1930: The Stress of Being "Laid-Off"...and Rehired

As you know from Pieces of a Life, Ruth Meredith, pictured above, and John Kellogg were married in June, 1929.  The Depression hit just months later in October and the economy began to slide precipitously. This was shocking to the Kelloggs - and to everyone else in the country.  At this point, both Ruth and John still worked for Montgomery Ward, but a rocky road was ahead.

Thurs., Jan. 8, 1930 - "I was laid-off.  More than 50% of office got it.  Am all broken up over it.  John found an opening for me in Hse. Auditor's Office.  Hard to get transfer."    Doubtless, Ruth was stressed out about the sudden loss of a job she and John counted on for extra money.  That was also familiar work in a department where she knew everyone.  Without John's help, Ruth never would have been transferred over to the House Auditor's Office.  Everyone fired - both at Wards and elsewhere - was job-hunting.

Fri., Jan. 9, 1930 - "Finally got transfer - but keeping it quiet.  Packed all my belongings and left Gen. Methods (what there is left of it) tonite.  Florence is still there."   Years later my mother, Ruth, told me that Florence Childers kept her job, at least at first, because she had no spouse employed by Wards.  Florence, a close friend of Ruth's, was married at the end of 1930 to Clyde Ballentine. He didn't work for Wards.

Sat., Jan. 10, 1930 - "Worked straight through until 2:00 today (Sat.) - hard - so tired I cried when I came home.  Didn't go to show.  We baked our first pie - butterscotch - for tomorrow."   Ruth was trying to take on a new job of tedious typing job involving a lot of numbers and columns, I'd imagine.  She was also working for and with people she didn't know. There were no computers to handle rote tasks, so typists did that work.  On top of that, Ruth and John were having a few people in for a light meal and dessert the following day - more pressure!

A Sultry Summer in 1928

July, 1928 was long before air conditioning commonly appeared in homes and businesses, though it was invented in the 1930s.  People stayed in the shade, used handkerchiefs soaked in water, wore broad-brimmed hats, went swimming, used fans, etc. to make life more bearable when days of hot, sticky weather descended.   These quotes are from Ruth Meredith's diary, but did not appear in Pieces of a Life.  The photo, however, is her graduation picture in 1926 and was in the book.

Thursday, July 26, 1928
"Very trying day.  Very hot.  Had several verified statements to make.  John's car had a flat tire on way home.  We had to get air twice.  Poor John!  Loaned Papa $20."

Ruth was still working at Montgomery Ward's as a stenographer.  The "verified statements" were her job at work that day.  I was surprised that Papa asked Ruth for $20.  I imagine it was because of a tenant upstairs in their rental flat who "skedaddled" (ran off without paying).  Ruth's parents, Lottie and Jim Meredith, counted on the extra money, though the upkeep on the flat was a lot of work.

 July 27, 1928
"Wasn't so hot today, but for some unknown reason I am very tired and listless.  Got new Catalogue tonite.  John was tired too.  I shall now go to bed and read until sleepy."

Ruth and John were probably dehydrated from the run of hot weather, not knowing about electrolytes and hydration.  They saw a lot of movies that summer, always great entertainment, and even went to Ravinia on July 29 with another couple.  They heard a two-hour concert, but Ruth doesn't mention who was playing. The weather was better until early August when it was again "very hot" and "miserable to work steadily."  What a contrast to today when we flick on the air conditioning in the house or car!

Life With John in Florida - Car Accident

After growing up in snowy, cold Buffalo NY, John always dreamed of retiring to a warm climate.  In the mid-1960's, they tore up their roots in Illinois and replanted themselves in Clearwater FL.  Their roomy 3-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath co-op apartment was in the brand-new Horizon House on the Causeway leading to Clearwater Beach.

Ruth probably didn't object because that was what many of their friends were doing, traveling and re-locating in Florida. By then she had been overseeing brother Jimmie and her mother, Lottie, for 20 years - and was probably tired of that responsibility.  They, too, moved to Florida (Largo) after a few years of separation from Ruth.  Though no one realized it, she was also ever-so-slowly fading into dementia.

Though the photo is most likely from the 1950s or early 1960s, it gives you an idea of what Ruth and John looked like as they grew older.  Never very easy to deal with, John exhibited his anger in different ways, such as on the roads in Clearwater. 

"John got a citation today!  Police came here after J. had slight accident on Causeway.  Easter holidays have brought too many cars and caused so much delay that he got upset at people 'cutting in' & thus got it himself!  Tonite I drove both ways to Greer's." This is from Ruth's diary on April 17, 1981.  She was 74 and John was 81.  The following quote is from her April 24, 1981 diary entry.

"No tennis as John had to appear in court about last week's accident on crowded Causeway. 'No contest' plea got him $25 fine.  I hope he has learned something.  Started reading a free gift book - "The Spike" by Arnaud de Borchgrave & Robert Moss.  John liked it very much."

Both of them were avid readers and led an active social life centered around traveling as well as playing bridge and tennis with friends, some of whom were from their 20+ years at First Baptist Church in Oak Park.  As far as John's learning something from the ticket is concerned, fat chance!

A Drive Out in the Country to Deer Park

On May 31, 1926 the Merediths drove their Willys-Overland car, similar to the one pictured, out to Deer Park.  That caught my eye because the woods, now called Deer Grove Forest Preserve, are only two or three miles from where I live in Palatine.  I'd never dreamed they had driven out here for day trips into the country!  At that time, of course, Palatine was a tiny town perched on the railroad with farms radiating out into open land.

