INA'S OWN QUIET, POLITELY FREEZING MANNER

A letter written by my Aunt Ethel to her mother, Ina, on July 19, 1933, provides even more information about the “Hard Times Summer.” All the Dobsons were personable and chatty and as Aunt Ethel observes, “I suppose you are resting your eardrums after the terrific din they must have been subjected to for the last two weeks. It will be very quiet around home just now, I know.”

 

If you’ve been following, you doubtless remember that besides granddaughter Shirley Jean’s visit, Ina’s daughter Pearl, her husband Albert and son Stanley also visited at the Gilbert homestead during the summer of ‘33. Ina hints that Stanley’s behavior left something to be desired. “Stan has improved tho there is still room for lots more,” she observes. Ethel rounds out the picture more fully: “I was so very glad and relieved when your letter came telling of Stanley and Shirley Jean getting on much better than they did in ’31. I had dreaded the constant friction I feared their being together would make for you all, on top of all the confusion you were bound to have with so many extra people there. Am glad Pearl told Stanley what would be expected of him before they ever came; glad for his sake too, for it was too bad the way he acted when there before. He is a bright boy but needs much training, and Pearl is too much of a blunderbuss to give it to him in the right way. Some of your own quiet, politely freezing manner is the medicine for that young man; I mean freezing when one has offended, Mamma!” [Good save!]

 

Ha! I might be embarrassed to write this were it not that I have been on the freezing end of that stare (and more than once) myself. However, now that I’m a grandmother myself, I have come to see that freezing stares are an ineffective means of discipline.

Stanley, my cousin, 30 years my senior, passed away in 1996 at the age of 76. I’d say he didn’t really overcome the challenges his disability brought to him. Perhaps he indulged in self-pity, I don’t know. But I became the beneficiary of a very nice gesture he made toward my mother. 

One year in the ‘70s he came unannounced to the door of our house in Orofino. Handing a shirt box to my mother, he said, “Dorothy, I want you to have my mother’s collection of family photographs. I have no one to care about them and when I’m gone they will be tossed out unless I give them to someone. I have no one,” he said again. “I would like you to have them.”

Why did he give them to my mother? Because Mother and Stanley were Sanders cousins but also, Mother and Stanley were linked through the Dobsons by her marriage to his mother’s brother. Stan knew she would care not only about the Sanders photos but also about the Dobsons and see to it that both were preserved. Mother accepted the photographs with appreciation. She looked through them, removed a few from the box, then handed the box to me. She knew that not many Dobson photographs had come my way. Stan’s thoughtful gift rounded out my collection wonderfully. 

[The first picture is of Pearl Dobson Sanders with her son, Stanley, 1921. Stan is just a toddler. The second is of Pearl and Albert Sanders with Stanley at their farm near Foreman, Alberta. And the last was taken Christmas 1951 here at the farmhouse -- Ina Dobson with granddaughter Kathy and great-granddaughter Patty (Shirley Jean's daughter).] KW

FUN AT THE FARM, 1933

In late May, 1933, Ernest Robinson delivered his soon-to-be-8-year-old daughter to his parents-in-law, Julian and Ina Dobson, at their farm near Gilbert, Idaho. At that time Ernest and Ethel lived in Havre, Montana, where he was a government agent under the National Prohibition Act. Ina explains more about Shirley Jean’s visit in her letter of June 6, 1933:

“Shirley Jean is here for an indefinite visit. Ernest came down in Jean’s [his sister’s] car so his visit was short but we put in the time. He gave us many descriptions of the country, Indians, etc. We hadn’t seen him since ’31 and then only overnight and it had been a year since his last visit before that. He doesn’t know whether his job is safe or not but will have a better idea after July 1^st. Ethel is having her tonsils out while her family is away. They borrowed part of the vet bonus to invest in good securities and her tonsils came out on that – see.

“We are very busy now with gardening, the lawn, flowers and chickens. I have 135 chicks, all I’ll need and then some. The hens hatched good so that job is over, and we are so glad. Our garden is late and fruit will be scarce. Shirley Jean is to have a little garden all her own and we are going down to plant it in a little while. Teeny has five cute kittens which Shirley Jean enjoys much and she also rides old Taft as Dad goes back and forth, but she hates to sleep alone and that makes it hard on Shirley and me. – Off to the garden now.”

In her letter of July 30, 1933, Ina tells about Shirley Jean’s 8^th birthday:

“. . .  we had Shirley Jean’s birthday to fix for on Thursday, June 29. Shirley took her that afternoon to Wilbur Miller’s for his girl’s birthday is same. Shirley made a pretty cake for her, and Luella [Wilbur’s wife] made ice cream, and a fruit salad. Ethel [Shirley Jean’s mother] sent a box of things for the event, and put in candles and holders, and a pretty centerpiece for the cake, also pink ice cream dishes and pretty pink napkins and a gift each for Juanita and Neil, the Miller children. Part of the celebration was spending the nite with Juanita and Shirley stayed coming home next a.m. but leaving Shirley Jean to spend that day there. She came limping home that nite carrying her shoes because of a blistered heel, and just played out!” 

