Diary of Alfred E. Potter May, 1940

01.  Wednesday: The merry month of May is being ushered in with rain followed by snow ending up with a blizzard tonite.  Our “Rexall One Cent Sale” begins today.  Was Busy making business visits today, Sister Virginia at Mercy Hospital – Sister Jacoba at St. Mary’s Hospital –Louise John –Vocational School – Earl Fuller Court Home –Chas Garbrecht NYA director of projects.  Joseph Weisheipl Sr. has a birthday today.

02.  Thursday: Ascension Day attended Mass at 5³⁰ A.M.

03.  Friday: First Friday, to church at 7 A.M.  Attended annual meeting of Eagles.  Election of Officers Dr. Ray Wagner is beaten for Aerie Position by Dr. J.E. Schein.

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05.  Sunday: Sacred Heart Bazaar begins today.  Thres wins a dollar worth of merchandise.

06.  Monday: First drawing for blankets in Thres’ “Blanket Club” Christian Mothers Society St. Vincents.  Mame Siewert –Mrs. Resop – Mrs. Frank Drexler 12^th Street and Mrs.

07.  Tuesday: Joe Baier puts in his first evening of work since he’s been laid up, in other words his first full day.  I attend Mode Theatre all by myself after work.  “These Glamour Girls” starring Lew Ayres and Lana Turner, also “Jamaica Inn” starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’ Hara.  We’ll osbourn orchestra was good at imitating other orchestras.  Thres plays bingo at St. Mary’s wins 1⁰⁰, this makes 14⁵⁰ in a few weeks for her.

08.  Wednesday: Joe Kollross goes to Rochester Minnesota (Mayo Clinic) for a thorough checkup.  He has been suffering with a bad cough and hoarseness for some time.

09.  Thursday: Called special meeting of Executive Committee Red Cross.  Mrs. Margaret Harris Evans is here (special field representative).  Looks like we will be called on to make a special war relief appeal.

10.  Friday: Had a telegram from Norman Davis, National Chairman, Red Cross Washington, D.C. asking that American citizens contribute 10 Million Dollars for War Relief. Our chapter quota is 3640 dollars.

11.  Saturday: Ed Fretchel, Matt Weisheipl are out to the cottage putting in the dock. Special meeting in Earl Fullers Office to formulate plans for War Relief Appeal. Called Erwin Spoo, Robert Downs, Clyde Springgate for conference for Monday evening.

12.  Sunday: Attended 9 Oclock Mass today, then to work. In the afternoon took a drive to Riverside Cemetery, also to the cottage. Worked from 5 to 6. In the evening attended Sacred Heart Bazaar. Thres won a pound of coffee. I won a bed sheet. Mrs. Will Esser across from us won 5# Sugar. Visited Grandma Baier this afternoon. She is down in bed with bronchial trouble.

13.  Monday: Had a conference meeting at the courthouse lounge room tonite. The attendance was disappointing; present were Lester Ross, Erwin Spoo, Clyde Springgate, Raymond Udder, Miriam Frye, Rev. Mansfield, Earl Fuller and myself. Subject discussed was "Red Cross War Relief Fund Drive.

14.  Tuesday: Drove to E.R. Smith cottage for conference about Red Cross Drive. Erwin Spoo, Earl Fuller were with me. Mr. Smith also showed us his cottage and garages. Also dropped in to see Bob Downs at Cook & Brown and from there Ed Shrank at Wis. Public Service. No help so far, with the exception of E.R. Smith allowing us to use the facilities of the "Oshkosh Community Chest" Office. Visited Grandma Baier; she is somewhat better.

15.  Wednesday: Appointed “War Relief Committee” today.  Ed Marheine – Erwin Spoo – Walter Patri – Lester Ross – A.M. Bleyer.  In the evening took in Mode Theatre “Rose Marie” with Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy starring.  Nelson is a Canadian Mounty.

