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Emma #10: July 1928
Picking and canning, a Buick, and the Baptist Assembly
LINDA HOOPES
MAR 10, 2022
Sun 1. Katharine went back to Cedar Falls today. Daddy drove her
to Iowa Falls in the truck. Union service in the evening. Rev.
Bock preached at our church.
It looks like Katharine is spending her weekdays in Cedar Falls
and coming home on the weekends. I’ll have more in an upcoming
post on what she’s up to.
Mon 2. A big washing—always glad when it is done. Mrs. Byam & I
went after some mulberries today out at Pethithory’s.
Tue 3. I am canning the mulberries & some goose berries today.
Ruth took her lesson. Got a 2nd-hand Buick on a trade today.
Went to Eldora for the program “75 Anniversary.”
I don’t know if this is the car she mentions, but I found the
picture in some old family negatives, so it might be!
According to an early history of Hardin County, Eldora was
established as the county seat in July of 1853, and was named
after a woman’s daughter who had died at birth earlier that
year.
Wed 4. It rained so hard we stayed all night. Got home this AM
about 8. Have ironed, picked cherries for Gerald’s & some
raspberries & peas for dinner.
Thu 5. I went with Gerald to Iowa Falls. As we were detained I
went to Alden & had a lovely visit with Mrs. Johnson. Stayed
with Gerald’s children while he & Miriam, Daddy & Ruth went to a
show.
Fri 6. Katharine came home today. Daddy brought her in the
truck. I spent the afternoon at the shop.
Sat 7. Mrs. Austin helped me make a dress for Katharine today. I
made her a linen dress also. Ruth helped at a Camp Fire ice
cream social in the evening.
Sun 8. We were invited down to see Alice Hafercamp today to eat
Sunday dinner. We took Gladys with us. Had a lovely dinner. We
then went to see Mr. Daggett who is in the hospital at
Marshalltown. Came home via Eldora.
Mon 9. Got up at 4:30 to take Katharine to Cedar Falls. Gerald
is driving a tractor home. Bought four new goldfish. Stopped in
Eldora on my way home. Mrs. Austin is helping me make a dress
today.
Tue 10. Mrs. Austin & I sewed, and after noon Tell, Rev. Rowley
& I drove to Dow’s to attend a Missionary Picnic. I spoke on
“Gardening” (child training). Stopped at Popejoy to see Yeagers’
pool.
Wed 11. Such a busy day! Did a big washing in the AM. Picked &
canned enough peas for 18 pints. Picked about 3 qts of
raspberries. Had our first ripe tomatoes today.
Thu 12. Today was the SS picnic. Rather rainy. Not many there.
Fri 13. Alice & Nora came over and picked cherries today—I
canned 8 qts. We pitted them all.
Sat 14. We canned 26½ qts of beans today. Ruth & I went the EL
play Patty Makes Things Hum.
Here’s a description of the play I found. As I go along, I find
myself curious about the changing ways in which black characters
and voices are portrayed in Emma’s time and place. This was the
period of the Harlem Renaissance, with its rich influence on art
and culture, but it was also a time when including the “cullud”
help as a comedic element in a play was not unusual.
Sun 15. A lovely day!
Mon 16. We did a big washing. Then I picked about 2 qts of
raspberries. In the afternoon Ruth & I sewed; finishing up the
things she needs to go to Iowa Falls tomorrow.
Ruth was going to the Iowa Baptist Assembly, a two-week
gathering held at the Iowa Falls. This was a huge event,
including classes, evening lectures, recreational activities,
etc. Many youth attended.1 I wasn’t able to find information on
when they stopped holding it, but there is an Assembly Park in
Iowa Falls that looks like it must be on the former Baptist
Assembly Grounds.
Tue 17. We did the ironing and pressed all the things that we
cleaned with naptha yesterday. We planned to drive to the
Baptist Assembly but the car was not ready so Curley Laye drove.
John & Alice came over. Gerald & I picked 1½ bu of beans.
