In Minneapolis on Monday, December 5, 1955, Dale wrote, “This is the coldest December 5th in Minnesota weather history. 7° below zero. Froze the car up taking Dalene to school.”
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Dalene Goes To ‘Canteen’
In Minneapolis on Friday, December 4, 1959, Dale wrote, “High 32°. Helen and I went downtown after work and bought Christmas presents for Dalene, also bought a train case for our trip. Dalene went to ‘Canteen’ at night with our car.” That “Canteen” was a Friday night event for teens at the local Methodist church.
Stan Goes To Night School
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, December 3, 1957, Dale wrote, “Dalene went to a basketball game at night. Stan went to evening class after supper.” I was working full-time, and was a math major in the evenings at the University of Minnesota.
Dalene Goes To JA
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, December 2, 1958, Dale wrote, “High 43°. I ate lunch at a dime store in St. Anthony. Stan went to choir practice at night. Dalene went to Junior Achievement.” What is Junior Achievement, you ask? Watch this:
Dale Gets A Raise
In St. Paul on Monday, December 1, 1941, Dale recorded his appointment as a U.S. Storekeeper-Gauger, with a 23% raise from $1,620 to $2,000 per year, about $31,500 today.
Dalene Sees A Basketball Game
In Minneapolis on Friday, November 30, 1956, Dale took Dalene and some of her friends to a high school basketball game at night.
White Christmas
In Muscatine on Monday, November 29, 1954, Dale took Dalene to the movie White Christmas at night.
Dale And Helen At Army-Navy Game
In Washington, DC, on Saturday, November 28, 1936, Dale and Helen went to Philadelphia for the Army-Navy football game with tickets they had received from Max Schaffer, Helen’s nephew. Dale wrote, “Wonderful. Had dinner with Max at Child’s and went to a show.” Here is the cover of the program for that game:
Muscatine Chorus In Des Moines
On Saturday, November 27, 1954, the Muscatine High School chorus, under the direction of Max Collins, was in Des Moines for the Eighth Annual Iowa All-State Band, Orchestra, and Chorus Festival Concert at the KRNT Theater. A month earlier, around the state, 254 Iowa high schools auditioned, and 1,000 students were selected for the chorus, 270 for the band, and 209 for the orchestra. Below: the program.
Stan Goes To A Prom
In Minneapolis on Saturday, November 26, 1955, Shirley Staebler and her daughter Kay rented Dale and Helen’s upstairs apartment and moved in. They became long-term renters and friends. Below: Kay asked me to take her to her prom in 1957.
Our First TV
In Muscatine on Saturday, November 25, 1950, Dale wrote that we got our first television set, installed in our living room. Black and white, of course, from Montgomery Wards, for $225. Dale and Helen watched it a lot for the next several years.
Stan Gets A Toaster
In Minneapolis on Saturday, November 24, 1956, Dale wrote, “Fixed our old toaster for Stan to take back to Muscatine. Don went to bed early, Stan and Bill brought two girls here at 10:30 to listen to records.” The Mullen brothers and I drove back to Muscatine the next day.
Dalene Goes To “Giant”
In Minneapolis on Friday, November 23, 1956, Dale wrote, “Stan, Don, and Bill came down to Phillips to watch the bottling machine work. Dalene went downtown with Sharon Lynn to ‘Giant.’ Boys had dates at night.” Don and Bill Mullen were brothers from Muscatine I had gone to high school with, Phillips was the alcohol bottler where Dad worked, and Sharon Lynn was Dalene’s friend.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 22, 1951, was Thanksgiving. In Muscatine, Dale wrote, “Had turkey for dinner, first one in ten years.”
Jettie Marries Clarence
In Osceola on Monday, November 21, 1955, widow Jettie Gardner married widower Clarence Liggitt. He was a farmer who lived across the highway from Williams and Jettie’s farm, so they had known each other for some time. Here they are several years later:
More Snow
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, November 20, 1957, Dale wrote, “Took the chains off my and Stan’s cars before breakfast. Snow flurries today. High 30°.”
Ten Inches Of Snow
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 19, 1957, Dale wrote, “10 inches of snow on the ground this morning. Stan and I shoveled the sidewalks before breakfast. He got stuck in the driveway.” Below: Dalene in front of the house after the snowfall.
Father-Son Banquet
In Muscatine on Tuesday, November 18, 1952, Dad and I went to a father and son banquet at the Evangelical United Brethren church at night. The church, below, was at the corner of Mulberry Avenue and East Sixth Street. The E.U.B. (as it was known) merged with the Methodist Church in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church. Bet you didn’t know that.
Dale Gets Promoted
On Wednesday, November 17, 1943, while on temporary duty from Clinton, Iowa, to Omaha, Nebraska, Dale got a letter transferring him back to Clinton as Gauger-In-Charge. He wrote, “Called Helen to tell her the news.”
Solid Gold Cadillac
In Minneapolis on Friday, November 16, 1956, Dale wrote, “Bright day. I shoveled walks before breakfast. Went to ‘Solid Gold Cadillac’ at night. Good show.”
