My first years… from Eileen's Diary - Highlights of April, 1940

My first years…

from Eileen's Diary

Highlights of April, 1940 

 

These are highlights from the diary of my mother, twenty-one year old Eileen KINNICK SMITH, 75 Years Ago. She kept a diary from 1932 as a freshman in high school until she left us, too early, in 1999.

[Rather than posting each mundane entry, I've chosen items of interest to me, as I knew my family (or didn't). Also, significant events Mom noted, as seen by me, looking back. Comments at the end.]

Month of April highlights:

Mon. Apr 1: [Birthday note: Delbert Ford] -
Did my washing. Clothes dried real good. Cleaned the dining room. Aired curtains. Wiped the walk etc., waxed the kitchen floor. Pete in town getting tractor repairs. Really tired at night. …
Leo Williams was at Mom’s & we talked with him awhile.
Fri. Apr 5- Billy, Mom & I went to Carroll in pm. … & then had to wait on the Dr. …Dr. said he’s getting 2 more teeth. Weighs 24# 10 oz.
Thurs. Apr 11 - Pressed new white blouse & skirt & got dinner. Ate & then went to club at Ruth Bolger’s. Really was a big crowd there. Sat with Lil. Bertha Thomas gave a talk on Mexico.
Fri. Apr 12 - Left Billy at Moylan’s & we went to Edith’s school play & pie social at night. The place was clear full. She had the best program. Stayed & talked afterwards. Home at 11:30. Mrs. Moylan has help. She doesn’t look very well.
Sun. Apr 14 - At nite we left Billy at Lund’s and we went to the show “Fighting 69th.”
Tues. Apr 16 - Had sheep shearers here for dinner. 2 of them. Pete finished sowing oats on the 80. I went to S.S. Worker’s Conference at Margaret’s. A lot there.
Fri. Apr 19 - Folks came out at nite to show us their new car radio.
Sat. Apr 20 - Roy Holliday gave me a music lesson.
Sun. Apr 21 - Left Billy at Lund’s & we went to “Gulliver’s Travels.” Good in cartoon technicolor.
Sun. Apr 28 - Decided to go to Leo’s with the folks. Left at 9:45. Mom, Dad & I went to church there. Karen baptized. Had fried chicken. Surely have a nice home in a nice town. Rained hard. Went down to the bank & rode around. Home at 7:30. Rained all the way. 

My comments:
I was less than a year old, but many of these activities we were also doing as I grew up. Went up to Lohrville many, many Sundays. I even remember visiting “the bank” and driving around, in later years.
Folks’ new car radio was interesting… an add-on accessory, as American Pickers would point out!
“Roy Holliday gave me a music lesson” was a fascinating thing to see!!
I made note of Mrs. Moylan being “doesn’t look very well.” - more on this in next couple of months.



Families are Forever!  ;-)