Diary of Alfred E. Potter March, 1939

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02. Thursday: A new “Holy Father” is elected today. Eugenio Pacelli is chosen as Pope. He takes the name Pius XII. He was Papal Secretary for years. Today happens to be his birthday. He is 63 years of age. He will be spiritual ruler of 331 500 000 Catholics thruout the world. He was a visitor in the United States in October and November 1936. He is the 262nd Pope.

03.  Friday: Forty Hours begins at St. Johns Church today.

04.  Saturday: Rose and Bob Gittings drive in from Chicago.  This is Rose’s birthday present.  She is 25 years of age.  Little Teddy has his haircut and looks like a real boy.  Harry and Agnes Kujawa are here from Berlin.  Sick Aunty Drexler sure has her hands full with company.

05.  Sunday: We are having a fine blizzard today.  Carl and Margaret Radomsky and little Dorothy Alice Wolf drive up from Milwaukee.  The roads are good as far as Fond du Lac.

06. Monday: Mama Potter's second attempt at St. Vincent Christian Mothers Society as President. A big card party is planned for the latter part of April. Great Britain and France have given the Victorious Franco Government in Spain formal recognition. This unofficially ends the civil war in Spain which began July 18-1936.

07.  Tuesday: Mary Ann celebrates her birthday.  She is nine.  Frank Hein –Mary Rose Koelbl – Lawrence and Dolores Kinderman are here.  Art Mueller has an increase in the family.  Its another girl, this is 3 girls for Art and Margaret.

08.  Wednesday: Dropped in to see Louis Hannes on 7th Street.  He is a very sick man.  Looks as tho he will not be with us much longer.

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12.  Sunday: To six oclock mass as usual, and then to work.  View the remains of Sam Taub that at Fiss & Bills.

13.  Monday: Attended funeral of Mike Fahley.  Father Reul express to find eulogy for him.  Represented the Foresters as an honorable pallbearer.  Visited Louis Hannes, he looks better than last week, but he is still in bad shape.

14.  Tuesday: Charles Boller (3245) and George Oaks (2790) are nominated as candidates for Mayor.  Leo Niemuth (2281) was third, and Ernie Siewert (1770) four.  The Republic of Czecho-Slovak is formally dissolved today.  Slovakia is now independent of the Czechs with Adolph Hitler as protector.

15.  Wednesday: Louis Hannes passed away this morning at 8.30.  He was born in Bavaria Oct 31 – 1872.  I was over to see him last Monday.  He was in pretty bad shape from.  He was ill for 27 years and had several operations on his limbs.  Fred M. Stanhilber died this morning at 1.30 from a heart attack.  He was a cousin to Mrs. Erwin Spoo.  We are in the throes of a beautiful blizzard today, and temperatures are going down to zero.  We miss our Wednesday Eve Service – pray or rosary and litany at home.

16. Thursday: History is being made every day in Europe these times.  Adolf Hitler already protector of Bohemia and Moravia is headed with his cavalcade of soldiers for Prague, ancient capital of Old Czecho Slovakia.

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18. Saturday: Luis Hannes is laid to rest, this morning.  I visited George Koplitz at Mercy Hospital this afternoon.  He is being treated for an affliction caused by a fall which affected is sciatic nerve.

19.  Sunday: To six oclock mass and then to work.  St. Vincents Keno tonite.  Heip and I chum together after work.  After the Keno party the ladies play sheephead with us.  I took the Heips home at 1.30 A.M.

20.  Monday: Mary Ann is having quite a time getting ready for her first confession. On examining her conscience, she thinks she says 'dam' once.

21.  Tuesday: View the remains of Grandma Steckbauer at Sitter and Meyers Funeral Home.  Mary Ann makes her first confession this morning.  Today is a lovely day.  Spring is ushered in in proper fashion.  Temperature is about 50°.

22.  Wednesday: Grandma Steckbauer is laid to rest this morning.  John Stoegbauer –Fond du Lac died yesterday morning at St. Agnes Hospital.  John suffered a skull fracture and broken ribs last Saturday when a truck he was driving crashed into the side of a Chicago – Northwestern Gas Electric Train at Highway 41 crossing north of Fond du Lac.

23.  Thursday: Mr. A.H. Ziemer of Berlin, Deputy collector of internal revenue had an auto accident this afternoon in Waukau – hitting Eunice Bradley daughter of Mr. Mrs. F.W. Bradley.  The little girl suffered from bruises and brain concussion.  Mr. Ziemer’s office is in the local post office building.

24.  Friday: The weather is still very nice, temperatures are up to around 70°.  I do not have occasion to enjoy.  I have a very distressed tummy and am very weak.  Feels almost like an attack of the flu coming on.  I rested most of this afternoon and also this evening.

25.  Saturday: Another beautiful day, about as warm as yesterday.  I feel better today, and then on the job as tho nothing happened.

26.  Sunday: Communion with Foresters at St. Johns this morning.  Then to work.  Had company this evening bill and Emma Siewert Joe and Anna Weisheipl Louis and Mary Mauritz.  The Mauritz’s is came at 7 Oclock stayed until eleven, the rest stuck to the end of the party until 1³⁰ A.M.

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29.  Wednesday: Viewed the remains of Mrs. Milton Jones this morning at the Konrad Funeral Home.  Milton – Mrs. Cater and

30.  Thursday: Our clerks go to Milwaukee to the “Rexall Convention.” We sent six –Naomi Mueller –Lawrence Churchill – Elizabeth Bohlson – Edward Weisheipl –Roger Allmers and Tom Gallagher.  This makes us rather short of help around the stores – but we managed to get along.

31.  Friday: Had a letter from Margaret Drexler today.  She and Karl are looking for rent, well they should find some soon, they’ve been looking for at least a month.