Naptha (or naphtha) is a highly flammable solvent similar to
paint thinner. It, and other solvents such as gasoline, were
used for home dry cleaning before the invention of
perchloroethylene in the 1930s. While Emma may be referring to
Fels-Naptha, a pre-treatment laundry detergent introduced in
1893 that used to contain naphtha, I suspect she used the actual
solvent. Here’s an excerpt from a 1930s safety film on the
dangers of using gasoline for home dry cleaning(!!)
Wed 18. Picked a bushel of peas & canned them. It made 14
pints—one broke in the oven. Makes 32 pints of peas & 31½ qt of
beans.
Thu 19. Spent the morning at the shop posting books. Had Gladys
& her father for dinner. Went to Rollie Van Patter’s in the PM
to the Missionary Society. We are sending a Christmas box to
Jennie Jones.
I was wondering why they were thinking about a Christmas box in
July, but I found a reference to Jennie Jones as a missionary to
China, so I guess they had to plan ahead.
Fri 20. Katharine came home with Agnes Liebenstein this PM so we
did not need to go to Iowa Falls for her. Had a class meeting
today. My SS girls decided to sell popcorn balls & candy
tomorrow night.
Mmmm…popcorn balls! Here’s a recipe.
Sat 21. Ruth will be disappointed that we did not get up to Iowa
Falls last night. Have been so busy today. Katharine & I drove
to Buckeye today. The girls cleared $1.79 at their sale.
$1.79 in 1928 is almost $30 in today’s money.
Sun 22. A beautiful Sunday morning! After church, we took Betty
and Margaret with us to the Baptist Assembly to see the Bonds &
Ruth. We heard M. Coleman of the Coleman Light Co. speak in the
PM.
Mon 23. A beautiful washday—& a big washing! Picked raspberries
& spent the afternoon at the shop posting books.
Tue 24. Had to go to the shop this AM so did not get to iron.
Picked several more ripe tomatoes. My water lily has three buds.
Tell & I were invited to Nora’s for supper—she had John & Alice,
Jessie & Mrs. Earhart.
Wed 25. I invited the Eldora folks & Mr. Strother here for
dinner. John & Will were coming to the Cemetery. They stayed for
supper too. I went after a load & Tell & I took them back after
supper.
Thu 26. I spent most of the morning at the shop. Made or started
some vinegar today. This was Mother’s birthday. The new
professor’s little boy was accidentally killed today. Letters
from Katharine, Ruth, and Berne.
Here is some information on making vinegar from scratch.
Fri 27. Tell & I went to Eldora after Nora & took her to Iowa
Falls Baptist Assembly to hear Hymns of the Ages—put on by Prof.
Boyd’s class. It was good. Met Katharine at the train & she got
to see part of it. Nora came home with us.
Apparently this was quite a production!
Sat 28. We drove the Buick to Eldora. Took Nora home. Katharine
& I stayed for dinner. I took a bad cold last night & my neck is
stiff. Took some rags to be woven & bought 20 dolls for the
Missionary box to be dressed. Had all of Bonds & their company
for supper. Gave them $5.00.
Sun 29. Katharine taught my class. I visited Daddy’s. It was
very fine. After dinner we took Lucille Tripp & Ruth McCoy &
Betty with us to see Bonds. Katharine went back & Ruth & I went
to Zearing to a contest. I was a judge. Differed with all the
rest.
Mon 30. Had a nice washday but was almost sick when I got
through. Stayed at the shop a couple hours & then went to bed.
Felt better after supper & took the dolls around to be dressed.
We were up at Gladys’ awhile.
Tue 31. Finished my cucumber pickles up. In the PM I went to
Iowa Falls. Took Ruth, Margaret Sater and
Wendell for their lessons.
~~In case you haven’t been keeping track, this
month Emma picked, canned, or made:
| ~Mulnerries |
Goosberries |
Raspberries |
Peas |
Tomatoes |
| ~~Cherries |
Beans |
Vinegar |
Cucumber Pickles |
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As I write this post, I am sending my thoughts
to the people in Iowa affected by the March 5, 2022
tornadoes. I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s
installment of Emma’s journals! See you next week for
August 1928.
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| 1. Here are descriptions of the
1918 and
1920 Assemblies from a Baptist publication. They
give a little of the flavor of the event. |
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