Helen's Diary

This is a transcription of some diaries I bought at an antique store near Toledo, Ohio. When the diary starts in January 1937, Helen is a young wife and soon to become a new mother. If you wish to read it, it's best to start with the first post - January 1937 (my oldest post) - and then follow along with her everyday life.

February 12, 2008

October, 1937

Friday, October 1, 1937

Baked choc cake and Bran muffins – cleaned house & so tired - ate supper out – Bud & Lukes – Brought Folks – Ceal & Gilbert home – here for even. – had corn beef & salami sandwiches – Papa got kind of ill – Very warm evening – had a miserable stomach most of even.

Saturday, October 2, 1937

Rainy again – Met Frank down town – bought groceries – lunch home listening to Football game – Even. brought Manny over – sewed


Sunday, October 3, 1937

Up at 11:00. Breakfast Bacon & eggs – took Manny down town – over to his folks then out to Moms – there for supper – Howard & Neva there – Home early.

Monday, October 4, 1937

Home all day – washed Franky’s socks & pressed up things – Had veal cutlet – Read Collers & listened to Radio evening – Gracie Allen

Tuesday, October 5, 1937

Home all day & evening – listened to Oakie college & Bed – about 11 Franky decided he wanted soup so got up again to Bud & Lukes

[Jack Oakie’s College was a radio show. 15 year old Judy Garland was a regular guest throughout 1937.]

Wednesday, October 6, 1937

With Frank on route – Bought double boiler – skipped supper – went to Valentine – saw Topper & Bad Guy – Evening up to Dot & Jims – had doenuts & co.

[Topper is a comedy starring Constance Bennett, Cary Grant and Roland Young. Bad Guy `is a crime-drama starring Bruce Cabot and Virginia Grey.]


Thursday, October 7, 1937

Spent entire day with Mother down town- supper out home – F came out about 8:30 – glad to see him & ice cream [“ - so early” is written above “glad to see him”]



Friday, October 8, 1937

Against better judgement but went with Frank again – paid bills but didn’t buy anything – ate Petra’s – Show – Panthan – Gangway – Saturday Hero’s

[Gangway is a British musical starring Jessie Mathews. Saturday’s Heroes is a sports drama starring Van Heflin and Marian Marsh]

Saturday, October 9, 1937

Cleaned house and rested about 1 hr. – cloudy day – Frank home late – got laundry and spent evening home

Sunday, October 10, 1937

Up late as usual – Br. Home took drive – visited Folks – Dinner Bud & Lukes – Show – Lost Horrison – Ronald Colmman – Very good & hot dogs.

[Lost Horizon is based on the James Hilton novel, and stars Ronald Colman and Jane Wyatt]

Monday, October 11, 1937

Walked to A & P store near Park – Beautiful day – liver & egg plant for supper – evening over to Ceal’s – sewed while Frank played dom.

Tuesday, October 12, 1937 – Columbus Day

Went with Franky – waffels for breakfast – ate Supper at 3:30 – Show alone – Dead End – Race number so met F. about 7:30 – trouble with car lights

[Dead End is a crime drama starring Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea, and Humphrey Bogart]


Wednesday, October 13, 1937

Guild today probably last one for me – Had a good time – Supper at Moms – Franky out 9 o’clock – Home & Bed early

Thursday, October 14, 1937

Felt miserable – walked to store & go so much enthusiasm that I washed dining room windows – Baked dinner – Show – Kid Galahad & Café Metropha – stomach ake

[Kid Galahad is a boxing/crime drama starring Edward G. Robinson, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. Café Metropole is a Romance starring Loretta Young, Tyrone Power and Adolphe Menjou]


Friday, October 15, 1937

Cleaned house – Mary Jane phoned stopped over – walked A&P store – she was here for supper – ride & home early – Bad stomach again

Saturday, October 16, 1937

Waffel alone down town paid bills met Frank – Hamburgs – Show – Varsity S. (good) over to Shermans’ & over to Mannys – came home early discusted – stewed

[Varsity Show is a musical starring Dick Powell, Ted Healy, the Lane Sisters, and Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians]

Sunday, October 17, 1937

Weight 152 – cleaned up house while Frank gone playing foot ball – light lunch home and listened to Jack Benny – Home Din.

Monday, October 18, 1937

Rained all day but went with Frank – Hot dogs for supper – Show – Joe Brown – Franky worried about tags – cops every day

[The movie was most likely Fit For a King, a comedy starring Joe E. Brown and Helen Mack]

Tuesday, October 19, 1937

Washed inside of sun room windows and cleaned up back porch – pretty tired at night – Frank gone but Jane here

Wednesday, October 20, 1937

Jane here all night breakfast with us – out home washed all the curtains – there for supper and evening – really did a days work

Thursday, October 21, 1937

Washed windows in sun room – what a Job – put up curtains they look so nice – Dot & Jim here evening – tired

Friday, October 22, 1937

Ironed & finished curtains – walked down to A.&P. saw Jane a couple minuets – made Chili – Frank gone even to a Football game (I hope)

Saturday, October 23, 1937

Went with Frank on run – Very tired – did some shopping – came home & baked apple Upside down cake – stayed home evening – Good cake

Sunday, October 24, 1937

Bacon & eggs for breakfast – sent Frank to store for chicken – stopped at folks – Elmer & Vivian there also Arthur & wife – Dinner at Mannys & Virginias – Show - Betty Davis – “That certain woman”

[That Certain Woman is a drama starring Bette Davis and Henry Fonda]

Monday, October 25, 1937

Went around with Franky – some shopping – Bought a lot of food – supper home – soup & salami-sandwiches – Finished hanging curtains & went Bed early

Tuesday, October 26, 1937

Cleaned out cubbard – put clean Paper on shelves – Swell chicken dinner & then!!! Water broke 5: o clock P.M. went to hospital 8:30 – Pains every 4 min. Baby girl born 1:42 AM.

Wednesday, October 27, 1937 – first

Oh – What a miserable sore day – felt like the duce – only soup & juice – Mother here at 2:P.M. also Frank – lots of flowers – Even Franky sent me some – signed papers.



Thursday, October 28, 1937 – Second day

Feeling much better but lonesome – still on juice & soup – Baby is very sweet – never lets out a sound – Named her Norma Jean – Mom & Pop here – Max & Clara

Friday, October 29, 1937 – third day

Juice all day – Mother here afternoon – made out announcement cards – Mama – Ceal & Gilbert here even. So tired tonight and my breasts so swollen & painful can’t sleep

Saturday, October 30, 1937 – Fourth day

Having trouble getting Baby to eat – tried to sleep this morning since didn’t sleep last night – hot beautiful weather – Jane here also Mother & Dot & Jim

Sunday, October 31, 1937 – Hallowe’en – Fifth day

Still have headake they keep feeding me too much – Swell chicken dinner – then enema – everything fine – Mom Dad & Brothers – Dora A. – Dot & Jim – Gladys – Aunt Allie – Many & box of candy

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