Minnie's Day: A 1941 Diary

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KirtlandHill		#241	[-]
Posts: 3007 (02/07/09 11:36 PM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Steve, I bet you're right. At any rate, the haying was brief, because Minnie doesn't even mention it in today's entry: Tuesday, July 15 Elaine went to W- and secured work at Penney's Store. Wilfred took her to Dr. Fowler for physical exam and they brought her home, evening. Elaine's getting a summer job! She's going to be working at the J. C . Penney in Watertown. Wilfred Chapman is Minnie's stepbrother-in-law. Elaine often stays with the Chapmans in Brownville when she visits Watertown for one reason or another. It's interesting that she had to have a physical exam in order to be judged capable for working. I wonder if that was something all clerks had to have - or just female clerks... Bethany
Derwenz		#242	[-]
Plays bridge on Wednesdays with Mike & Ruth Sloan Posts: 1541 (02/08/09 03:10 AM) Administrator & Host, Tammy Lauren Forum Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*"It's interesting that she had to have a physical exam in order to be judged capable for working. I wonder if that was something all clerks had to have - or just female clerks..."* This harkens back to a conversation we had a couple of years ago in the WW2 forum, in which physical examinations were required of female war workers. This may have also applied to female hirees in other areas of the private sector. It seems that employers in general, placed women under much more critical scrutiny than their male counterparts. Perhaps they followed the same established guidelines as those applied in war production plants. Steve
KirtlandHill		#243	[-]
Posts: 3008 (02/08/09 01:50 PM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	That's right! I had forgotten about those articles... It's surprising to find that a physical might even have been required of somebody employed in retail! Wednesday, July 16 Elaine went to work today. Was tired but likes it. Wm. & D. met her at Grandma Gladwyn's. Thunderstorm, P.M. Barn on Whittier farm burned. Elaine's survived her first day of paid employment outside the home. And hearkening back to some of my own "first days," I can well imagine how tired she was this evening. I wonder if there was a streetcar or bus traveling from downtown Watertown to the Chapman-Gladwyn home in Brownville. Perhaps Wilfred worked in Watertown and brought Elaine back as far as Brownville in the evening, where William and Doris picked her up and drove her back to the farm. Quite a commute... Minnie doesn't make the connection directly, but I wonder if this afternoon's thunder touched off the fire which claimed the Whittier barn. Back in the early 20th century, a Whittier family owned a 224-acre dairy farm in Brownville. Bethany
Derwenz		#244	[-]
Plays bridge on Wednesdays with Mike & Ruth Sloan Posts: 1543 (02/09/09 02:22 AM) Administrator & Host, Tammy Lauren Forum Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*"I wonder if this afternoon's thunder touched off the fire which claimed the Whittier barn."* Beth, It may well be that lightning from a thunderstorm struck the barn on the Whittier farm. If the barn was very old, which I suspect it was, the wood it was built out of, was dry and would've gone up like a box of blue-tip Ohio matches. BTW, in LA County to the south of us, there's a city named Whittier. It's about a 45 minute drive south on the 101 Freeway, I think. Steve
KirtlandHill		#245	[-]
Posts: 3009 (02/09/09 11:48 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I hope the barn was unoccupied when it burned... Thursday, July 17 Elaine worked today - went to Mr. Ceigler, evening to have him sign a work permit. Mabel F. here, brought divinity fudge. Figured cheese, net $1.69. Elaine's worked two days in a row now on her new job at J. C. Penney. I wonder who Mr. Ceigler is - a justice of the peace, perhaps? A notary public? Elaine must have had to testify to her age or present a birth certificate or something. Today, you have to have a parent sign something like that if you're 15... Mabel Fulton was a friend from the old Women's Foreign Missionary Society days, and the divinity fudge she brought over when she called on Minnie is a white nougat-y candy made with pecans. Here's a picture: Bethany
Derwenz		#246	[-]
