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. 

 

Thursday, February 6, 1936 - Wool Socks for Jack and Family Photos

 

"Grandpa Kenfield bought Jack a pair of wool soxs.  Uncle Angie and Aunt Elsie visited to our house today.  Elsie has a new dress.  Mother showed some pictures of Angie, Daddy, Mother's brothers and family, her sisters and family and us kids, etc.  I gave Elsie a picture of me.  Mother gave her one of Angie."

My grandfather Bob told me that when he was young, he and his brothers and cousins would work all summer at Grandpa Kenfield's farm.  At the end of summer, Grandpa Kenfield would purchase each boy an outfit for school.  This makes me wonder if Jack did some chores at the grandparents.

I love that Marie was showing family photos to Elsie, making her feel like part of the family.  I wish I could time travel and see what family photos were being shown and given.  Perhaps one of them was the Robbins family portrait seen here.

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.

Tuesday, February 4, 1936 - A Good Book and a Report Card

 

"I bought a book home from school called Just David.  I like it very much.  Bob read it through tonight.  I got my ears and fingers cold coming home from school.  I got my spelling words alright.  I wanted to go to Elsies, but couldn't.  I got my report card.  I got A in reading, Health, English, Geography and spelling.  I got B in Penmanship, arithmetic and deportment."

Just David was written in 1916 by Eleanor Hodgman Porter, the author of Pollyanna.  It was a bestseller.  Now out of copyright, you can read it for free, here at Google Books.

Monday, February 3, 1936 - A Hair-Do, Dice, and Sweet Popcorn

 

"Mother went down to get her hair curled.  She said I could get mine curled in spring.  I went down to Aunt Elsie's.  I played dice with Mother and Daddy.  Jack poped corn and put sugar on the corn because he liked it sweet.  We had a half a hour noon at school.  We get out a half a hour earlier."

I remember my Grandmother Robbins (Jeanne - Bob's wife), who was a beautician, talk about how perms were done in the old days, with electric curlers, each one of which was wired.  Sometimes hair would burn.  I imagine it would also be dangerous, with the possibility of electric shock if there was a short.  The price of beauty!

Sunday, February 2, 1936 - Sunday School, Paper Dolls, and Candy

 

"I went to Sunday School today.  We bought a Sunday paper.  I cut the paper dolls out of it.  Jack and I went to Grandma Lewis.  She gave us peanuts and candy.  She gave me some paper dolls for Joyce and I to play with.  Bob gave us a penny to buy candy.  Mother gave us some candy too."

Saturday, February 1, 1936 - Time with Aunt Elsie

 

"Mother had to make her coat shorter.  I went down to Elsie's house.  While I was down there she washed a few clothes and baked biscuits and a cake and moped the floor.  Mother and Daddy went down town.  I had supper at Elsie's.  Angie got a job, he has to work in the after noon till 8 or 11  P.M.  I stayed at Elsie's about four hours.  Mother bought me a pair of mittens.  Joyce got shoes and broom."

At only four-foot-eleven, my great-grandmother Marie had to make a lot of her clothing shorter, I imagine!

It sounds like Angie worked a swing shift.  I'm sure Elsie appreciated Shirley's company (and probable help) while her husband was at work.

Was that a toy broom for Joyce?