(no subject)
Continuing the transcription of the 1933 diary of my Great-Grandfather Spitzer. (I think his first name was Bill?) This is the month of February.
All spelling, punctuation marks, paragraph breaks, etc. are copied exactly. Comments in brackets are my own.
_____________________________________
February 1, 1933
So hard up had only bread and milk for dinner
If something doesn't break soon, I dont know what we're going to do.
Madge at Bourgholtzers in afternoon. Bridge.
Got loan on Madge's diamond rings. $125 on rings costing $1020.
[The Inflation calculator tells me that in today's dollars, $1020 would be $14,567.90. Guess she had some serious jewelry.]
February 2
Beautiful day. Laid in supply of groceries. Soon will be gone however.
Judge Small of Municipal Court wrote nice letter to Congressman Polk in Joe's interest.
February 3
Madge & I went with the Titans in the School bus to Sciotoville.
Central won 23 to 11
Beautiful night
Jack played guard.
February 4
About 5 P.M. a blinding snowstorm came up and the temperature tumbled from 35° to 20°.
Madge, Mrs. Swentzel, & I went to Wheelersburg [West Virginia] to see the Titans win 24 to 11. Slippery driving.
Jack played guard.
[Deirner?] Newman, close friend of Oscar Pyle, Secretary to Congressman Polk promised to write to Pyle for Joe.
February 5
Cold this morning.
About 12° above. Streets very slippery.
All to High Mass.
Short of bed clothes so Madge and I had to double up.
February 6
Warmer. Nothing of note going on.
Harbison-Walker Common sold on the N.Y. exchange at 7 1/2
February 7
Got Joe's West Point exam. papers back. His average only 58° so I guess that's all of that.
Red Cross has been shipping in flour to give the needy. Flour is made from the surplus wheat bought by the government Farms Board in an effort to keep the price up.
February 8
Nice day but cold wave is promised.
12,000,000 people out of work and just hanging on to see what will happen after Roosevelt is sworn in on March 4. Unless things look better then, I look for trouble, possibly revolution.
Close to 2000 people being fed by charity daily here in Portsmouth.
Salvation Army, American Legion & Eagle's Lodge maintaining soup kitchens to feed the helpless.
[Had to stop a bit here, tear-blinded. The phrase "to feed the helpless" particularly pierced me. Going on now.]
February 9
Colder in afternoon with snow.
February 10
Cold this morning. Down to 0°. Jack played the part of Prince William in "The Queen's Husband" Holy Redeemer class play (Senior) at P.H.S. Auditorium. Madge and Joe went.
February 11
Not so cold this A.M. but about 2 inches of snow fell during the night. Foodstuff running low and I dont know how to get any more money.
Notice from bank that $195 interest must be paid at once. Just trusting to luck and the good Lord above.
February 12
In talking with some of the other boys who took the West Point exam, Joe hears that all of them got averages ranging from 40 to 62.
Got notice from Polk to take physical exam.
February 13
Warmer today.
Joe at Williams Mfg. to apply for job.
February 14
Joe and I went to Columbus in the Ford. Took Joe to Fort Hayes where he passed the physical exam. Very rigid exam. Foggy all day.
Dr. Keil & I went to Sciotoville at night to get Madge and Addie who were at Mrs. Baileys for bridge. So foggy we could scarcely see to drive.
February 15
While in a crowd at Miami, Fla. just after having made a speech from his automobile, Pres. Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt was shot at five times by an Italian named Giuseppi Zanagara. No shots hit Roosevelt but five people were wounded, the most noted of whom was Anton Cermak of Chicago, who was seriously wounded.
February 16
At Athletic Association meeting at Fr. Goebel's. Murray Powers, Pres: Mr. Kinsky, V.P.: Lawrence Wagner, Secy & Treas.
All have great ideas for putting things across in a big way. We shall see what we shall see.
February 17
At a meeting at Father Connolly's to form a Boy Scout Troup at Holy Redeemer. Harry Wagner there. "Rip" McKinney, Jim Tanerian [sp?], Joe Schmank, and myself elected officers.
