Month: May 2013

Delivering Sunday Papers

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In Muscatine on Sunday, May 31, 1953, Dale wrote, “Stanley worked two hours in the morning.  Helen and I went to the West Liberty depot at 11:30 p.m. for Margaret Sinnott.”  Mrs. Sinnott was our neighbor on East Seventh Street.  My work was early-morning packing and dropping off Sunday paper bundles around town for Cohn’s News Agency at 209 East Third Street, in a panel truck like the one above.

Wrapping Up An Osceola Trip

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On Friday, May 30, 1941, on vacation in Iowa, Dale and family drove from the Williams and Jettie Gardner farm near Thayer to the George and Wilma Casey farm near Osceola, where they spent the night.  Gene and Lela Yates were there, too.  Dale, Helen, and Stanley drove back to St. Paul the next day.  Wilma and Lela were Helen’s sisters.  On the above map, the pushpin locates Thayer.  The Casey farm was a couple miles north of Osceola on highway 69.

Still Visiting In Osceola

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On Monday, May 29, 1950, visiting with his family at Williams and Jettie’s in Osceola, Dale wrote, “Went to Wilma’s for dinner.  Drove George’s new Ford.  Dalene played with their cats.”  Wilma was Helen’s sister, married to George Casey.  There is Dalene and a feline friend.

Another Osceola Visit

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On Sunday, May 28, 1950, visiting with his family at Williams and Jettie’s in Osceola, Dale wrote, “Went with Louies to see Gene in the hospital at Perry.  Saw Louise and Uncle Pearls too.”  Louie Schaffer was Helen’s brother, Gene Yates was the husband of Helen’s sister Lela, Pearl Yates was Dale’s uncle and Gene’s father, and Louise was Gene’s sister.  Above: Dalene posed on Grandpa Williams Gardner’s tractor.

Far From Any Madding Crowd

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On Tuesday, May 27, 1941, on vacation in Iowa from St. Paul, Dale and family left the Casey farm north of Osceola and drove back to Dale’s parents’ farm near Thayer, where they stayed the next three nights.  Williams was ill, so Dale did the chores.  Above: Grandpa Williams Gardner took me for a ride on his tractor.

Looking At Ponies

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In Minneapolis on Saturday, May 26, 1956, Dale wrote, “Marie, Dalene, and Susan went to look at some ponies and then downtown in the afternoon.  We all took a ride in the evening over to St. Paul, etc.”  Dale’s sister Marie and her daughter Susan left the next morning to return to Osceola.

Prince Of Peace

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In Muscatine on Thursday, May 25, 1950, Dale wrote that he bought a carton of cigarettes for $1.42.  He took Stanley and Dalene to “Prince of Peace.”

Working At Otto’s Grocery

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In Muscatine on Saturday, May 24, 1952, Dale wrote, “Stanley worked all day at Otto’s.  Dalene went to a show in the afternoon with Hahn girls.”  I don’t know who the Hahn girls were.  Above: a Bisquick display at Otto’s Grocery on East Second Street where I was a box boy.

Dalene Goes Roller Skating

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In Muscatine on Saturday, May 23, 1953, Dale wrote, “Got up early and painted the car maroon.  Stan worked.  Dalene went roller skating in the afternoon.  Dot and her nephew were here at night for coffee, on their way to Des Moines.”  Dot was the wife of Helen’s brother Harley Schaffer.  Above: Skateland was at the corner of East Seventh and Orange Streets, a half-block from our house on East Seventh Street.

Visiting In California

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On Monday, May 22, 1961, Dale wrote, “Annual leave, in Reseda.  High 80° in the sun, about 70° in the shade.  Packed the car, bought some gas, cashed some travelers checks.  Met Charles Matheny Jr. in Canoga Park.”  Helen and Dale had been visiting my family in the San Fernando Valley, getting ready to leave for Minneapolis the next day.  Charles Matheny was a cousin of Dale’s.  Above: Helen in front of our house.

My Flexy Racer

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In Muscatine on Monday, May 21, 1951, Dale wrote that Dalene bought my Flexy Racer for $1.  I won it in a contest several years earlier – it was essentially a sled on wheels, with steering handles.

Postwar Alcohol Production

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In Muscatine on Tuesday, May 20, 1952, postwar production of alcohol had shifted to
commercial spirits, as indicated by Dale’s note, “Filled 2 trucks and 1 tank car to Seagram’s.”  Above: a Seagram ad from 1952.

Ice Cream Sodas

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In Muscatine on Monday, May 19, 1952, Dale and Dalene went to Neitzel’s drug store at night for ice cream sodas and a magazine.  He wrote that it was warm, so they may have walked; the drugstore was on Mulberry Avenue a few blocks from our house.

Taking Jettie For A Ride

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In Minneapolis on Sunday, May 18, 1958, Dale wrote, “Stan, Mother, and Dalene went to church.  I fixed the carpet sweeper, Dalene’s window blind, and burned the trash.  We took a long ride in the afternoon.  Windy and cool.  High about 68°.”

Going To The Library

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In Minneapolis on Friday, May 17, 1957, Dale wrote, “Helen went to the doctor for an exam and got a shot too.  Took Helen to the library after supper.  Picked Dalene and Sharon up at the show at 10 p.m.  Letter from Stan in Muscatine.”  Sharon was a friend of Dalene’s.  Above: Hennepin County Library.

High School Musical

In Muscatine on Friday, May 16, 1952, Dale wrote, “Helen, Dalene, Judy Fisher and I went to the high school at night; Stan was in a musical comedy.”  Judy was a neighbor.  Signatures in my 1952 yearbook hint that I was a soldier in this spring chorus production when I was a freshman, so I may be in the photo above.  Thanks to classmate Jim Davis, who remembered the show was Auntie’s Musket – an original operetta with music by Max Collins and lyrics by Keith Larson.  Max was our vocal music director, and his friend Keith taught at Muscatine Junior College.

Birth Of ‘Mickey D’

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On Wednesday, May 15, 1940, brothers Richard and Maurice “Mac” McDonald opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino, California, as a barbecue restaurant.  In 1948 they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand, using production-line principles.  Businessman Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in 1955. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its worldwide growth.  Above: the original McDonald’s hamburger restaurant.

Dyeing Curtains

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In Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 14, 1958, Dale wrote, “High was in the 70s.  Helen cleaned house and dyed curtains. I mowed the whole yard after work.  Dalene went to dinner at the YWCA in the evening.  Stan went to choir practice.”

Summer Is Coming

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In Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 13, 1958, Dale wrote, “We need rain.  High 84°.  I finished putting up the screens after work.  Stan went to class after supper.  Mother called to tell us she will be here Thursday, on the bus.”

Weekend Trip To Osceola

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On Saturday, May 12, 1951, Dale drove Helen, Stanley, and Dalene from Muscatine to Jettie’s house in Osceola for the weekend.  They went “uptown” for Saturday night, went out to Lloyd’s farm (Dale’s brother) the next day and drove back to Muscatine that evening.  Above: Dalene and Dale in 1951.
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