On Saturday, June 30, Dale and family drove from Muscatine to Osceola. Dale wrote, “Got to Mother’s at 5 p.m. Went uptown at night. Kids went to a show at night.” Above: Dalene (with long hair) and Dale (with cigar) in 1951.
Early Computer Days
In Minneapolis on Monday, June 29, 1959, Dale wrote, “Cool, high 63°. Went to a store in St. Paul and bought Dalene some shoes. Stan’s first day on his Santa Monica job. He called at night to ask about his work history. Helen and I looked up in my old diaries for his record of jobs.” I needed that information for a security clearance questionnaire. Above: the control console of the IBM AN/FSQ-7, the first computer I learned to program. It filled a large room, employed vacuum tube technology, and was used by the Air Force SAGE system in the North American air defense program.
Ready For Vacation
1946 Dodge
Stan The Lab Tech
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, June 26, 1957, Dale wrote, “I mowed the back yard after work. Stanley got a fulltime job at General Mills, starting next Monday, as Radiation Physics Laboratory Technician. We are all pretty pleased about it. He went to Muscatine to see Sue Timm.” Above: General Mills Central Research Lab, built in the 1930s at 2010 Hennepin Avenue East, where I worked for the next two years.
We Adopt A Duck
From Osceola To Peoria
Columbia Heights Carnival
G.I. Bill Of Rights
On Thursday, June 22, 1944, President Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 into law. It was commonly known as the G.I. Bill of Rights. (A later version was enacted after the Korean War.) Watch the video to see how it came to be.
Checking Out ISU
On vacation from Muscatine on Tuesday, June 21, 1955, Dale wrote, “At Gerald’s in the morning. Drove to Ames to question college. On to Wilma’s farm in the afternoon, then to Mother’s in Osceola.” We had just visited Helen’s brother Gerald and his family in Latimer; Wilma (Helen’s sister) lived a couple miles north of Osceola. I was considering Iowa State University in Ames.
From New Ulm To Latimer
On vacation from Muscatine on Monday, June 20, 1955, Dale wrote, “Left New Ulm and arrived at Gerald’s in Latimer in the afternoon. Hot driving. Gerald and Ressia have a very nice place to live. Lots of room, and quiet. Dalene, Stan, and Carole went swimming at a nearby lake.” Carole is my age, one of Gerald (Helen’s brother) and Ressia’s daughters. Above: New Ulm, Minnesota, to Latimer, Iowa.
A 1947 Dodge
Dale Opens A Bank Account
Stan Visits Yates’ Home
On Sunday, June 17, 1951, Dale and his family drove from Muscatine to Gerald Shaffer’s home in Latimer, Iowa, stopping at the Amana Colonies for lunch, arriving at Gerald’s at 2:00. Dale wrote, “Genes there too. Stanley went home with Bobby. Helen, Dalene and I got home at 10 p.m.” Above: Muscatine to Latimer. Gerald was Helen’s brother. Lela (Helen’s sister) and Gene Yates, daughter Nancy and son Bob lived in Perry, Iowa, at the time. Five days later, Gene and Lela drove me to Osceola, where I stayed with my grandmother Jettie until Dale, Helen, and Dalene arrived about a week later.
At Como Park
Shooting A Cap Gun
Badminton Set
Ready To Travel
Vacationing in Osceola from Washington, DC, on Sunday, June 13, 1937, Dale and Helen attended a Schaffer family dinner at the home of Pearl and Cedar Schaffer. They spent the night at the farm of Louie and Ruth Schaffer. Pearl and Louie were Helen’s brothers. Above: Dale’s parents, Williams and Jettie, in front of Dale’s car loaded for its return trip to Washington. Jettie went with them for a visit.
Hot Day In Muscatine
In Muscatine on Thursday, June 12, 1952, Dale wrote, “Very hot today. Too hot to sleep at night. I slept on the front porch and Helen slept on the davenport until early morning. Must be 100° in the shade.” There was no home air conditioning (unless you were rich), which is probably why we went to so many movies – theaters were air conditioned.