75 Years Ago Today - Eileen's Diary - Dec 22, 1938

75 Years Ago Today

Eileen's Diary

Dec 22, 1938

This entry is a post on this blog from the diary of nineteen year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date.

From March 1 thru April 29, I posted every day, to cover the marriage and the early married life of Pete and Eileen (Kinnick) Smith, but decided to 'take a breather.'  Resumed with Dec 1, 1938...


Here is the daily entry for Thursday, Dec 22:

Pete here in am. Went in to the folks for dinner.
Mom busy getting ready to go to Leos'. Did dishes & went down town & got the groceries. Home & chaired & went to bed early.

My comments: Good time to share this photo from earlier in the year, reminds me of ages of everyone in 1938. This was taken about six weeks before Mom and Dad were married. Note how young Buzz still was, here in 1938. About 10. Easy to forget. Leo and Ida, on left, of course. Pete looked pretty snazzy in his hat, back there, too!

[Paul and Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick Family. Paul in center; Dorothy on right. Buzzy on left. Pete and Eileen between her parents.]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - May 26, 1937

 75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - May 26, 1937


This entry is the daily post on this blog from the diary of eighteen year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date.

Since midway through 2010, a weekly update/comments blog entry began to appear on the Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories blog. Those weekly entries, on that blog, on each Tuesday of the week, will continue, with links to these daily entries.

May 1936 High School Graduation Photo


Here is the short entry for Wednesday, May 26:

Typed. Mr. B. to Carroll. Drove out to Pete's in storm after dinner. Went to sleep by the school house. To skating rink watching the Sophs. Bud asked me to dance. I didn't. With Pete afterwards in Paulines' Ford. Big tree again.

Here is the long entry for Wednesday, May 26:

My finger that I hurt when I caught the ball bothered my typing. Typed till 10:30 & the(n) Mr. Browning went to Carroll. Got new stockings & handkerchiefs. Dad & I home to dinner. Bussy on picnic. I drove out to Pete's after dinner in the storm. Drove up to Ida Marie's school & went to sleep. To skating rink watching 'Sophomores.' Out home long enough to change clothes & then in skating with Lund's. Bud Boots asked me to dance but I had on rubber soles so didn't. Now I suppose he's mad! Who cares! With Pete afterwards in Paulines's Ford. Big tree again. [few shorthand notes] 1:00!

My comments: Quite a day!!

Pauline is Pete's older sister - she was a nurse by then, I'm pretty sure.

Glad to see Pete and Eileen stayed out late, together!!  ;-)

This photo is of Star School, a rural one-room country school near Pete's families farm, where he and all his sibling went, as well as my wife, and her parents, as well! [I doubt this was "Ida Marie's" school, but it is a one-room country school like hers!]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - March 21, 1937

75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - March 21, 1937


This entry is the daily post on this blog from the diary of eighteen year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date.

Since midway through 2010, a weekly update/comments blog entry began to appear on the Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories blog. Those weekly entries, on that blog, on each Tuesday of the week, will continue, with links to these daily entries.

For 1937, for most days, there is both a short entry in a multi-year diary and a longer entry in a an appointment book like her diaries of past years. There is some indication the short entries were made later based on the longer entries. We still do not really know for sure.

WELL, now we know. March 8 was the last entry in the 'longer' appointment book, like in prior years. March 9 begins only entries in the shorter, 5 year diary format. How long will this last???

Here is the entry for Sunday, March 21:

Cleaned the house, fixed nails, & went to Church. Sang in choir. Leo & I & Pete & folks to Lil's for dinner. Shut the sow stanchions. Pete home. Ida here. Pete came back early. Laid on cot. Says he's tired of farming. [last sentence underlined - later?]

My comments: I guess we all question what we are doing, sometimes. Pete saying he is tired of farming is an extreme, hard to imagine, thing to say - he continued to do it all his life. I wonder if he had something else in mind he wanted to do? Doubt that we'll ever know.

