The Journals of Emma Troutman Boylan
© 2023 Linda Hoopes [Offsite link above]
315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Suite 750
Decatur, GA 30030
Emma #5: February 1928
Theater,the Dentist, and a death in the family
(NOTE: Emma's Journal is reprinted here with permission of Linda Hoopes. Linda is the Great-Granddaughter of Emma Troutman Boylan. The indented italized words are those of Linda Hoopes and hope they help a visitor to better understand these journals as to what is "who, what and where" they are reading about in Emma's journal pages.)
~~~~~
~~Wed 1. Worked on sausage all AM. We canned 70 pints & made about 10 gal. of lard. Spent the PM in bed. Did not go to prayer meeting.
~~I had fun researching canning sausage and making lard (which, it turns out, is arguably healthier than butter!)
~Thu 2. Sewed today. Went to the church to a pot luck supper in the evening. Katharine had charge of the game & the club gave a program.
~Fri 3. John came over today with Mr. Paine. Ate dinner with us. I spent an hour & a quarter with the dentist.
~~I'm not sure what Emma's dental issues were, but she spent a lot of time there. Here's a picture of a 1928 dental ch6air from this unusual compilation of dental chairs through history.
~Sat 4. Horace Daggett ate dinner with us today, also Mrs. Shultz as she helped me wash. Finished Margaret's & Betty's night gowns today, also my wool dress.
~Sun 5. Have been over to see the baby. He is two weeks old today. No church at our church as the Revival meetings begin at the Salem church.
~~I found a record of a Salem Evangelical United Brethren Church in Hubbard 1, which may have been the one she refers to.
~Mon 6. Has rained & sleeted today till it is so slippery & the trees and wires are covered with sleet. Ironed today. Helped Mrs. Van Patter cut out a dress.
~Tue 7. Mrs. Nymeyer & I entertained the Ladies Aid today. It was so cold & rainy that there were only eight here.
~~The Ladies Aid Society was a Methodist women's church organization that held events (such as chicken pie suppers) to raise money for the church.
The Monkees recorded a song called The Ladies Aid Society in 1967. The chorus: "We're the ladies aid society
And we're really a great bunch of girls
We're the ladies aid society
And soon we'll take over the world."
~Thu 9. WFMS at Mrs. Mohler's today. We all went to church again this evening.
~Fri 10. Went to the dentists today & then sewed. A Beautiful day.
~Sat 11. Went to Iowa Falls with Katharine & Miss Reece. Got some bookends for Harry Manners. Had my hair cut.
~~1920's women's hairstyles! Bobs, finger waves, and spit curls were some of the trends of the time.
~Sun 12. This is like a soft Spring day. Katharine went to Iowa Falls in PM. Ruth & Naomi Haas are together. I went over to Miriam's for a while.
~Mon 13. It has rained all day long. I am tired after a big day's work. Was only five at my class meeting. Mrs. Baker is sick & I will have to take charge of the dinner Sat. Sent Harry Manners some bookends today.
~Tue 14. Ruth was at home all day with a cold. Had the Cemetery meeting at Mrs. Clancy's. I was elected president after being secretary over 21 yrs.
~~The Boylan Cemetery is on land originally owned by William Wesley Boylan, Tell's father. A number of family members are buried there. The cemetery association was established in 1880.
~Wed 15. Ruth is still at home though very much better. Today was Gerald's & Miriam's Fifth Wed. Anniversary. We went with them, Katharine & I to see the movie "What Price Glory?" It was so long.
~~What Price Glory was a 1926 silent comedy-drama war film based on 1924 play; it was re-released with sound effects and music in 1927. 2 116 minutes long.
~Thu 16. Have been sewing today. Ruth went to school today. Have the plans for the Conf. Sat. well in hand.
~Fri 17. A snow storm is on this AM which makes our Conference plans rather uncertain.
~Sat 18. Spent all day at the church basement. We served the Older Boys & Girls Conf. As Mrs. Baker was sick I had charge. Went to Her Step-Husband Jr class play in evening.
~~Her Step-Husband was a three-act comedy/farce written by Larry E. Johnson and published in 1925 3. (Johnson wrote a number of plays, including one called The Mummy and the Mumps!)
This week's rabbit hole: In the 1920s, there was huge activity in the theater world. Jazz, vaudeville, broadway, cinema, and musicals all thrived. The shift from silent movies to "talkies" in 1927 began a decline in the popularity of theater.
~Sun 19. Went to church & SS as usual. Went over to see Gerald & family awhile.
~Mon 20. Wash day! Got word Loa is very sick.
~~This is Tell's sister Maloa Boylan Lohr, who was living in Wahpeton, ND, with her family.
~Tue 21. Did the ironing. Went to the dentist. Went to Rep Caucus in the evening to elect delegates to the Co. Con. I was secretary of caucus.
~Wed 22. Am looking for Mrs. Johnson down tomorrow. It is turning very cold & bad. Went to a Washington Day program at the school house this PM. Too long.
~~What is now President's Day started as a celebration of Washington's birthday, and was as prominent as the 4th of July.
~Thu 23. The sad news of Loa's death came today. Daddy is planning to go tonight. Mrs. Johnson spent the day with me planning the Dist. WFMS Con program. I went with Daddy as far as Eldora.
~~Loa was 65 when she died. Tell's trip from Hubbard to Wahpeton would have been about 400 miles.
~Fri 24. Spent the day at the shop. Ruth took part in a Recital at Ports. Mrs. S wants me to run for school director.
~Sat 25. A night letter and telegram to Uncle John said Daddy arrived safely. Aunt Loa's funeral was at three this PM. I spent the day at the shop.
~Sun 26. A wonderful day. Ruth, Katharine, & I ate dinner with Gerald's today. Katharine & I called on Mrs. Baker & Mrs. Knowles today.
~Mon 27. Daddy brought Marie Mitchell home via crossing today. Willie Daggett spent the evening with us. Staid up till midnight.
~Tue 28. Gerald & I took Marie to Eldora this AM. We stayed for dinner. Have washed this PM. Heard of Margie Lou's marriage which took place last Sat to a man named Sharpe.
~Wed 29. Went to the Dentists this AM. Taught in Bible school & called on Mrs. Beck in PM. Also attended a Steward Board meeting. Did my ironing after supper with Tell's help.
~~I hope you've enjoyed this week's installment of Emma's journal! See you next week for March, 1928.
~~1. This is a wonderful list of resources on Hardin County, Iowa. [NOTE: Offsite link no longer valid]
~~2. The movie was controversial when the characters are seen speaking profanities which are not reflected in the intertitles, but lipreaders could decipher. Offended peoples flooded letters to Fox studios.
~~3. Photo credit: https://www.biblio.com/book/her-step-husband-comedy-three-acts/d/1261600937
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