Diary of Alfred E. Potter December, 1950

01.  Friday: To 7 Oclock Mass, Father Wagner. 

Com. Mary Ann – Donald family.

02.  Saturday: Snow is coming fast today.  Called Annie Weisheipl this morning to congratulate her on her birthday.  She is 68 and feeling fine.  Mom and me visit Aunt Mary this afternoon.

03.  Sunday: To 7:30 Mass St. Vincents Father Koehn.  To work all morning.  About 2:30 to St. Marys Hall where K. C. 2nd and 3d degrees are exemplified.  Joe Baier and Edward Weisheipl are among the 80 some candidates, and they are plenty burned up too.  We have a nice meal at the club after the initiation.  About 20 of us to Fiss and Bills to say the rosary for Murt Malone, then take Ed and Marie Fretschl to the Weisheipl's to celebrate Annie's birthday.

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05.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  Ray Baxandall – Dr. CF Behnke – Glen Wagner –Ralph Witherbee and myself at table.  General topic of discussion is the reverse is we are suffering in Korea.  Quite an amount of snow is falling today.  Thres to Ladies Auxiliary Christmas party tonight – Mary Ann and Arlene to Foresters and Joe Baier and me to K.C. Meeting at the Clubhouse.  Father Wagner – Ray Wagner –Les Borish and myself are special guests.  Les shows his pictures.  Worked 9 ½ hours today.

06.  Wednesday: More snow today.  Van Pelt the new Congressman from our district is a guest and speaker at the Optimist Club.  Art Mueller reports that Van made a very good impression.  Don and Arlene get a new General Electric washing machine.  Guess from whom?  Santa came rather early but they need it badly.  We learn that our nephew Joseph Drexler became ill during the night and was taken to the hospital.

07.  Thursday: And it is still snowing.  I called Celia Drexler this morning in regard to Joe.  She tells me the doctor (Dr. Gunther) was mistaken in his earlier diagnosis.  Thought Joe had ulcers, recommended X Rays but changed his mind this morning, stating that Joe had a mild case of the flu.

08.  Friday: We are out early this morning to 5³⁰ Mass.  Father Wagner.  Snowplows worked all night clearing the city streets.  Took Emma to Boldy Meyers after Mass.  Thres and Annie Heip over to see Aunt Mary.  They also saw Joe Drexler in room 113.  He is going home tomorrow.

09.  Saturday: [T] Our first Saturday of real Christmas Shopping at the store.

10.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ High Mass – Holy Name – Father Wagner also administers the pledge of the “League of Decency.” This is a beautiful day, temperature about 10° above.  Dess Wertz is taken to Mercy Hospital, suffered a heart attack about 3 oclock this morning.

11.  Monday: At North Store by 8¹⁵ took Thres to hair dresser, to the barber shop.  Melvin gives me a haircut and shave for 1⁷⁵ to work balance of morning, luncheon at home, back to work with Mary Ann.  Worked 7 hours.  Ed and Rose Binder call for us for dinner at Ray Faust’s “Shenars” Ed and Leone Dodd – Byron and Mrs. Gunz – Ed Wirtz –Ed and Rose –Les and Mary Borish.  Well it turns out to be a “Gala Night” home at 3³⁰ in bed at 4 A.M.

12.  Tuesday: Up at 10 A.M. and could use more sleep.

13.  Wednesday: Dentist appointment at 10 A.M. with Dr. Norman Kleinschmit.  He is in his new offices over Woolworth’s new building.  His son Donald has adjoining offices.  Mailed letter to Father Francis Beres this morning.  Art Mueller is battling a cold.

14.  Thursday: Wild cat railroad strikes are spreading over the country.  These are unauthorized by the Unions.  Sounds somewhat fishy.

15.  Friday: Still working in the toiletries department in the basement.  Heard the sad news this morning that Jeanette Schmidt’s husband Jim de Ford was killed last night at 10.45 in the Horicon switch yards when he was crushed between two railroad cars.  Born July 24 – 1927 – married July 23 – 1949.  Thres has Emma Siewert – Mrs. William Brusius –Marie Haffeman – Anna Ostertag over for the second 50 hands of cards in the C of Cath. Women’s tournament.  Thres 52 – Emma 49 Brusius 41 Ostertag 40.  Embargo on parcel post temporarily until strikes are settled.  Worked 11 hours today.

