Monday, February 10, 1936 - "The snow comes up to my waist in some places"

 

"Mother and Daddy and Billy went to the show.  Jack and I made Valentines.  Bob made Johnny cake.  for dinner.  We didn't have to go to School.  The roads are not plowed.  The snow comes up to my waist in some places."

Interesting that they couldn't get to school, but they could get to the theater!

Saturday, February 8, 1936 - The Snow Shoveling Crew

 

"The snow is blowing.  Bob, Jack went skiing today.  I went down to Elsie's.  Men were shoveling the road to their house.  I baked a cake.  We had part of it for supper.  Jack carried half of a pail of water for Elsie.  Daddy went over to Grandma + Grandpa Kenfield.  Bob went to work on the roads shoveling snow, but couldn't because they had to be 18 years old."

That must have been a disappointment for Bob.  I'm sure he could do a man's work, as he had been helping to support his family for some time.

It sounds like neither Shirley's household nor Angie and Elsie's household had running water.  There is a photo of a well pump in the back yard here.

Friday, February 7, 1936 - Skiing on a School Snow Day

"Bob, Jack and I went skiing this morning.  Jack and I found a little hill to ski on.  We could ski up and down the hill.  Marie Server came over to play.  Bob gave us a penny.  Bob was skiing on a bigger hill then we was.  The snow came almost up to my waist.  This has been the worst winter for years."

Shirley was correct.  The winter of 1935-1936 was the coldest on record for many of the midwestern states, and February in particular set new low temperature records. 

 

Wednesday, February 5, 1936 - Calendars for the Bedrooms

 

"I went down to Elsies and ate supper.  I made a calendar for Bob, Bill, and Jack to hang upstairs.  I made one for our Bedroom.  I gave Joyce my crayons so as to color.  I didn't have to go to school today.  The snow is so deep and the roads not plowed, so they shut the school up."

What is interesting about this entry is that it explains the sleeping arrangements.  The boys slept "upstairs", which I believe was probably a half story or attic, given the photos we have of the house.  There is a window in the south gable.  It appears that Shirley and Joyce shared a bedroom.  Where did Bryan and Marie sleep?  Did they share a room with the girls or did they sleep on a fold out sofa in the living room?  Were there two small bedrooms on the main floor?

Zillow states this house has only one bedroom and one bath, and 552 square feet, but then again, it states the house was built in 1938, which is obviously wrong!.  The square feet is probably considered usable space only and the upstairs is likely not counted.  Another real possibility is that there was no bathroom at the time my family lived there.  They likely had an outhouse and used a tin tub for bathing; and then later on, one of the bedrooms was converted to a bathroom.

Thursday, January 23, 1936 - The Snow was Very Deep

 

"I didn't go to school today because the snow was very deep.  I didn't get ready.  Mother told us not to go to school.  When it was time to go it wasn't so deep as I thought.  I missed part of my mid term test.  Mother and Daddy went down to Aunt Elsie and Uncle Angie's."

Monday, January 20, 1936 - A Cold Walk Home from School

 

"It was snowing outdoors.  We had to face the snow on the way home.  I was walking with Marie Server home.  We got cold and stop to her sister's house.  She has one boy and one girl.  The boy's name is Donald and the girl's name is Gloria.  Donald is five days younger than Joyce."


Marie's older sister, Genevieve, was married to Graydon Brooks Wheeler (b. c. 1907).  Donald (b. 31 December 1933, if he was five days younger than Joyce) and Gloria (b. c. 1936) were the first of at least five children born to them, according to the 1940 Federal Census.  Mary Ann was born c. 1937, followed by Lillian (b. c. 1938) and Thomas (b. c. August or September 1939).  The latter two children were named for Genevieve and Marie's parents.

Saturday, January 4, 1936 - Mother & Daddy went shopping

 

Mother & Daddy went shopping down the [Muskegon] Heights. Mother got out at 3.30 P.M. from work. The snow house we had almost melted down to the ground. it came almost up to Jack's neck. Now it's up to about his knees. Mr. & Mrs. Taylor visited at our house today. They brought us some candy, apples, presents. They gave me a ball, ten jacks, and a handkerchief."

Since it was payday, Marie and Bryan went shopping. They probably also did shopping because the Taylors ended up staying for the weekend (see tomorrow's post).

Thursday, January 2, 1936 - The Snow House

 

"today Bob, Jack, and I built a snow house. We have every thing but the roof built. Jack, Bill, and I had a snow ball fight. Mother and daddy went to the show. Daddy and Jack and I took down our Christmas tree. Joyce wanted to scribble in this diary. Joyce went to bed tonigt at 9.30 P.M. instead of 8.30 P.M."

This photo of Bob Robbins was taken in the backyard
 of the Austin Street house, January 1936.
It's possible that is the snow house behind him and to his right.