[Can you imagine – “carrying her shoes”! She was walking across fields! I wouldn’t care to walk across the fields carrying my shoes. What a little trooper!]

If all this can be believed, little Shirley Jean had a marvelous two months on the farm: the attention of a loving grandmother, doting grandfather, and playful young aunt; plenty to eat; riding the horses; feeding the chickens; plenty of space to play. Just reading these passages from Ina’s letters inspired me last year to buy the American Girl historic character doll, Kit Kittredge, whose story is of the Depression era. And I named her Shirley Anne, not so much for Shirley Jean but for the playful young Aunt Shirley.

Well, the story of the Hard Times Summer of 1933 will continue.

[The photo is of Shirley Jean and her mother, Ethel Dobson Robinson, in 1936, when Shirley Jean was 11. Shirley Jean appears taller than her mother in this photo. Aunt Ethel was barely five feet tall while Uncle Ernest was well over six feet. As a woman, Shirley Jean was not exceptionally tall.

I wish I had more photos of this era. I can't believe there weren't some, but they probably went to Ethel and Shirley Jean, maybe even other family members.] KW

HARVEST IN JULY, 1933

In her letter to her son, Vance, dated July 30, 1933, Ina wrote as follows:

“If your paper still [comes], you know that we have had very hot weather the past week, but before it was over it turned so cool that Dad built fire in the heater two A.M.s (Friday and Saturday). Today is lovely and cool with little fleecy clouds roaming thro the sky. Earl is cutting hay on the flat. Dad is taking a much needed sleep upstairs, and Shirley is asleep on the cot on the front porch. Dad has stood the work fine this year, but we have been getting up at 4:30 or sooner for so long that he is getting worn out and Earl is noticing it too. The hot weather ripened the grain and hay is why he is cutting today.

“Dad got a new binder of the Rochdale for $218 and Earl set it up and it is going good. June was cutting his hay but broke his old binder so they are using his team now and will finish cutting his hay for him. Old Taft and Madge [the horses] are too old to make much headway on a binder. Molly cut her foot and is laid up but couldn’t work anyway. She has worked only a few days this year, being now in her thirtieth year and getting thinner all the time. You should see Earl rise early, work and manage here. He insisted on harrowing the bean ground and using the big cultivator, etc., till it only took 4 ½ days to “lay by” the 62 acres of beans on Billy’s place. In former years it would have taken a crew of 6 to 8 men two or three weeks at big wages to do it. The prospect is fine for a big crop of beans, and other crops look good, too. Earl also went down to the old timothy patch in the hollow and mowed enough hay with the old scythe to save Dad’s last $10 from going for hay.”

Leah asked some time back if Ina ever mentioned the weather. Yes, she does, but her comments are often buried in her ramblings. In this extract, we learn that they have had an early harvest due to hot weather. Harvest in our area usually doesn’t start before mid-August, though our neighbor hayed last weekend. And Ina also says that after the very hot weather it turned so cool that Julian built a fire to warm the house two days in a row.


Each year tells its own story, and this year's tale is a sadder one for agriculture at Gilbert. Due to the wet spring, Farmer Kyle was unable to plant. He says he's down 1,500 acres out of 5,000 total. Insurance will cover his land rent and a few other expenses.

[The photos above are of Julian Dobson farming with a team of horses about 1940 contrasted with the same fields left  unplanted today. One of my goals is to make an album of all the old pictures of the farm property and try to take pictures of the same scene today.] KW

MELROSE PICNIC, 1933 -- LET'S EAT

So, Al drove his big old car down into Little Canyon and stopped at the Dryden home for Earle and Bernice. Earle, Julian and Ina’s third child, was a high school teacher in Idaho Falls, and he and his wife Bernice came “home” most every summer so that he could help Julian with harvest and Bernice could visit her family, the Drydens, who lived near the village of Peck. Earle and Bernice followed behind Al in their car. Through Peck they went and now up another steep and winding grade to the top of the ridge, to the area known as Melrose, then on to Uncle Bud Long’s place and the lovely pasture. From Gilbert the journey was probably about 15 miles.

What do you suppose they ate at the picnic? All of the women at the picnic were housewives – every one of them homemakers, experts in the rural home arts. They took pride in the food they prepared for the picnic and serving was done with panache. Informality only went so far with these folks. My guess is that the Dobsons and the Longs, being farm people, generously contributed from their cellars, gardens, and hen houses. The farmer might be cash poor but he ate well and had plenty to share. 

