Diary of Alfred E. Potter May, 1950

01.  Monday: Up at 6 A.M. to 6³⁰ Mass with Thres.  Father Arthur. 

Com.  Aunt Lena Baier

02.  Com.  Matt Baier

03.  Wednesday: To 6³⁰ Mass.  Father Arthur.  Weather turns suddenly warm temperature up to 73°.  Mrs. Travis is in town.  Walter Patri made out my annual report for Lyman Guardianship.  The law offices of Barber – Keefe – Petrie – Nolan are all newly decorated, looks like Frank Keefe may not run for re-election. 

Com.  Frank Koplitz

04.  Thursday: To 6³⁰ Mass Father Girard. Mrs. Travis moves furniture from the house. Matt and George Mertz are over to see what repairs it needs. Mary Ann over to see Aunt Mary. She cries when Mary Ann leaves for home. Wants her to stay with her. I got a copy of Aunt Mary's birth records from Msgn. Bastian. Find she was born Oct. 24, 1872; we thought it was 1873. She was baptized Nov. 10, 1872.

Com.  Aunt Mary

05.  Friday: To 6³⁰ Mass Father Arthur.  Somewhat foggy out this morning, but warmer. 

Com.  Mary Ann – Donald - Arlene

06.  Saturday: K.C. at St. Vincents 6³⁰ Mass.  Father Gerard.  Many Communicants today. 

Com. Conversion of Russia

07.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass Monsignor Bastian.  After Mass breakfast then to serve with Honor Guard for Aux. Bishop Grellinger at Pontifical Hi Mass at St. Marys 10 A.M. for Catholic Amvets Convention.  This afternoon Ladies Mission closes St. Vincents.  We are still busy selling religious Goods.  This evening Men’s Mission begins.  The attendance is very good.  I took Monsignor Bastian home from services at St. Marys, this noon. 

Com.  Father Benedict Miller

08.  Monday: To 6³⁰ Mass.  Thres also.  Father Gerard.  Father Arthur gives the instruction.  Norm Brown tells me Bill Welch had a stroke two weeks ago Saturday and is at Mercy Hospital.  Thres is a busy lady today.  Luncheon at the Athearn with the Ladies Auxiliary, also cards.  This evening dinner at the Raulph and program sponsored by the Council Catholic Women.  I took Mary Ann – Norm Brown –Bob Kniss to lunch at Town Grill. 

Com.  Father Gerold Walker.

09.  Tuesday: To 6³⁰ Mass Father Arthur.  Father Gerard gives a beautiful instruction on the first three Commandments.  Governor Oscar Rennebohm is guest speaker at Kiwanis today.  I had a short visit with him after luncheon.  Aunt Mary is moved again this time to room 214 across the hall.  Our table at Kiwanis Chief of Police Bill Golz –Gene Vogel – Hugo Riese and myself. 

Com.  Father

10. Wednesday: To 6³⁰ Mass - Father Gerard. Father Arthur speaks on using the name of God in vain. Out to luncheon with Clark - Hastings - Ralph Sperry - Florian Peck. Annual meeting of the stockholders of the Knights of Columbus. A new slate of directors is elected. I did not get to the meeting. I did however have a long visit with Paul Waltner who worked for us in 1927. He is now with Parke-Davis, Detroit.

Com.  Mother

11.  Thursday: To 6³⁰ Mass Father Arthur.  Father Gerard’s instruction on true Christian charity and love.  Took Thres to Mercy this afternoon.  Aunt Mary gets Hydrangeas from us for Mothers day.  I visited Ann OConnor –Mrs. Meelens – Mrs. Howe, Leo Wolf and Bill Welch.  Fred Worm Fond du Lac is in for a visit tonite.  He states their prescription business is tops this year. 

Com.  Resei Drexler

12.  Friday: To 6³⁰ Mass Father Gerard.  Our Mission is to end with 40 Hours Devotion which begins today.  Father Wagner brings in Father Gerard to my office.  Father Gerard knows Norm Brown and the Plank family. 

Com.  Emma Hurst

13.  Saturday: To 6³⁰ Mass Father Arthur. 

Com. Grandma Baier

14.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Mass Monsignor Bastian. Father Arthur Cavanaugh paid tribute to mothers and especially to Mother Mary.  Art Hazen is not on the job, still expecting that baby.  Donald is called in, I also told Ed Weisheipl and they both gave us a part time boost.  Took Donald – Arlene – Mary Ann – Mother to the Athearn for Mother Day Dinner.  We then began checking out merchandise at the church.  Closing of the Mission tonite.  Father Gerard gave a wonderful sermon.  I served as honor guard with Fourth Degree. 

Com.  Katherine Holzbauer

15.  Monday: [T] To 7⁰⁰ Oclock Mass- Father Arthur. Father Gerard on side altar. This no doubt is their farewell Mass after the mission. Thres and me are busy getting ready for tonite's K.C. Party. We stop at Ed and Rose Binder's for cocktails. Tony - Nora Serwas, Les - Mary Borisch, Ed - Dess Wirtz are there also. We have a grand time at the party at Club 41. Fathers Wagner and Murphy are there. Home at 2³⁰. Thres feels a bit of uneasyness, a little stomach upset. She's OK in a short time.

