On Saturday, March 19, 1955, Ames beat Iowa City for the Iowa high school boy’s basketball championship. One year earlier, Muscatine won the championship.
The Price of Beef
In Osceola on Wednesday, March 18, 1935, Dale Gardner bought two Jersey cows, age 2 and 4, for $28.75 and $28.50. It costs that much now for just a good steak. Below: a Jersey cow.
A Minneapolis Blizzard
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, March 17, 1965, a high of 24° and snow all day with strong winds resulted in a blizzard. Dale wrote, “Worst in our nine years here.” Below: their house after the storm.
Jolson Sings Again
In Muscatine on Thursday, March 16, 1950, Dale took his whole family to see the movie “Jolson Sings Again” at night.
A Fun Party
In St. Paul on Saturday, March 15, 1941, Dale wrote, “Mrs. Marshall had a birthday party here for Mary Ann. Stanley sure had a good time.” Mrs. Marshall was a neighbor and Mary Ann her daughter, but I don’t remember them.
Define “PBX”
On Wednesday, March 14, 1956, Helen got a job in Minneapolis at the Century Theater as PBX Operator. She had PBX experience from her early days in Osceola as a telephone operator, and as switchboard operator at Muscatine County Hospital, but had to learn theater practices. It turns out she only worked there for a week, saying she wasn’t busy enough and too much traffic.
(Answer: Private Branch eXchange. A switchboard, as shown below.)
(Answer: Private Branch eXchange. A switchboard, as shown below.)
North of the Weldon Stock Yards
It was a Wednesday, March 13, in 1935. Helen and Dale moved to their farm one-half mile north of the Weldon, Iowa, stock yards. From there, they would frequently walk to town, since they had no car.
Dictionary Giggle 3
Here’s another definition from my cousin Margie.
CHICKENS: The only animals you eat before they are born and after they are dead.
A Lot of Snow
In Minneapolis on Sunday, March 11, 1962, Dale wrote, “Snow all day. About 10 inches, makes almost 70 inches this winter, so far. Put the tire chains on.” That’s almost six feet of snow. But – it’s Minnesota.
Income Tax Dates
In Muscatine on Monday, March 10, 1952, Dale mailed his Federal tax return to Des Moines. State and federal taxes were due on March 15 each year until 1955, when the due date was changed to April 15.
Dale Loses Weight
On Monday, March 9, 1953, Dale has been on sick leave in Muscatine over a month with leg pains. He wrote, “Dressed and drove downtown to Dr. Miller for a shot. Got along fine but both legs tickled all evening. I weigh 178 pounds, doctor says lose 10 more pounds.”
Muskies Lose One
On Wednesday, March 8, 1950, the Muscatine High School basketball team lost to Burlington, 50 to 39, in District Tournament play.
Dale Takes a Test
On Saturday, March 7, 1936, Dale and Helen borrowed George and Wilma Casey’s car and drove from Osceola to Des Moines for Dale to take the Civil Service Examination for Mail Clerk. Dale’s teenage sister Marie went along for the ride. I don’t know what the car was, but it probably looked like the 1935 Ford below.
Helen’s First Flight
On Wednesday, March 6, 1957, Dale drove Helen to the Minneapolis airport (he wrote the old name, Wold-Chamberlin Field) to take a Braniff flight to Des Moines, where Wilma, her sister, was having surgery. This was Helen’s first airplane trip, and when she called Dale after Wilma’s operation, she said it was wonderful. Below: what the airport looked like about that time.
Movie Matinee
On Sunday, March 5, 1950, Dale took Dalene to a Muscatine movie in the afternoon, “Key to the City.”
Loose Hogs
On Sunday, March 4, 1934, Helen and Dale Gardner drove their horse and wagon to visit Bill and Leona Van Sant. They were rained on as they rode home. Dale chased the pigs that had gotten out, then fixed the barnyard gate to prevent further pig escapes.
An 80th Anniversary
Today is the 80th anniversary of the marriage of Helen and Dale Gardner. On Thursday, March 3, 1932, they crossed the state line from Iowa to Maryville, Missouri, and were married. I believe they were very happy together.
Sledding in St. Paul
In 1941, this date was a Sunday, and we lived in St. Paul, MN. My parents took me and a friend, Jimmy Longhenry, to a nearby duck pond, where we could go sledding in the snow.
A Day at the Internal Revenue Service
This date in 1937, a Monday, was Dale’s first day working at the Internal Revenue Service. They started training him in accounting and income tax law.
A COLD Day in Minneapolis
On Monday, February 29, 1960, in Minneapolis, Dad wrote in his diary, “8° below to 15° above. COLD. Got the speedometer cable greased.” He liked to record the high and low temperatures each day. This was probably due to his early life as a farmer in Iowa – weather conditions are foremost in the minds of farmers.