Plays bridge on Wednesdays with Mike & Ruth Sloan Posts: 1545 (02/09/09 10:39 PM) Administrator & Host, Tammy Lauren Forum Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Beth, *"Elaine must have had to testify to her age or present a birth certificate or something."* If Elaine was under 18 when she applied for work, she may have had to prove her identity and apply for a juvenile work permit. That law has been in place, I believe, since the so-called Jackie Coogan Law - a child labor law - was passed a generation earlier. *"Mabel Fulton was a friend from the old Women's Foreign Missionary Society days, and the divinity fudge she brought over when she called on Minnie is a white nougat-y candy made with pecans."* Mabel Fulton's divinity fudge reminds me of the pecan divinity nut logs sold at Stuckey's gas-and-souvenir shops on highways across the country! Steve
KirtlandHill		#247	[-]
Posts: 3010 (02/10/09 10:00 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Thanks for the background on child labor laws, Steve. Elaine certainly had to go through a few more hoops to get a paid job than a 16 year old would today. And I'll bet those Stuckey's nut logs were designed to appeal to people craving Grandma's divinity recipe! Friday, July 18 Had my eyes tested at Morgan's for new glasses. Alex. Fowler & Persis Foster were married Sat. eve., July 12th by Dr. Reed. He (Dr. Reed) died July 18th. While Elaine spends the day at home, Minnie made a trip into Watertown to see an optician... She recounts some bittersweet local gossip in today's diary entry. Dr. Reed, who married a couple last Saturday, died today. The bridegroom, Alexander Fowler, was the son of the Conklin family physician, Dr. Clarence Fowler, who kept an office in Dexter. Alexander graduated from St. Lawrence University with a bachelor's degree of science just a month ago. The bride, Persis Foster, is a 1927 graduate of Dexter High School and 1932 graduate of Albany State College. She has been teaching English and managing the library at Dexter High since 1934. Bethany
KirtlandHill		#248	[-]
Posts: 3011 (02/11/09 09:22 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Saturday, July 19 Elaine worked at Penney's until nearly 10 P.M. Wm. and Doris went for her. Wm. sold the bull to G. Parker for $42.50. Cool today. It's second shift for young Miss Conklin! I wonder what department she's working in... Her parents must have picked her up in Watertown themselves due to the late hour. Boy, it's tough to ferry teenagers around, isn't it? Bethany
KirtlandHill		#249	[-]
Posts: 3012 (02/12/09 09:49 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Sunday, July 20 Doris took Elaine and me to church and S.S. Enjoyed it. Got my new glasses last night. Heard Rev. Wm. Abbott, Y.M.C.A. secy., radio. It may be Elaine's day off, but that didn't stop her from getting up in the morning and heading to church with her grandmother... The new glasses Minnie ordered on Friday were ready just 24 hours later. That Morgan's sure provides some speedy service! Bethany
KirtlandHill		#250	[-]
Posts: 3013 (02/13/09 09:19 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Monday, July 21 Glenn went away this morning to Arcade or elsewhere. Elaine home. Daily vacation Bible school at our church this week. After being paid a week ago for his work painting the farmhouse, Glenn spent several more days with the Conklins, probably finishing some odd jobs. Maybe he helped store the hay harvested early last week. Arcade seems to have been his home base. Perhaps he'll be back in a few months... Vacation Bible school must be a kind of summer day camp for the children of Brownville Methodist. The brevity of Minnie's comment makes it fairly safe to assume that neither Leonard nor Roland are attending. Bethany
KirtlandHill		#251	[-]
Posts: 3014 (02/14/09 09:10 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Tuesday, July 22 Elaine bought two rustic stands from a St. Regis indian woman, one for her mother and one for me, nice. Heard Rev. Walker. Ps. 96-9, "Worship the Lord." Did Elaine receive her first paycheck already? I think she's only put in three days work so far: Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday ('til 10 p.m.). The St. Regis Mohawk Reservation are binational lands (New York and Quebec) bordering the St. Lawrence River. St. Regis is also the name of a village located on the reservation within Franklin County, New York. The women of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe are known for their baskets made of fine ash splint and sweetgrass. They must have sold rustic furniture as well. What a lovely gesture for Elaine to remember her mother and grandmother with gifts - just because. Bethany Last Edited By: KirtlandHill 02/14/09 09:18 AM. Edited 1 times.
