Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 2 - Jan 11-17, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 2 - Jan 11-17, 1937


My mother, Eileen KINNICK (maiden name), kept a diary from 1932 until her death in 1999. In Feb 2005, I created a website of her 1936 diary, the year she graduated from high school. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.

For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time.

Setting: The family lived in a farmhouse a couple of miles out of town (Coon Rapids, Iowa). Older brother, Leo, lived at home; his girl friend, later wife, Ida, visited regularly. Younger brother, Buzzy (she often wrote Bussy) was 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).

Week 2 (Jan 11-17):

On January 13, there was a note "Eileen, the red mule, died." I sent Buzzy, now 83, a note asking about it. He called on Monday (16th) saying he was too young, at the time. Had no memory of a red mule named Eileen. I also asked about the V-8 and Chevy, their two cars. He did recall that the V-8 Eileen mentions regularly was a Ford. The Chevy was a straight 6-cylinder. Guys remember cars. [See a 1937 Chevy photo on Jan 16 post]

On January 12, Eileen mentioned "3 games" when they had gone to Bayard to see the high school Basketball games. Buzzy said he would assume one was a "Junior Varsity" type of game… the '2nd stringers" for both school, most likely the guys.

As we talked, I mentioned I had seen on his grandkids' Facebook pages that they had had quite a house full for their Christmas celebration. He said, yes they had, and it reminded him of a saying his Dad (my Grandpa, Paul) used to say when all family were together: "My God, what did I create?!"

Finally, since it was milder week than some, they were back to going to the movies. I came across this quote, recently: "During the 1930s, eighty million Americans - 65 percent of the entire population - attended movies weekly." This came from Al Smith section of the book:  "Almost President" by Scott Farris. The Kinnick family did more than their share of movie watching.


Comments welcomed! 

Families are Forever!  ;-)