Com.  Thres.

16.  Tuesday: Up late this morning to Kiwanis luncheon.  Our table: J.A.  Breese –Ethan Pfefferkorn – Al Kuebler – Rev. Marlin Smith – Bob Conroy – Al Potter.  Tonite Ed Binder – Ed Wirtz – Father Wagner – myself are at Tony Serwas for a game of sheephead.  Ed Binder loses 1⁸⁵ I win a mere five cents.

17.  Wednesday: Took graduates St. Vincents to Madison. My grads were boys Harold Gehrke, Ronald Spanbauer, Gilbert Werner, David Paulick, Donald Haas. They take tour thru Capitol then out to White Fathers (the Norbertines) school for Novitiates. Had noon lunch there. I'ts a lovely place on Monona Drive. Met Father Leonard Wagner, a cousin of Father Alphonse Wagner. This afternoon we drive to Vilas Park and "Cave of the Mounds." Cave of the Mounds is nice, but commercialized much. At Vilas Park we have a trip to their Zoo and also supper, then for home; get back at 9 P.M. Sisters Edgar and Alverna are along on the trip. Drivers to Madison for grads: Ruth Marheine, Pat O'Malley, Cliff Kloeckner, Mrs. Rudy Nigl, Mrs. Jungwirth, Father Alphonse Wagner, Al Potter.

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19.  Friday: Had a call from Sister Laurentia  – Mercy Hospital.  Father Fitkau –St. Boniface Society is in town.  He came over to my office to become acquainted.  Had about an hours visit.  He was a prisoner in Siberia during the war.

20.  Saturday: A very busy morning this afternoon we visit Aunt Mary.  I also visited Mrs. OConnor.  Had a short visit with Sister Irene.  Took Lizzie Hannes to were home on 7th St. To confession Father Wagner, back to work.  After supper we are at the first Booster Baseball Game.  Our home team plays Wisconsin Rapids.  We win 6 to 5.  Is an interesting game, quite a number of errors.  Battery for Oshkosh –Lashutka and Jenkins.  Its plenty cold at the game.  Father Fitkau is over for a package for Germany.  He has a new Chevrolet.

21.  Sunday: To 730 Mass Monsignor Bastian, then to work until 12.30.  After a nap back for more work at 5 Oclock.  Took Thres and Mary Ann to the Oshkosh after work.  “Sampson and Delilah” in color starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr.

Com. Al Beck

22.  Monday: Miss Lillian Olson is at our South Store helping in the cosmetic department.  She is with Richard Hudnut featuring “Du Barry.” This evening took Bill and Rose Mauritz to the cottage.  Thres and Rose are working on new draperies.

23.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  Mary Macklin Jones, one of the Swift Company’s “Mary Logan ” is our guest speaker on how to cut ham etc.  Her subject “Home Economics.” Our table Joe Rodler –Jim Bruins – Marlin Smith – Ralph Becker and Myself.  Thres and Emma Siewert are at the cottage cleaning windows.

24.  Wednesday: Busy removing storms and putting on screens at home.  It turns out to be a hot day temperature about 90 our thermometer 92°, learn later that 92° is official.

25.  Thursday: Thres and Emma Siewert shop for more curtains and work on men at the cottage.  Earl Stephan at the cottage to measure for new shades.  Art Mueller takes a day off to move into his new home in the country.

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27.  Saturday: Mary Reischl laid to rest, a solemn requiem Mass at St. Vincents.  Thres gets a cold wave permanent this afternoon.  This evening to “Time” theatre.  Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith star in “Montana” Its a technicolor.  “Red Hot and Blue” stars Betty Hutton and Victor Mature.

28.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents –Father Bouche, then to work.  A beautiful day.  The “Holy Name Rally” is on at Appleton.  Donald and Arlene take Mary Ann and Arlene’s parents along.  Thres and myself visited Aunt Mary.  I stopped to see Anna O’Connor, then to Fiss and Bills to pay our last respects to Mary Wodsedalek, then to Riverside Cemetery to check up on our flowers.  This evening to the Oshkosh “Ma and Pa Kettle Go To Town” Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride star.  “Outside the Wall” is the cofeature.

29.  Monday: Dr. M.C. Haines calls our South Store.  Art Mueller has quite a session with him, seems he thinks we do not give him the breaks.  Well he gets a square deal but expects concessions which it is impossible for us to give.

30.  Tuesday: Rain this morning.  Memorial Day parade is called off.  I worked this morning.  This afternoon stopped at Bill Mauritz home, took Rose and Bill with us to the cottage.  This evening Emma Siewert – Caroline Kellerman and Otto Lemke are at the cottage for cards.  Bill – Otto and me play 3 hand sheephead.

31.  Wednesday: Back of the cottage for more work this afternoon.  Took Thres and Mary Ann to Otto’s Hi K for a fine steak dinner.  We needed exercise after that, so we came back to the cottage for more punishment.