KirtlandHill		#252	[-]
Posts: 3015 (02/15/09 11:39 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Wednesday, July 23 Mrs. Graham's birthday. She is helpless at Nursing Home. Resting my eyes today. New glasses and eye strain. "Mrs. Graham" is probably Fannie Graham, once the secretary of mite boxes and literature for the Women's Foreign Missionary Society. Minnie's description of her friend's existence at the nursing home - "helpless" - makes it sounds as if she must be feeling very grateful not to be a resident herself. She is well enough to do many things for herself and with a granddaughter near at hand and family right next door, doesn't suffer for anything... Her plight with the eyeglasses is certainly not related to age, however. Whenever I get new glasses - with a stronger lens - my eyes feel sore for several days as they try to adjust. Bethany
KirtlandHill		#253	[-]
Posts: 3016 (02/16/09 08:49 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Thursday, July 24 Elaine went to W- by bus to get presents for Shirley and waveset. Cheese work. Net, $1.63. Doris making dresses for Elaine & Shirley. Wm. haying. Shirley's fourth birthday is coming up soon, and her older sister is doing some shopping for the birthday girl with that first paycheck. Along with a new "waveset" for herself! I'm guessing this was a set of electric hot rollers... Shirley's mom is busy at home making up some new dresses for both her girls. Dad is continuing his harvest of the hay crop. ETA: I just did some hunting about on eBay and a waveset was actually a powder you could mix up into a lotion to assist her in making finger waves in your hair. I was totally wrong! Bethany Last Edited By: KirtlandHill 02/16/09 09:00 AM. Edited 1 times.
KirtlandHill		#254	[-]
Posts: 3017 (02/17/09 08:44 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Friday, July 25 Dear little Shirley's 4th birthday. She rec'd dresses, hanky, nighties, etc. and a toy dog from the children. Supper over here. Wms. family, Grandma G's family here. Happy birthday, Shirley Conklin! What a day. Elaine and her brothers must have pooled their money to buy their baby sister the "toy dog." Doris finished her dress for Shirley in the nick of time. Minnie and Elaine probably prepared all of Shirley's favorite things for her birthday supper and everyone spent the evening on Minnie's side of the house. Even Grandma Gladwyn, Great Aunt Bessie, Great Uncle Wilfred came to pay their respects to the birthday girl. Here's the entry Minnie made in her diary on the day Shirley was born... Sunday, July 25, 1937 A lovely baby girl was born to William and Doris at 4 P.M. today. Name Shirley Doris. Weight 8-1/4 lbs. Dr. Hoyt and Catherine Carpenter attended Doris. Pretty sick two hours. By the by, Shirley won't be the baby of the family for very much longer. Though Minnie probably doesn't it know it yet, Doris is expecting. She's only one month along, so she may not even know it herself yet! The reason I'm making a premature announcement is that in skimming ahead through the diary Minnie doesn't appear to mention her daughter-in-law's pregnancy. Ever. (Maybe she thought it'd be bad luck or something.) I wanted to let y'all in on the secret so it doesn't come as a complete surprise when a new baby is born! Bethany
KirtlandHill		#255	[-]
Posts: 3018 (02/18/09 08:59 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Saturday, July 26 Elaine went out last night with Ralph and Betty Jerome and others. She went to work at Penney's today. Al Lyng is working at a clothiers. After the birthday festivities were over, Elaine went out with a group of friends. An evening on the town, perhaps? Today, she's back to work at J. C. Penney. Is Al another young friend of hers who's landed a summer job at a "clothiers"? I'm not sure exactly what Minnie means by that term. Clothier has been used over the years to refer to people manufacturing cloth, selling cloth, or tailoring garments. Bethany
KirtlandHill		#256	[-]
Posts: 3019 (02/19/09 09:43 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Sunday, July 27 At home. The rest are tired. My eyes aching. Heard Rev. Fred Tiffany's farewell radio sermon and W.A.T.N. farewell. Sub. of sermon, "Think on these things." Elaine must have a hard time getting up on Sunday mornings after working second shift on Saturdays... Minnie's eyes are still strained and it's been a week now since she got her new glasses. The prescription must be off... Bethany
Derwenz		#257	[-]
Plays bridge on Wednesdays with Mike & Ruth Sloan Posts: 1555 (02/19/09 02:09 PM) Administrator & Host, Tammy Lauren Forum Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*"At home. The rest are tired."* That's us sometimes on a Sunday, if there was alot going on, the day before; At those times, we don't always make it to church either! "it's been a week now since she got her new glasses. The prescription must be off..." I know that it took me about a week to get used to my last new pair of glasses. Everybody's alittle different, with regard to the break-in period for new glasses. If I were Minnie, I'd wait another day or so. If the problem didn't clear up by then, I'd go back to the optometrist. I'm thinking that her age might have something to do with it, as well. "Elaine must have a hard time getting up on Sunday mornings after working second shift on Saturdays" I can only imagine! I remember how tired I was after working a second-shift job once in Pennsylvania. One common thread I've noticed in Minnie's entries, when she's commenting on Elaine, is that Elaine must've been a dutiful, helpful, devoted, and sweet girl to all her family. As with any teenager, she enjoys funtime with friends. Yet she finds time to do things to help out family members, while holding down a swing-shift job at Penneys! She was truly a blessing to her family. And, I have no doubt in my mind that she eventually made a caring, loving and devoted wife and mother. Steve Last Edited By: Derwenz 02/19/09 04:22 PM. Edited 3 times.