16.  Saturday: The weather is brisk and so is business.  The folks at the store take up a collection for Jeanette de Ford, it amounted to 25 dollars.

17.  Sunday: Nice morning, only 8° below zero.  To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents Father Koehn, then to work.  This afternoon to Marquardt’s to view the remains of Jimmie DE Ford, then out to buy a Christmas tree.  Tried four places then back to the store to warm up and get out drug orders, then another try for a tree, got an unusually large one from Harold Weed a 12 foot tree for 3⁵⁰.  Back on the job this evening. 

Com.  Jim DE Ford

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21.  Thursday: Still busy with cards and packages.  Send packages to Sister Meinrada – Sister Melora – Victor Kandy.

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24.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents Father Wagner explains why we go to confession the way we do, and who do priests – bishops and the Holy Father go to.  To work after breakfast and we are exceptionally busy, a full crew on most of the day until 5 P.M.  Took care of the 1/5^th Rohde Host after 5 and then home for supper.  By the way Jean Powers has a new camera.  To midnight Mass.  Father Koehn has the sermon on the grasshopper leading the way to a little lost infant, so we are lead to the Savior.  Its one below zero when we get home from church.  To bed at 3 A.M. 

Com.  Robert Kellerman 

Com.  Caroline Baier

25.  Monday: Up at 9¹⁵ AM.  Store is open until 12 Noon, we get out 1230.  Tried out one of the new T bone steaks brought by Bob the other day.  They are very good.  Don – Arlene – Debbie are here this afternoon.  Then to Mercy Hospital to see Aunt Mary.  She is cheerful as usual.  Then to the store to make out orders, home for supper, at 8 Oclock to Ed Fretschl’s with presents at 930 to Bill Mauritz’s for a visit until midnight, took Doris Heisler home.  Forgot to mention it was 4° below zero early this morning.

26.  Tuesday: Annie Heip to Milwaukee with Father Michael.  We begin inventory at the store.  Donald and Billy Mauritz in the basement.  It is getting colder out.  This evening Rose – Marion Weisheipl – Caroline –Mary Drexler – Marion Drexler – Margaret Beck are over to our house.  Showed the movies of our trip.  They are here until 12.30 and most of them very tired.

27.  Wednesday: Temperature 15° below zero this morning.  Took Christmas presents to St. Mary’s Hospital –stopped at Art Krause’s 58 Scott St. Dr. Behnke’s 105 Frederick.  Mrs. Behnke hands out Rudolph cookies.  Chuckie showed me his big electric Railway with trains and unloading cars.  Took Billy Mauritz and Rose W home this noon stopped at Ray Ostertag’s – Judy and Carol very proud of their presents.  Ray Jr. gets a radio – Jimmy camera and fishing rod.  Joe and Annie Heip – Ed – Thres Fretschl are over tonight.  Ed makes a fine sleeper.  Doris Heisler – Carol Schmidt – Faye Baier – Joanne Mauritz are here to visit Mary Ann.  Took them home at 11¹⁵ P.M.  Cork Weisheipl picked up the folks.  They are here until 2 A.M.

28.  Thursday: Temperature 2° above this morning.  Emma and Mayme Siewert almost go to confession at St. John’s this afternoon the church doors are locked.  They thought tomorrow is First Friday of the month.  Emma Siewert entertains at our house tonite for sheephead tournament.  Annie Weisheipl and Jennie Miller are here.  I showed movies after the game.

29.  Friday: Met George Greeley, secretary to Senator Joe McCarthy at Washington. George is home for a short holiday vacation.  George tells me after McCarthy's tiff with Drew Pearson, Joe received 700 telegrams of congratulations.  Thres has a half hour nosebleed this afternoon.  After an afternoons rest she feels better.

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31.  Sunday: To 730 Mass St. Vincents.  Paid Pugh Rent.  Pleasant day temperature 20° above zero.  Worked all morning.  Father Wagner drops in at the house for a visit.  Joe – Celia – Corrinne – (Judy) LUCY Drexler are over also for a visit.  Worked a few hours this evening then picked up the Fretche’ls and out to Weisheipls to spend the evening and usher in the New Year.  Cork is playing with Joe’s orchestra at “Westward Ho,” on the Butte des Morts road.