Three Thanksgivings in the 1930s

The picture shows Ruth wearing the black fox stole John gave her for their 1st wedding anniversary in June, 1930 and her July 5th birthday.  She was 24.  Maybe this was taken in the yard at 4705 Byron St., Chicago where they owned and lived in a 3-flat.

Nov., 27, 1930 - Thanksgiving - "Thanksgiving Day.  Cold! Folks came for dinner.  Chicken good - pie no good.  Played cards, had cold chicken in evening & cookies.  John peevish again.  Read in bed until 9:30."

Nov. 26, 1931 - Thanksgiving - "Smitty saw Baby first time.  John did part of my ironing while I washed Baby clothes.  We walked over to folks for dinner at 12:30.  We had leg-o-lamb & everything to go with Thanksgiving dinner.  Played Bridge & Hearts.  Home 8:15."

Nov. 24, 1932 - Thanksgiving  - "THaNksgiviNg.  After work was done here, we went to folks'.  Kennie slept on porch while we enjoyed Thanksgiving chicken (I paid for).  John's brief case stolen last nite.  Played cards.  (John out from 2:30-7:00.)"

Interesting to see that they had chicken twice and lamb once in those years.  The Depression had started in October, 1929, so money was tighter and tighter with so many losing jobs or getting large cuts in pay.  That explains the lack of turkey, duck, goose on the table.  I remember having turkey and duck for Thanksgiving at Grandma & Grandpa Meredith's at age 5 or 6.

Smitty was best friend to Jimmie, Ruth's younger brother, in grade school and high school.  It seemed that the relationship began to fray when they were in their late 20s.  I think that Smitty married where Jimmie did not.  Jimmie isn't mentioned, but he would have been at the 3 Thanksgivings at 19, 20 and 21 years old.

Kennie (later called "Kenny") was born on Sept. 6, 1931, so only 2 1/2 months old in Nov., 1931. Ruth and John were still coping with being parents as well as having little money.   They walked to the Meredith's on Iowa St. that year.  By then they had sold the 3-flat and had moved to a flat at 5841 W. Superior St.  It was only a few blocks from the Merediths.

Maybe Ruth was feeling festive when she wrote the unusual lettering on "Thanksgiving" in the 1932 quote from her diary.  By then they were probably feeling more at ease with 1-year-old Kennie.  Ruth doesn't say anything else about the brief case.  Perhaps that's where John went when he was "out" - looking for the brief case.

The day after Thanksgiving in 1932 Ruth and her mother,  Lottie Meredith, cut each other's hair and Lottie washed Ruth's hair.  Before the Depression when Ruth was working for Montgomery Ward, she and her mother both had their short hair cut by a barber.

Ruth's Move to a New World, Oak Park, with "Emotion"

This photo of Ruth Kellogg at age 35 in Oct., 1941 was taken before she moved to Oak Park.  It doesn't appear in Pieces of a Life.  Some of the diary entries that follow were used in the book, however.  They are among the most heartfelt, revealing ones Ruth wrote.

Most of Ruth's adult teen and adult years had been in the safe cocoon that the quiet, comfortable Austin neighborhood provided on the far west side of Chicago.  The house that Ruth and John bought in Nov., 1941 was only about two miles from the familiar two-flat on Iowa Street, owned by Ruth's parents, but may as well have been on the moon.  

Sunday, Nov. 16, 1941 - "Well, it's happened!  We've put a down payment on a 7-room house!  At 1210 N. Euclid Ave., Oak Park.  It's 11 years old.  Needs a little decorating in spots.  Has 2-car brick garage like house - orange-tan face brick all around.  Gas vapor heat.  

Then we went to Florence's for 4 o'clock dinner.  Of course the talk was then all about house - we took them by ours tonight.  Too dark to see much.  I feel sort of sad about moving in a month from here."

Monday, Nov. 17, 1941 -  "All day my emotions were at a high pitch and I couldn't accomplish much.  I did phone in 'To Rent' ad for flat and then make house presentable.  But it's taking me all day to get used to idea of moving into strange house away from familiar neighborhood.

Kenny wrote composition about "Happiest Moment of My Life" - and the facts of buying house yesterday.  So teacher knows it already.

P.S.  I cried myself to sleep."

Thursday, Nov. 20, 1941 - "Thanksgiving Day was spent down with folks, as usual.  Had big turkey, etc.  Talked over different problems of house and furnishings.  Mama and I played Old Maid and then Bridge with Diane and Kenny.  

Golly, I'm in a muddle as to what to do first about Xmas and moving!"

Ruth and John went to dinner at Florence & Clyde Ballentine's in Elmwood Park.  Ken and I would have been invited because the Ballentines had a girl named Bonnie, who was 4 years old.

Ruth and John enjoyed playing cards, which is why Ken and I learned to play Auction Bridge and other games at 5 years old.  John was very competitive, which may have been why he wanted to live in upscale Oak Park.  Luckily for Ken and me, the school system was outstanding.  I remember feeling very out of place on my first day there in November, feeling that the other kindergartners already had become friends.  So I was echoing the feeling that my mother had.  I adjusted, thanks to some very thoughtful teachers and nice children.