different relatives were interested, surprised, maybe amused by Albert's conversion, except Aunt Bess who had stories to tell about Catholics taking young people in hiding to keep them away from their families.

One of the times Dale visited Albert he wrote Mother that Albert had found his niche in life and was happy in his life, which made Mother happy."

Friday, June 18, 1926

Friday, June 18, 1926

Still tired and my arms arched from holding Marjorie 6 hours Wednesday. Besides wearing my good shoes makes my foot hurt so badly. Pains run through that toe I hurt last winter till I can hardly stand it. The boys made a dam at the creek and think they really can swim. They are crazy to show Daddy.

(I think Grandma suffered with poor feet most of her life.

In her family history, Grandma wrote that Gilbert (Daddy) was a very good swimmer, in spite of having one leg shorter than the other. He swam well enough to once save another boy from drowning. Several times she mentions him taking the boys swimming; I think it was one sport he could participate in with them.)

Aunt Marjorie wrote, "The creek was two blocks away and runs thorugh Brookside Park and Spades Park, split by Rural Street over the bridge. When I was young, one of the Hildebrandt kids got typhoid fever by taking a drink out of that creek."

Yuck, seems like they had water pollution even back then. I suspect that raw sewage might have been dumped into those creeks. Still today in Indianapolis, if there are a lot of storms, the sewers can overflow into the creeks. They are working to correct that!)

Thursday, June 17, 1926

Thursday, June 17, 1926

Too tired to do much after yesterday’s stunt. Continued from yesterday anywa.

Then when things started up the Collins kids wanted to go on the sky rocket and that was one thing my boys thought was dangerous and didn’t want to go on so I told Mrs. C. to go on and take hers and my boys went somewhere else so from that time on till 3 when we left I sat on a bench and watched the coats and baskets, held the baby and hardly saw the others. When the time came I got my boys together and came home sore and tired. Good time! But never again. But I might have known. Mac’s dropped in while we were eating.

(I would guess that Grandma was not prepared for company when Mac's dropped. That would be one of Gilbert's best friends and his wife.

And why did they have coats with them in June?)

Wednesday, June 16, 1926

Wednesday, June 16, 1926
Cloudy

Well the East End Milk co. had a picnic at Riverside and the boys were all set to take their lunch and go alone when Mrs. Collins came over and urged me to go too. “Come lets go and take all the kids. I’ll help you with the babies and it will be fun” Well that way Albert would get to go so I consented and hustled to get ready. We got out there about 11 and the rest went on the caterpillar while I held Marjorie. But such a mob! They had to wait about an hour to get on. Then I started to go on something and they all stopped for lunch so we ate. (I don’t care for sandwiches) next page.

(What an adventerous day. Grandma continues the story tomorrow...)

Tuesday, June 15, 1926

Tuesday, June 15, 1926

Oh the boys are so cross and noisy they nearly finish me. I feel as if it will be a miracle if I remain alive when school takes up. They have cut loose and are just running wild. I do hope they quiet down and get used to vacation. I am thankful for the news route as it gives them a job and they go at three promptly and give me a little breathing spell.

(I have a hard time imagining my uncles as these "wild little boys". I wonder how bad they really were, or if Grandma was just extra sensitive to their noisy ways.)

Monday, June 14, 1926

Monday, June 14, 1926
Hot

The boys were gone all morning with the Millers to the Pure Oil barns wherever they are. They got good and tired – got caught in a thunder storm and said they didn’t see why they wanted to go there anyway – there was nothing to see or do when they got there. So I hope they are cured of wanting to go with them. They are just dumb hicks and have no ideals at all. By the way they were to move but that has all fallen through so we still have to contend with.

(I can't imagine that today anyone would let their kids go off with neighbors like that, not knowing where exactly they were going. It sure was different in the 1920's! I do admire Grandma for letting the boys have experiences like this, doing something with neighbors she didn't really approve of, so they could learn for themselves and figure it out themselves. I assume she judged the neighbors harmless, or she wouldn't let the boys go off with them like that.)

Sunday, June 13, 1926

Sunday, June 13, 1926
Hot – rain cooler

Had a long quiet restful day at home and I needed it too. Had a headache. Nerves I guess and then from getting so hot yesterday too I guess. Dad was here till late in the afternoon. He took quite a shine to Marjorie. Says she is just about the best and happiest baby he has ever seen. It seems to me he makes over her more than he ever did one of the boys. But there is no denying, the fact that she is a darling. Big, fat and pretty.

(It's nice to have a day to rest every week, and with all the work Grandma did through each week, she deserved some time to rest.)

Saturday, June 12, 1926

Saturday, June 12, 1926
Hot

Turned in and cleaned the bathroom and scrubbed the kitchen the first thing reaping a rich harvest . It’s a good thing I did for just before I got done the other rooms – in walked Dad. Luckily we had nothing planned for tomorrow only I did want to go to Sunday school as Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Philputt and several others from the church are leaving for Europe next Wednesday.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "A rich harvest? Must have meant the floor was pretty dirty!"

Dad is Gilbert's father, who lived in Crawfordsville.)

Friday, June 11, 1926

Friday, June 11, 1926
Hot

School out. The boys all got splendid marks. Albert got A’s for the last six weeks which brought his average up to B which is good, especially for a beginner. The boys are so joyous over the prospect of school out that one would think they didn’t like school. Continued from yesterday. After she left I went to the Sunday school party at Mrs. Weilands, left the children with Mama and getting back found that the three youngest had slept all the time and I had to wait till they woke up before coming home The big boys read.

(I guess Grandma believed it "let sleeping babies lie" along with toddlers and little boys!)