Here is a photo a couple of years later, possibly one of the earliest photos of him actually working on the farm:

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - February 28, 1937

 75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - February 28, 1937


This entry is the daily post on this blog from the diary of eighteen year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date.

Since midway through 2010, a weekly update/comments blog entry began to appear on the Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories blog. Those weekly entries, on that blog, on each Tuesday of the week, will continue, with links to these daily entries.

For 1937, the first entry available was for January 4. It was made in a multi-year diary format, so is short. Starting on January 5, there are two entries, one on the small format and a second is a full page entry. I suspect the longer entries were made later, when she got that book… there is no way to know, unless it shows up in the entries. This goes on for a couple of weeks. Let's see how it goes.

Here is the short entry for Sunday, February 28:

No short entry - BY THE WAY: No entry on February 29; 1937 was not a leap year.

[Eileen wrote the following on a special page, after the Sunday entry:
How rapidly this month has gone but how many things have happened. Snowed in for a week end, Charley to Louisiana, Maytag Store Closed, Started Working for Mr. Browning.]

Here is the long entry for Sunday, February 28:

Swelegantist (sic) day out. Cleaned house. Washed my stuff. Dad to Mr. Pierce's funeral. Ironed with gas iron. To Lund's after my skirt. I made ice cream. Pete came at 8:00. Went to "College Holliday." Sat with Leo & Ida. Keenest show. Swellest time after wards. "Niagara Fall." Keenest moon. Hated to go home. 5th Anniversary tomorrow.

My comments: "College Holiday"1936 movie starring Jack Benny, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Martha Raye: "Some bright young men are invited to spend the summer with a lady hotelier interested in eugenics."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_Holiday


Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - February 14, 1937

75 Years Ago - Eileen's Diary - February 14, 1937


This entry is the daily post on this blog from the diary of eighteen year old Eileen KINNICK, 75 Years Ago this date.

Since midway through 2010, a weekly update/comments blog entry began to appear on the Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories blog. Those weekly entries, on that blog, on each Tuesday of the week, will continue, with links to these daily entries.

For 1937, the first entry available was for January 4. It was made in a multi-year diary format, so is short. Starting on January 5, there are two entries, one on the small format and a second is a full page entry. I suspect the longer entries were made later, when she got that book… there is no way to know, unless it shows up in the entries. This goes on for a couple of weeks. Let's see how it goes.

Here is the short entry for Sunday, February 14:

Up at 8:30. Usual cleaning & then ironed 'till Noon. Lil's for dinner. Leo & Ida attended Earl & Edna at Cooley's. We three home to supper. Pete came at 8:00. Rode around on 46. Home at 11:00.
[Side note arrow to Earl: Earl is Ida Marie's brother. He & Edna's wedding day & Leo & Ida attendants.]

Here is the long entry for Sunday, February 14:

Up about 8:30. Did up all usual wk & then ironed 'till Noon. Leo ready for Earl's & Edna's wedding. To Lil's for dinner. Leo & Ida had to hurry to get to the wedding. Leo kissed the bride. We three home at 5:30. I drove. Started the fires, Leo did chores, got supper, I took bath, did dishes, listened to radio. Pete came at 8:00. Shorty J. cussing us for pushing him down the strech. Out on 46. "Used to go out on this road." "Thinks of me all the time." "Goes rite to sleep."

My comments: Nice thoughts to end these Sunday entries.

Earl Bell would be the wedding. Cooley's would have been the Methodist Minister - likely at the parsonage. A common practice at the time.

Minister Oliver Cooley's son, Wayne Cooley, a graduate of Coon Rapids High School, served 48 years as Executive Director of the Iowa Girl's High School Athletic Union starting in 1954. Only girl's basketball was a girls sport in Iowa, at the time. He oversaw the addition of golf, tennis, track and field, cross country, swimming, volleyball and soccer. [Mom was REAL proud to know him as a friend from her youth!]

Families are Forever!  ;-)