[Clif? Chip?] Hartlage, Scout-master with Harold Krauser, Leonard Thompson, and Murray Powers, assistants.
February 18 - [no entry]
February 19
All to Late Mass
February 20
Marcella Burling, step daughter of A. H. McKenzie, killed at Mercy Hospital at 1 A.M. Tuesday when she attempted to loosen a food elevator which had stuck. A tray had wedged against the wall and when she dislodged it, the elavator dropped and the top of it caught her head against the floor pinning her there. City fireman removed her after 10 minutes but she was dead
February 21
Central defeated at P.H.S. Gym by New Boston 22 to 19. Dandy game.
February 22 - [no entry]
February 23
Joe received notice from the War Department that he was appointed second alternate for West Point. Cecil Himes of Batavia, Howard Oliver of Otway were principal and first alternate.
Nice warm today. H.-W. Common sold in New York at 6 3/4.
Joe is to report to Fort Benjamin Harrison on March 7th. He is still in the running but with mighty slim chances
February 24
Mayor Cermak of Chicago who was shot at Miami Fla much worse today.
Beautiful day today. Haven't had a cent of money all week but we are somehow eating. Dont know how long.
Joe was lucky enough to get an application blank from Williams Mfg. Co. Hope he can get work.
February 25
Showery today. Turned much cooler toward evening. Still out of money
H-W. Common sold at 6 1/8. Still going down.
K[nights] of C[olumbus]'s had indoor fair Thursday, Friday and Saturday but naturally none of us went. No dinero.
February 26
Cool this morning About 40°. Went to late Mass. Stayed home the remainder of the day.
Mayor Cermak of Chicago reported better in the morning papers.
The first Sunday in my memory that we didn't have meat for dinner.
February 27 - [no entry]
February 28
This legislature in special session last night passed a banking holiday. Banks limited withdrawals on both savings & checking accounts to 5% with $25 the maximum to be drawn out per month no matter how large the account. Designed to prevent runs.
Manufacturers unable to meet their pay rolls. Probably a good thing as the situation is so desperate, it will no doubt force government action to afford relief.
______________________________________
To be continued in March 1933...
All spelling, punctuation marks, paragraph breaks, etc. are copied exactly. Comments in brackets are my own.
_____________________________________
February 1, 1933
So hard up had only bread and milk for dinner
If something doesn't break soon, I dont know what we're going to do.
Madge at Bourgholtzers in afternoon. Bridge.
Got loan on Madge's diamond rings. $125 on rings costing $1020.
[The Inflation calculator tells me that in today's dollars, $1020 would be $14,567.90. Guess she had some serious jewelry.]
February 2
Beautiful day. Laid in supply of groceries. Soon will be gone however.
Judge Small of Municipal Court wrote nice letter to Congressman Polk in Joe's interest.
February 3
Madge & I went with the Titans in the School bus to Sciotoville.
Central won 23 to 11
Beautiful night
Jack played guard.
February 4
About 5 P.M. a blinding snowstorm came up and the temperature tumbled from 35° to 20°.
Madge, Mrs. Swentzel, & I went to Wheelersburg [West Virginia] to see the Titans win 24 to 11. Slippery driving.
Jack played guard.
[Deirner?] Newman, close friend of Oscar Pyle, Secretary to Congressman Polk promised to write to Pyle for Joe.
February 5
Cold this morning.
About 12° above. Streets very slippery.
All to High Mass.
Short of bed clothes so Madge and I had to double up.
February 6
Warmer. Nothing of note going on.
Harbison-Walker Common sold on the N.Y. exchange at 7 1/2
February 7
Got Joe's West Point exam. papers back. His average only 58° so I guess that's all of that.
Red Cross has been shipping in flour to give the needy. Flour is made from the surplus wheat bought by the government Farms Board in an effort to keep the price up.
February 8
Nice day but cold wave is promised.
12,000,000 people out of work and just hanging on to see what will happen after Roosevelt is sworn in on March 4. Unless things look better then, I look for trouble, possibly revolution.
Close to 2000 people being fed by charity daily here in Portsmouth.
