Wed. Feb. 5, 1930

Well the eighth graders take their exams, tomorrow. It is warmer this evening. Somewhat cloudy.

Thurs. Feb. 6, 1930

It was a lovely day, today. Nice and clear and warm. 8th graders took exams.

Fri. Feb. 7, 1930

I came home this eve. Dad came after me. They had been over to Harry Martin’s sale.

Sat. Feb. 8, 1930

I got 78 cents for the school from selling Christmas seals.

Sun. Feb. 9, 1930

Marie and Arlie Lewis were over here, today. I got my old fountain pen to writing.

Mon. Feb. 10, 1930

Dad brought me to school this morning. We are surely……

Pg. 22— Grandma’s Day Journal– My Hunter Family Collection

This is the first time I’ve heard mention of a sale since Grandma’s journal began. And being it’s during the Great Depression, it is conceivable that they may have been a victim of the Crash on Wall Street. I can tell you between conversations between my mother and I, we never heard it spoken of by our elders. Must have been pretty hard to talk about. Or maybe it was just a matter of having respect for those who suffered. I wonder if we will be able to talk about the tragedies of the Pandemic to future generations? Or will we avoid it due to all the political controversies we’ve endured. Seems like this is a good time to open conversation on it to look for solutions and set a good example for future generations. And it should have never been a political issue. People’s lives have been lost. Businesses shuttered. Lives wrecked.

Maybe we could try a new direction and look for the positives that have been realized in ways they did way back when. For instance, the board game Monopoly was created during the 1930’s when many people were out of work and playing homemade board games of buying and selling properties. Making lemons out of lemonade. At least with their imaginations, they could be rich and well-off. Escaping reality would have been nice in 2020.

One way I feel Inez was doing her part was in the sales of those Christmas seals. Labels were placed on mail to raise awareness (especially during the Holidays) for charitable causes. During the 30’s, it appears that tuberculosis was the top charitable recipient. With the onset of the Dust Bowl years coming upon them, it was kind of a timely foresight. No doubt the extra 78 cents was used for extra pencils, paper, or maybe rewards for students. From Pinterest, I have a sample of a Christmas seal.

I had a nice drop-in this afternoon from Mother. She dropped by with some items for the Etsy shop, but also, gave me a picture she’d been given. I’m going to share it next and would encourage us all to make plans for Valentine’s Day by thinking ahead of ways to put a smile on someone’s face. I’m sure it’s been said plenty of times, but ‘be the reason someone smiles today.’ Thanks Mom!