 

Here are some food items that might have been set on the table:

Fried chicken

Homemade bread and plenty of it

Fresh butter and cream

Eggs, hard-boiled or deviled

Fresh garden produce

Pickles, home canned, but also cucumbers and onions marinating in vinegar and sugar

Strawberries picked fresh from the garden, perhaps whipped cream

Pies and cakes, especially chocolate cake

Then I asked my sister Harriet, who in 1933 was the little girl on Dorothy’s lap, what she remembered about 1930’s picnics. Here’s what she said: “I think people usually brought their place services [plates, utensils, napkins, cups] if held in a public place, but it varied depending on the size of the crowd.  If near a church, their service was used.  Chicken or ham would be the main dish.  Pies, and all the things you mentioned.  I don't remember picnics in 1933, but I am going by the things I have heard Bill's mother say.  Lemonade was a big thing with them.  They fixed dishes from garden produce.  I don't recall her talking about potato salad.  I don't recall anything being cooked on site.”

And then as an afterthought Harriet added homemade ice cream to the list. Okay, let’s say they did have homemade ice cream at the picnic, and let’s say that Ina and Julian made it. Perhaps Julian stowed some blocks of ice in the cellar during the winter so that he could make ice cream on the Fourth of July. Here’s Ina’s recipe:

For one gallon ice cream, caramelize one cup sugar. Add water and boil to a smooth, rather thin syrup. Heat about one pint of milk. Thicken with 2 tbsp of cornstarch. Pour this hot over four well beaten eggs and stir thoroughly. Add the syrup and put by to cool. When ready add one quart cream and enough milk to make 3 qts in all. A pinch of salt, 3 to 5 drops of mapleine and vanilla to flavor. Of course, more milk and less cream, or vice versa, may be used, also more eggs and any desired flavoring. But our folk like this way best. Ina Dobson

[Photo 1: Melrose is "over there somewhere."

Photo 2: "Let's take a picture of the women now. Just the women here." L. to r.: Ina Dickson Dobson, Naomi Stinson Long, Nina Saunders (Sanders) Portfors, Lois Reed, Bernice Dryden Dobson, Alice Mary Sanders, Pearl Dobson Sanders, and Muriel Saunders (Sanders) German. In front: Helen Reed, Shirley Jean Robinson, and Dorothy Portfors Walrath with Harriet Lee (who has had enough!).

Photo 3: "Now just the Dobsons -- let's get a picture of the Dobsons." L. to r.: Earle, his wife Bernice, Pearl, Al, Ina, Julian, and Stanley with Shirley Jean in front.

Note that most of the women are wearing long sleeves.]   KW

FOURTH OF JULY MORNING, 1933

It’s the morning of the Fourth of July, 1933, and a busy day for Ina. And she’s excited in her phlegmatic way. Pearl and Al are coming with their son, Stanley. She last saw them in the summer of 1931. Since then Stanley has been ill with osteomyelitis. They are all coming to grips with the fact that Stan, a bright and talented individual, will be crippled.

But Ina doesn’t dwell on sadness today. She looks forward to the picnic at Melrose – a reunion of family and friends. Beyond spending the day with her own family, she’s particularly thinking of Alice Sanders, Al’s mother, who was a neighbor when they were young wives living on Burnt Ridge near Troy, Idaho, 1892 until 1896. She hasn’t seen Mrs. Sanders (yes, she always refers to Alice as “Mrs. Sanders”) since Pearl and Al wed in 1917, though she often has news of her through Pearl or Mrs. Sander’s daughter, Nina Portfors.

Ina is busy, but she can rely on the assistance of Shirley, her youngest, now 22. Shirley will not attend the picnic, space in the car being one consideration. But, with Shirley Jean in tow, she will take care of her daily chores and help Mamma prepare for the picnic.

Even in lean times, farm families had enough to eat. That was part of the great government agronomy plan – let a man have 160 acres of land so that he can be his own boss, earn his way by growing crops, and sustain himself and his family by living off the land. How well it worked in the end, I don’t know, but there are those who remember the small family farm as a good way of life. 

In 1933, access to our farm was gained through June’s farm to the east. We can hear motors from miles away, so about 10:30, Shirley Jean, dressed in a pretty little frock and admonished to stay clean, was sent outside to listen and watch for the expected visitors. She reported excitedly when she heard a car in the distance. Pearl and Al would have stopped at June and Bertha’s house just to say hello, and of course, Bertha would know all about today’s picnic, and perhaps she would wish to herself that she had been invited. Undoubtedly Pearl and Aunt Bertha made plans to visit and share a meal on another day.