Salvation Army, American Legion & Eagle's Lodge maintaining soup kitchens to feed the helpless.
[Had to stop a bit here, tear-blinded. The phrase "to feed the helpless" particularly pierced me. Going on now.]
February 9
Colder in afternoon with snow.
February 10
Cold this morning. Down to 0°. Jack played the part of Prince William in "The Queen's Husband" Holy Redeemer class play (Senior) at P.H.S. Auditorium. Madge and Joe went.
February 11
Not so cold this A.M. but about 2 inches of snow fell during the night. Foodstuff running low and I dont know how to get any more money.
Notice from bank that $195 interest must be paid at once. Just trusting to luck and the good Lord above.
February 12
In talking with some of the other boys who took the West Point exam, Joe hears that all of them got averages ranging from 40 to 62.
Got notice from Polk to take physical exam.
February 13
Warmer today.
Joe at Williams Mfg. to apply for job.
February 14
Joe and I went to Columbus in the Ford. Took Joe to Fort Hayes where he passed the physical exam. Very rigid exam. Foggy all day.
Dr. Keil & I went to Sciotoville at night to get Madge and Addie who were at Mrs. Baileys for bridge. So foggy we could scarcely see to drive.
February 15
While in a crowd at Miami, Fla. just after having made a speech from his automobile, Pres. Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt was shot at five times by an Italian named Giuseppi Zanagara. No shots hit Roosevelt but five people were wounded, the most noted of whom was Anton Cermak of Chicago, who was seriously wounded.
February 16
At Athletic Association meeting at Fr. Goebel's. Murray Powers, Pres: Mr. Kinsky, V.P.: Lawrence Wagner, Secy & Treas.
All have great ideas for putting things across in a big way. We shall see what we shall see.
February 17
At a meeting at Father Connolly's to form a Boy Scout Troup at Holy Redeemer. Harry Wagner there. "Rip" McKinney, Jim Tanerian [sp?], Joe Schmank, and myself elected officers.
[Clif? Chip?] Hartlage, Scout-master with Harold Krauser, Leonard Thompson, and Murray Powers, assistants.
February 18 - [no entry]
February 19
All to Late Mass
February 20
Marcella Burling, step daughter of A. H. McKenzie, killed at Mercy Hospital at 1 A.M. Tuesday when she attempted to loosen a food elevator which had stuck. A tray had wedged against the wall and when she dislodged it, the elavator dropped and the top of it caught her head against the floor pinning her there. City fireman removed her after 10 minutes but she was dead
February 21
Central defeated at P.H.S. Gym by New Boston 22 to 19. Dandy game.
February 22 - [no entry]
February 23
Joe received notice from the War Department that he was appointed second alternate for West Point. Cecil Himes of Batavia, Howard Oliver of Otway were principal and first alternate.
Nice warm today. H.-W. Common sold in New York at 6 3/4.
Joe is to report to Fort Benjamin Harrison on March 7th. He is still in the running but with mighty slim chances
February 24
Mayor Cermak of Chicago who was shot at Miami Fla much worse today.
Beautiful day today. Haven't had a cent of money all week but we are somehow eating. Dont know how long.
Joe was lucky enough to get an application blank from Williams Mfg. Co. Hope he can get work.
February 25
Showery today. Turned much cooler toward evening. Still out of money
H-W. Common sold at 6 1/8. Still going down.
K[nights] of C[olumbus]'s had indoor fair Thursday, Friday and Saturday but naturally none of us went. No dinero.
February 26
Cool this morning About 40°. Went to late Mass. Stayed home the remainder of the day.
Mayor Cermak of Chicago reported better in the morning papers.
The first Sunday in my memory that we didn't have meat for dinner.
February 27 - [no entry]
February 28
This legislature in special session last night passed a banking holiday. Banks limited withdrawals on both savings & checking accounts to 5% with $25 the maximum to be drawn out per month no matter how large the account. Designed to prevent runs.
Manufacturers unable to meet their pay rolls. Probably a good thing as the situation is so desperate, it will no doubt force government action to afford relief.
______________________________________
To be continued in March 1933...