Thursday, June 10, 1926

Thursday, June 10, 1926
Hot

Went to Mama’s and the boys came out after school. Winifred left for Hollywood, Florida. Harry has rented a flat and has everything all ready and Mable tried to persuade her to put off going said she was cramping too much but Winifred said “No, I’m going today” very emphatically. It made me long to take a journey. I haven’t been on a train for twelve years except for four miles. Winifred looked awfully pretty when she left in a flannel ensemble for Florida!! I hope she learns to use better judgment when she gets way from Mable.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I always thought Winifred was very pretty (she was about 14 years older than me). My youngest daugher has Winifred's large brown eyes."

Harry seemed to like living in Florida, and that is where he eventually settled, helping Winifred, who was widowed when her husband died in World War II, raise her twin boys.)

Wednesday, June 9, 1926

Wednesday, June 9, 1926
Fair and warm

Tried to iron but didn’t get near done. Mama came over and then when I tried to connect my iron after I bathed Marjorie I “blowed a fuse” so had to wait till the boys came back from their news routes to get me another. Then it was too late to start in again.

(I suspect blown fuses were quite common in th 1920's.)

Tuesday, June 8, 1926

Tuesday, June 8, 1926

Washed and that was about all - my pep was gone after I had done that. Put Marjorie’s first colored romper on her. A pretty light blue of Ned's. It made her look awfully sweet. She doesn’t crawl yet but reaches so far she scoots over some way. I have to watch her on the porch. I put her on a rug but she gets off of it and gets awfully dirty.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "Ah ha! I did wear some of Ned's cast-off clothes! According to my memory, Mother wouldn't let me wear slacks or pants when girls started wearing slacks. She always said she had enough boys and wanted me to be a girl. She eventually succumbed to the pressure of style, however.)

Monday, June 7, 1926

Monday, June 7, 1926
Fair and warmer

Still cleaning house. Dale and Dick carried their papers for the first time. But oh dear! Dale can hardly bear to take the time from his play. I guess it is just boy nature but Dale seems to get lazier every day. Has a fit if I want him to go to the store or do any little thing. He seems entirely good for nothing but what I have read makes me think that it is natural for boys to go through that stage, but just the same I hardly know how to handle him. The others aren’t quite so bad but resent doing all the errands.

(Aunt Marjorie wrote, "I simply can't imagine Dale ever having been lazy. Apparently he outgrew the lazy stage and the rest of his life he was very busy in his business, community, church, and from what I always heard, maintaining his home and gardening. I worried about one of my boys who seemed to be lazy and quite a dreamer, but apparently he woke up one day and is now a busy, successful business man. I was concerned about my children many years ago and asked Albert how to raise children. He smiled and simply said "just put your arms around them and lift up".

Albert, as has been noted before, became a Jesuit priest and had no children of his own.)

Sunday, June 6, 1926

Sunday, June 6, 1926
Rainy

Children’s day at Sunday school. Got them all ready but it rained so I didn’t think best to take them and risk their getting wet as Marjorie woke up hoarse this morning and I wouldn’t make her worse for anything. Then when it was too late it stopped raining and I was sorry I didn’t take them. However Gilbert stayed home and I went to church. Enjoyed the sermon but can’t get used to the fact that the minister is a stranger. He doesn’t know me at all although I have been introduced twice.

(They did not have a car, so had to rely on walking or buses or streetcars to go anywhere. Occasionally, a neighbor with a car, like Collins, would give them a ride. I'm sure it took a lot of effort to get everyone to church each week.)

Saturday, June 5, 1926

Saturday, June 5, 1926

Finished up the two main rooms downstairs, put up pictures, curtains, etc. Have to leave the little front room till next week. I’m sorry for I want to get done and sew. But the babies take so much attention I have to stop so often and wash my hands and change, feed, etc. Lots of trouble but oh my how worth it! They are such lovely babies pretty as pictures, a china blond doll of a boy and a jolly roly poly romp of a brown eyed baby girl. Dale bought his news route he has wanted so long of Robert Miller who is leaving the neighborhood. Dick got his magazine route.

(Grandma took a lot of pride in her home and the cleanliness of it, even though she didn't have a lot of money to spend on it. Sounds like the older boys are going into business with a paper route and a magazine route.)

Friday, June 4, 1926

Friday, June 4, 1926
Rainy

Cleaned house all day. Mama came over. She was too cold at home without a fire. She brought some beautiful flowers out of her yard. Got a letter from Nell. She says the babies have improved since she took my advice that Papa sent. I do hope the little darlings will thrive now. She says they hardly seem like the same babies. I think those same looking babies couldn’t survive the summer unless they pick up.

(I can't imagine being too cold in June. Remember earlier how Grandma visited Nell's twins and they were doing poorly? I guess her suggestions helped them out. Both are still living today.)

Thursday, June 3, 1926

Thursday, June 3, 1926
Cold

Built a fire again. Cleaned house all day.

(I can't imagine it getting so cold that they would have to put a fire in the coal furnace again.)

Wednesday, June 2, 1926

Wednesday, June 2, 1926
Cool

Cleaned the sitting room paper and part of the wood work. A man happened along selling Magic rug cleaner for woodwork, etc. so I bought it and it certainly is good. I don’t believe I even got it clean before. Am sorry we can’t varnish it now as it needs it awfully bad.

(Does anyone just happen along anymore, looking to sell something? Not too often!)

Tuesday, June 1, 1926

Tuesday, June 1, 1926
Cooler

Washed and ironed what I would have to have before Sunday.

(Grandma seemed to be always washing clothes and ironing them.)