In the car were Ruth Meredith (19), her brother, Jimmie (14), and her parents, Jim (45) and  Lottie Weekes Meredith (39).  They were leaving their yellow-tan stucco two-flat in the Austin area of Chicago -- and their cares -- behind.  The Merediths had bought the two-flat, originally a house, in 1922 to add extra income.  They rented out the smaller two-bedroom flat above them.  They had a changing cast of characters as renters, some just fine and others who disappeared to avoid paying the rent, often leaving a mess behind them.

Ruth's diary said, "We left about 8:40 and arrived at Deer Park (30 miles from Chicago) at 10:15.  Had coffee and a big lunch we prepared before we left.  Played ball, etc.  It was cloudy most of the day." 

At 4:30 the Merediths headed back toward Chicago.  After 25 minutes, "the rain came down in sheets."  All but Lottie dashed out of the car, soon soaking wet, to retrieve the protective curtains from where they were stored and secure them.  "Didn't get home until 7:30 because we had to wait in lines of cars miles long when we came anywhere near (3 miles) of a busy crossroad."

This was a time when families took Sunday rides for fun into the forest, farmland or small towns, though this one didn't turn out as planned!

Fire at Ward's Where Ruth Works

April 28, 1930 - Monday
"Excitement - big fire in Ward's - our bldg. this morning - 7 firemen overcome by smoke - 3 in hospital.  Not much work done. $1,500 damage.  Mama and I had shampoo and set tonight.  Home 9:00."

Ruth also had newspaper clippings about the fire in her diary.  You can see one of them here.  It's from the Chicago Daily News.

One clipping said "150 Flee" and mentioned that "9 city firemen and one private marshal in charge of Montgomery Ward & Co. properties at Chicago Avenue and Larrabee Street were overcome."  Spontaneous combustion was thought to have caused the fire, which broke out in the basement.  The thick black smoke and fire were confined to the store room, which contained wicker baskets and stepladders. Ward's workers, mostly women from the floor above, poured out of the building as the smoke appeared.

Later the workers realized that ten firemen were so affected that they had to be treated. Seven were cared for at the emergency hospital on the fourth floor of the Ward's building. They were:  Dan Cahill, John Fligg, Thomas Hickey, Roy Hoff, Renig Landuyt, Thomas Mayer and Captain George Sweeney.  Landuyt was the Montgomery Ward Fire Marshal.

Three men, the first to enter the smokey area, were taken to Henrotin Hospital for treatment.  They were: Captain Arthur Barcal of 2952 Waveland Avenue (Commander of Company 14 and Acting Chief of the Battalion).  The other two men hospitalized were: Lieutenant Charles Brelie of 2119 N. Halsted Street and Charles Mackin of 2245 N. Rockwell Street.  Both were from Company 4.          

Ruth's Second Baby Arrives Early

On May 17, 1936, Ruth said, "At 4 A.M. we arrived at hospital.  At 6:12 A.M. baby girl was born - 6# 5 oz.  Left Kenny home asleep.  It happened just one week early.  Folks came at 3 P.M."

On the top of that diary page is written in my early cursive handwriting "Birthday of Diane now 8".  I read everything in sight, including Gone With the Wind" at 9 or 10 years old.  Evidentally my mother's diaries were not out of bounds!

Because the Kelloggs were living with Ruth's parents in their two-flat, Ruth could easily ask Lottie and Jim Meredith to keep an eye on sleeping Kenny and give him breakfast when he awakened.  Ruth couldn't have been too surprised at the early birth.   When she saw the doctor on May 15, "He hinted that there might not be another trip down there."

On May 19, "Baby is  getting cuter every day.  Named her Diane Meredith."  I was told that my first name came from the heroine of a movie called "Seventh Heaven," starring Janet Gaynor.

At that time women were hospitalized for about 10 days after a birth and very gradually got back to normal tasks.  Ruth came home on May 25.  "Sure enough I came home tonite.  Doctor Tucker is so nice.  Have to see him in 6 weeks & another Doctor Kartoon is to examine baby in 4 weeks.  In the shot above, I'm 7 weeks old and Ken, only part of him pictured, would be 5 in September.  Ruth might have been celebrating her 30th birthday, which was on July 5.  For more about the Kelloggs and Merediths, see Pieces of a Life.

In 1968 Ruth Wrote About a Terrible Shooting That "Shocked the Multitudes."

"We babysat tonite so Diane & Dan could go out for a cocktail and see movie, 'The Graduate' at the Capital in town.

This morning D & D went alone to the beach for a few hours of walking and relaxing after picking up 2 rental strollers at $3 each for a week.

Dr. Martin Luther King was killed by a bullet in the neck in Memphis, Tennessee appearance today.  It shocked the multitudes.  Not good for colored equality.  Afraid of uprisings now everywhere."

That last paragraph was written in red pen.  My mother was probably quoting what she had heard on television about "uprisings."

Dan and I were visiting my parents, John and Ruth Kellogg, in Clearwater FL where they'd moved a year or two earlier.  Lynn was almost two years old and Cindy about 9 months.  You can see all four of us on a couch in the living room of the condo.

I didn't recall that we had seen "The Graduate" that particular night, but vividly recall the cocktail at Schraft's, a restaurant/bar in Clearwater.  We were sitting at the bar when the television on the wall in front of us broadcast the news and film about the death of Martin Luther King.  It was a horrifying moment, not unlike the assassination of John Kennedy in 1963.  You hear the words, see the picture, but it is too awful to believe.