16.  Thursday: Met with E.R. Smith, Ed Marheine, A.M. Bleyer, Rev. Mansfield to perfect plans for our Red Cross War Relief Fund Drive which begins next Monday. Our chapters quota is 3640 dollars.

17.  Friday: Visited Al Somer this afternoon, he is down in bed and will be for quite a long time.  Aunt Mary has a dizzy spell today.

18.  Saturday: Aunt Mary is feeling better today.

19.  Sunday: Appointed Leslie W. Ross 450 W. New York Avenue as chairman of our War Relief Committee.  Ed Marheine is Vice Chairman.

20.  Monday: Annual meeting of Red Cross tonite, about 25 present. Nothing unusual occurred outside of committee reports also discussion about a part time secretary. Five directors were elected for a 3 year term, Katherine Weinman - Rev. Leo Oberleiter - Walter J. Patri – Earl E. Fuller - Fred V. Hein. After the meeting visited Joe Weisheipl's Orchestra at the Raulf Hotel, met Walter Schneider (salesman), Bill Niemuth. Then out to Ray Robbins, met Mr. Mrs. Foster Norton, played some sheephead. Earl Fuller eats lobster tail, got home at 2.30 A.M. Ray still owes us a good drink.

21.  Tuesday: Rose Weisheipl has a bad cold.

22.  Wednesday: Our local drive for Red Cross Funds begins this morning.  Joe and Anna Weisheipl dropped in tonite took a walk to the “Mode Theatre” “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” is the picture starring.

23.  Thursday: Henry (Hank) Beck is taken to Mercy Hospital for observation.

24.  Friday: The German Army is nearing England.

25.  Saturday: Visited at Joe Hemmer’s for short time tonite.  Grandma Hemmer is feeling pretty good, she uses two canes to get around.  “Merry Go Round” opens at 11^th and Ohio Sts.

26.  Sunday: Corpus Christi celebration at St. Vincents at 7³⁰ Mass.  Rose Weisheipl – Naomi Mueller –and Ryda Frohrib took a drive to Milwaukee.  This afternoon we all attend Mode Theatre, “What a Line” with Jackie Cooper and Betty Field and “The Night of Nights” with Pat O’Brien, Olympa Brodna and Roland Young.  Ma Potter plays Bingo at the Eagles wins 2⁵⁰.  Anna Weisheipl spends the day in bed, acts like stomach flu.  Weather is rainy most of the day.  C. Edward Paulick (deceased)

27.  Monday: Earl Fuller – Ed Marheine and myself have a war relief meeting all by ourselves.  We talk baking – banking – and the war.  Rain again a good share of the day, and it is not very warm either.  Henry Beck is operated Mercy Hospital for appendicitis.  His appendix is found to be in the back near his kidney.

28.  Tuesday: More Rain, clears during day. Donald serves mass at Sunnyview this morning at 5³⁰; he is up at 4³⁰. Thres and myself plant Geraniums on the graves of her parents and mine this afternoon. Larry Gerdes is in town. Collections on our War Relief (Red Cross) amount to 1012.13 this morning. King Leopold (Belgium) surrenders to the Germans. His government disowns him and the Allies will ignore his order. Aunt Mary has rheumatism today.

29.  Wednesday: Visited Bill Siewert at the hospital today.  Emma is there with him.  Drove to the cottage tonite with the family and Ed – Robert and Thres Fretchel.  Had quite a rainstorm this morning.

30.  Thursday: This turns out to be a lovely day, not hot but clear in pleasant.  The Heips take Aunt Mary to Sacred Heart Cemetery this morning.  We spend the day at the cottage Ed and the boys go fishing at 5 A.M, get nothing.  Donald was casting off our dock caught the 5 # Pickerel, a perch and a white bass.  Robert Fretchel is very much disappointed.  Had no luck whatever.  Anna Heip plays bingo, no luck.

31.  Friday: Bill Mauritz has an increase in the family, its a girl.