Letter from Norwalk, Iowa, July 10, 1933

letter from Edna Winter to Jane Ann Winter in Truro, Iowa.  

My Dear Big Girl:

I am sitting in the old seat in the west lawn up by your swing. Bruce is resting here beside me and the cats are tumbling about playing and fighting and trying to nurse Shorty.

We have had such a nice rain the lawn is beginning to look green once more.  Daddy [James Winter] is in the country.  He has been quite busy today. I went to S.S. and Church Sunday.  Eula Jean was there.  My class was all boys we had a great time and after we had read the story we made soldier hats out of the S.S. paper.   I promised to teach them to make a boat next Sunday.  

I heard Mr. and Mrs. F-  had a baby boy born July 2.  I also heard they were disappointed for they had both counted on a curly haired girl baby.  

How I have hooked on the big old rug.  Tomorrow I will finish the border and all the leaves.  Then I'll have the inside left.  After I get it out of the frames I'll shear it.  Do you know where the large scissors are?  You surely didn't put them in your bag.  Grandma [Winter] said you might give the pantomime.  When and Where? You will need quite a bit of space to make it look right.  Don't think of doing it without practicing several times.  Be slow and deliberate and know what comes next.  You see its been over a month since children's day and I expect you to be prepared before you perform. This is Tuesday  Your letter will be mailed out this afternoon.  We went up to the Millers last night about 9:30 A business call. Helen asked for you.  She has a little brother 4 years old.  It was 10:30 when we got home and they hadn't milked their cows yet.  I hoed some in the garden this morning.  Worked until the water begin to drip off my chin.  Then I picked some cherries for sauce.  We don't eat much.  I made a cake for Daddy Sunday he still has enough to last until tomorrow.  I have the missionary meeting here Fri. afternoon.  Don't you think Daddy had better come for our Thurs. or Fri. Evening?  So far I have nos surprise.  There might be a tiny one by the time you would get home.

I want to write to Grandma Robins now and take a bath.

Love to my dear Little (Big) Girl  Jane Ann.  

More information about Edna Robins Winter

I ran across a news clipping about my grandmother Winter:  no indication of date or newspaper.  This is probably from around 1923 as it was before she married my grandfather.  

"we enjoyed a talk by Miss Edna Robins of Des Moines who was spending the holidays with her sisters, Miss Arline [born 1905] and Mrs. Charley Gardner [I think she was Leola E. Robins born 1909] [Charley Gardner is also associated with the historical town no longer existent Prarie Grove:  see my post on that] [a Roswell Gardner is also mentioned].  Miss Edna is a former Groveland [Groveland was a town in Clarke County, no longer exists] school girl and later one of Clarke county's efficient teachers.  At present she is instructor in the C.C.C.C. in Des Moines [I couldn't find a C.C.C.C., but there was a C.C.C.  Civilian Conservation Corps] and the first of the year is in charge of the shorthand departments, having been promoted just before the Xmas vacation.  We are indeed proud of Miss Robins and predict a bright future for this earnest, industrious young woman who has won out in every undertaking."   

I also ran across her certificate of marriage.

Don Leddy featured in Longfellow School program 1933?

"Longfellow School Has Fine Program:  Arbor Day Affair Much Enjoyed Last Week."  I have a clipping but no information about the date or publication.  Longfellow School is still in Pasadena.  "The children ...all assembled on the north side of the school grounds where David Davis dedicated a eucalyptus tree.  Donald Leddy turned the soil with a shining new spade, after which the classes sang "God Gave to Us the Friendly Tree."  Following this, the 3A children circled the tree, each throwing some soil on the roots.  The program was then concluded by singing the Longfellow School song." 

Photos of Long Beach Earthquake 1933

These photos were probably taken by Jack Leddy as a boy.  I have the negatives too.  I see a lot of photos of the damage online but the photos of what looks like relief work are probably unusual.

Summer 1932 Newport Beach and Balboa Island

Jack Leddy, Don Leddy, Albert, Margaret, James

 

Jack Leddy's Kayak Poem

Jack spent a lot of time when young in Newport harbor and around Balboa Island, Southern California.  I just ran across a poem he wrote that was published in a newspaper (the clipping does not indicate which one).  I never knew my dad wrote any poetry at all.  I do not know when this poem was written or published. 

My Kayak

To paddle a kayak through numberless
yachts
At the rate of, oh a couple of knots
That's fun, don't you think?

Like floating a toothpick through corks
in your tub
We glide past, then slide past, the
new sailing club
To float with the tide.

Puddles dip down, then flash up so
high,
We frighten the sea-gulls upto
the sky --
My kayak and I.

Jack Leddy

Margaret Winter's Story Prairie Grove

My great aunt Margaret Winter tells this story of the lost town of Prairie Grove, Iowa here