Derwenz		#258	[-]
Plays bridge on Wednesdays with Mike & Ruth Sloan Posts: 1556 (02/19/09 02:24 PM) Administrator & Host, Tammy Lauren Forum Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	*"clothiers"? I'm not sure exactly what Minnie means by that term."* A clothiers can also denote a shop or store specializing in clothing, only, or a tailor with a store or showroom of his/her products on display out in front. We used to have a chain of mens' clothing stores out here, called C & R Clothiers. They were known for the fine suits that they sold. By the 1980s, they went the way of the dodo bird. Not too many clothing stores or tailors call themselves clothiers anymore. Steve
Derwenz		#259	[-]
Plays bridge on Wednesdays with Mike & Ruth Sloan Posts: 1557 (02/19/09 05:55 PM) Administrator & Host, Tammy Lauren Forum Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Beth, Since we know that Elaine has a new job at J.C. Penney, perhaps her branch looked like the J.C. Penney store featured in this linen postcard from Prescott, AZ. I know that Prescott, Arizona is a long way from where Elaine lived in New York State. But, I chose this card, as it was printed in the early 1940s - right around the time Elaine would've been working for the company. Notice the cars, parked diagonally into the streetcurb, as well as, the Woolworth's nextdoor to Penney's. I wonder if there was a Woolworth's next to the Penney's, where Elaine worked? They were everywhere in those days. Steve Last Edited By: Derwenz 02/19/09 07:05 PM. Edited 1 times.
KirtlandHill		#260	[-]
Posts: 3020 (02/20/09 10:06 AM) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	One common thread I've noticed in Minnie's entries, when she's commenting on Elaine, is that Elaine must've been a dutiful, helpful, devoted, and sweet girl to all her family. As with any teenager, she enjoys funtime with friends. Yet she finds time to do things to help out family members, while holding down a swing-shift job at Penneys! Elaine does sound like a wonderful granddaughter. She goes out with her friends (and sometimes a date) more than she did, say, 18 months ago, but seems to be super helpful around the house. And still reading to her grandmother in the evenings. A clothiers can also denote a shop or store specializing in clothing, only, or a tailor with a store or showroom of his/her products on display out in front. We used to have a chain of mens' clothing stores out here, called C & R Clothiers. They were known for the fine suits that they sold. Young Mr. Lyng may be working as a clerk, then, or a tailor's assistant... I wonder if there was a Woolworth's next to the Penney's, where Elaine worked? They were everywhere in those days. Funny you should mention Woolworth's, Steve! Watertown, New York has long claimed itself the "birthplace" of the Woolworth's chain. The founder of the store, Frank W. Woolworth, was a young clerk working at a Moore's Store in the 1870s when he is supposed to have come up with the idea of a store specializing in fixed discount prices on a variety of goods. He tested the idea with some displays for his current employer, but left Watertown and opened his first store in Utica, New York in 1879. Here's a 1949 postcard with a picture of the Woolworth's eventually opened in Watertown: Monday, July 28 Thunderstorm last night. Rain this A.M. Wm. and D. took me to W- to Will Morgan to have my eyes retested for glasses. Some much-needed rain for Jefferson County's farms... Minnie is headed back into the city today to check on that prescription. Bethany Last Edited By: KirtlandHill 02/20/09 10:11 AM. Edited 1 times.

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Minnie's Day: A 1941 Diary

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