Already Bertha, as the Gilbert correspondent to the Clearwater Tribune in Orofino, was composing her “news item” on this event. “Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sanders (nee Pearl Dobson) and son, Stanley, of Foreman, Alberta, Canada, visited this week at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Julian Dobson. Friends and family gathered for a Fourth of July picnic especially honoring Mr. and Mrs. Sanders at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bud Long of Melrose.”

But right now, Pearl didn’t have time to stand around talking. Driving on into the farmyard, the scene must have appeared much like the picture above taken in 1927. After fond greetings all around, Ina’s food was packed into Al’s big old car, and all who were going to the picnic clambered in. When the car reached the road, Dobson Road as we call it now, instead of heading to the highway, Al turned left down “Plank’s Pitch” and drove right on down the gulley to the dangerously steep road into Little Canyon and the village of Peck – a road that no longer exists, though we see evidence of it. 

However, if you are relying on your GPS for navigation to Gilbert, it will show that “back road” as a viable option. How strange is that! And that’s why we hear of folks tragically lost on some “short cut” because they were trying to navigate with their GPS without using a map – or much common sense.

[Photo 1: Sisters Pearl Dobson Sanders and Ethel Dobson Robinson in their parents' yard at Gilbert, Idaho, 1931. Pearl's son Stanley is 11 while Ethel's daughter Shirley Jean is 5. Stan and Shirley Jean were Julian and Ina's only grandchildren for many years. During the 1940s, three granddaughters were born.

Photo 2: This picture of the farmyard was taken in 1927 but the scene was still much the same in 1933.

Photo 3: The present lane, or driveway, is the left fork of the "Y" you see in this picture. The lane was not there until about 1950. The right fork, the old road to the canyon, is not an option today, and that's immediately evident as you approach. The county has graveled the area as a turn-around.] KW

JUST HOW HARD WERE THE TIMES IN 1933?

On June 6, 1933, Ina wrote as follows: “Yes, Roosevelt seems to be bearing with a big auger, but we’re wondering how long this can last going into the treasury so, but something had to be done. I’ve read some short articles of F. R.’s [Franklin Roosevelt’s] life, and he’s really some character, but what can one man do with this awful “money power” that is like a huge octopus clutching the government. It is above politics, for politicians will cut each other’s throats for it. Think of J. P. Morgan, whose operations ran into a billion, not paying income tax since ’29 because of his losses! No use to try to talk about it. Times really seem to be looking up a little, food stuffs are higher because wheat went up a little. Cream fat is $.20 now. Oh! Why talk at all -- it is so disgusting!”

Later she added: “We got our business settled up with the Federal Bank; they seem very reasonable. They didn’t want the land, you know, and after July 11, the interest rate is 4 ½% instead of 6%. It makes it $100 less to dig up each year, and it continues for 5 years. So we go on – why worry!” In other letters Ina stated that they paid as they went at the store in Orofino. I think she traded eggs, cream and butter, and chickens for what she needed at the Mercantile.

And about Pearl and Al’s struggle on the farm in Alberta, Ina reported to Vance as follows in her letter of July 30: “Pearl is the same old Pearl. It was like she’d just been gone a few months. She was quieter or seemed so this time, and Stan [Pearl’s son, now 13] has improved tho there is still room for lots more. He gets around with only a cane now, but his hips and back are not strong . . . He is taller and not so fat as before. Al is very thin and needs rest. He’s 44 and Pearl 40.  . . . . Pearl says she looks for the bank to close them out any time, but it won’t as long as they will stay and dig up for it on the farm, but they can never pay out, and Al is getting fed up on long cold winters and the political game. He does so much for his constituents that he never gets any peace or rest. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Sanders. Al served 14 years in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, sitting with the United Farmers caucus.] Pearl is interested in the government work and plans etc, and has a good head for such things, but she’d be glad to let go up there . . ."
 

About Earle’s job as a high school teacher: “Forgot to tell you that Earl got his contract for his position again in Idaho Falls. They gave him a raise of $100 on the salary for the whole term which is fine in view of the times, isn’t it? He is rated as a superior math teacher and a good disciplinarian.” Earle had expected to take a cut in pay so was especially pleased to get a raise. 

And about Myrtle: “I think Myrtle probably has a good job in her fingers too at Markham’s [a photography studio in Portland, Oregon, where she was a re-toucher], so the prospects are more encouraging in some ways aren’t they? Here’s hoping they may brighten for you, too.” 

[The top photo of Albert Sanders was taken in 1916. The picture of Al and son Stanley was taken here at the Gilbert farmhouse, and I'm guessing the year was 1926. The next is a studio portrait of Earle Julian Dobson. And the photo of Myrtle was taken in Portland.] KW