Diary of Alfred E. Potter April, 1941

01.  Tuesday: Visited Grandma Baier, she is sitting up in a chair and looks much improved. Today is election day, but a very quiet one. Had to get Donald out at 4.45 A.M. Her serves for Father Bastian at Sunnyview. Allis Chalmers plant is closed. The strikers riot for 3 hours, about 50 are hurt. Gov. Heil is unable to get Federal Troops to help keep order.

02.  Wednesday: The Potters and the Heips visit at Fretchels.  Sheephead is the game and I won 7 cents.  That’s the longest I ever worked for that amount.  It is a pre–party for Mrs. Theresa Fretchel, her birthday is next Sunday.

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04.  Friday: To Mass at 5³⁰ A.M. Donald serves.           Com.  Father John Nuernberg

05.  Saturday: Theresa Fretchel has a birthday, she is 54.

06.  Sunday: To six oclock Mass, then took Ed Fretchel to the cottage.  Herb Mathwig shows him home to prune our fruit trees.  It is a lovely day.  The Sleet did much damage to our large trees near the boathouse, large things were broken off.          Com.  Theodore Drexler

07.  Monday: Visited with Father Bastian this afternoon.  According to his version, communism will have a very strong hold in this country within 5 years.  I hope he’s wrong.  Anna Weisheipl gets a permanent wave at Gerdia Mosers today.

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09.  Wednesday: Took Ed Fretchel – Donald and Robert to the cottage to clean up the trees.  Considerable damage had been done by the sleet storm.

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12.  Saturday: Donald and myself attend Fishermans Party at South Park Gym.  128 prizes are given, we did not get any.  Herb Mathwig gets a “Heddon Rod,” Harold Klemz, “Pflueger Akron Reel,” W^m Pable “A Reel.” Weather turns warm temperature is up to 80° and it feels like summer.  Thres and Mary Ann attend the Movie “Men of Boys Town” featuring the Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney.

13.  Sunday: To six Oclock Mass, to work at 8.20 A.M.  Had a shower of rain this morning, and it surely put natural color into the grass.  Weather clears this afternoon, temperature is around the 75 mark.  Ma Potter – Anna Weisheipl and Thres Fretchel each won 3 dollars at St Vincents Bingo.  Joe Weisheipl and myself took a drive to Neenah after work tonite.  Looked over a new Mozain Front next to the Jandrey’s store.  Karl Kieckhafer is 44 today.          Com.  Peace – Help –Longevity for family

14.  Monday: Art Mueller and Fred Baumgartner attend the Rexall Convention at Milwaukee.  Father John Nuernberg and Anne are in town.  Father states he is feeling pretty well.  Father Joseph Rauch when drops in at the store.

15.  Tuesday: Had a most pleasant surprise today.  Sister Virginia from St Johns Hospital, Tulsa Oklahoma dropped in for short visit at the store this afternoon, but mum’s the word, she does not want everybody to know she is in the city.  She is looking well and happy.  She now has a desk job at the hospital, which is more in her line of work.  Mr. Mueller – Norbert and myself drive to Berlin this afternoon.  Dropped in to see Harry Kujawa and look over the Merchants Farmer’s Bank of which he is cashier.

16.  Wednesday: This is a day of rain, and the temperature is at 42°.  Joe – Anna Weisheipl – Ed – Thres Fretchel are over tonite to play a game of sheephead.  I won the five cents all evening, Thres lost 45 cents Joe Heip went heavy on the winning side.  Ed Fretchel had one of his usual outbursts about the draft, at lunch time.  We cleaned up a large can of popcorn during the evening.  I’d took the folks home at 1.45 A.M.  Phil Lyman became up a fight yesterday, a nice 8 ½ pound baby girl and to hear Phil tell about it she’s a prize.

17.  Thursday: I feel as if I had taken a chologoy and am somewhat tired too.  Guess I can’t take it anymore.

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20.  Sunday: First Communion Day at St Vincents, and it is a cold day.  To 7³⁰ Mass and then to work.  Attended “Time Theatre” this afternoon with Joe and Anna Heip.  “Road Show” featuring Adolph Menjou Carole Landis, John Hubbard Patsy Kelly, and “The Bank Dick” featuring W.C. Fields are the pictures.

21.  Monday: Father Bastian, Father Hummel leave for Florida today.  T.C.  Mc Cullough, veteran merchant tailor passed away suddenly Saturday at midnight at his home 40 1/2 West Irving.  Born Jan 8 – 1868 near Belfast Ireland.  My father knew him well.

22.  Tuesday: “Ray Noble” and Orchestra are at the Oshkosh Theatre.  I heard him at the “Palmer House” in Chicago last fall.

23.  Wednesday: Henry J Klemmer passed away last night 11 Oclock at Mercy Hospital.  Born March 10 – 1886.  He was a schoolmate of Mrs. Potters.  F.H. Zebe, Director of Band and Orchestra Work in the Oshkosh Hi and Public Schools passed away suddenly this morning at the Jebe Cottage and Plummer’s Point.  Karl Kieckhafer and Karl Reiss are over to check over my Life Insurance program.  Thres and south attend the “Strand,” see “The Ziegfeld Girl” feature and James Stewart – Judy Garland – Heddy Lamarr – Lana Turner – Tony Martin – Jackie Cooper –Charles Winninger – Ed Horton.

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25.  Friday: To Dr. W^m Wagner is this morning, for a physical examination.  Well he didn’t find anything wrong, and that’s worth something.  View the remains of Henry Klemmer and F.H. Jebe at Fiss and Bills.          M.O.  Henry Klemmer

26.  Saturday: Roger Allmers and Eileen move to 1012 Ohio St about Pete Muraski and next to Baiers.  Took a drive to the cottage this afternoon, took off the storm windows and put them away for the summer.  Weather is lovely, temperature is close to the 80 mark.

27.  Sunday: To six oclock Mass, Father Duerr reads the Mass and it is over at 6.35. St. Johns is now on summer schedule 6⁰⁰ - 7³⁰ - 9⁰⁰ - 11⁴⁵.  Worked until 1 P.M. Took in Phil Laffey's orchestra practice this afternoon at First M. E. Hall. Donald plays second violin, about 16 young people rehearsed.

28.  Monday: Ed Fretchel begins cleaning up our flower beds at the house.  Harold Ferry W.D. Rep.  Is in town.  Mr. Mueller, Mr. Ferry and myself drove to Harold Hansens, Marquardt Corners to have lunch, and what a luncheon, it turned out to be of great big delicious steak.  Mrs. Hansen surely knows how to prepare them.  Took a few casts for fish at Mr. Mueller’s summer cottage but neither of us had any luck.

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30.  Wednesday: Temperature rises again today to about 84° in the shade.  View the remains of Cap. Pfeiffer and     Galow.  Attended funeral services for Cap this afternoon.  Rev. Noah Bess read the Masonic Ritual.  Jerome Warner begins cleaning walls at our house today.  Joe Baier is not feeling very well for the last week.  His stomach is bothering him considerably, maybe his ulcer is not entirely healed.