Diary of Alfred E. Potter October, 1951

01.  Monday: [R 4 M] Looks like warm weather coming up, humidity 99° and a thunderstorm and then sunshine.  Visited Thres this afternoon and evening.  Took Mary Girens home this afternoon.  She visited Gratian Schneider and Thres.  I dropped in to see Fritz, he looks bad.  He’s in 309.  Rose Binder has a birthday, she is ?

02.  Tuesday: Rather foggy out this morning.  To Kiwanis Luncheon Ozz Whitte – Joe Hough – myself at table.  Rothwell Stickley – Salvation Army shows a picture “Did Row” in Chicago, with the Salvation Army does a great job rehabilitating them.  Then a trip to the new offices of the Oshkosh Building and Loan.  I think it should be a monument to the genius of Art Abraham.  Visited Ma this afternoon.  Annie Heip and Thres Fretschl bring her some Nylons.  Mary Ann ate by Thres Fretschl this noon.

03.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] A beautiful day, temperatures at 80°, wish we could spend the day at the cottage.  Had dinner at Weisheipl’s Pork chops Potatoes (Mashed) Kavage with “Eibrenn” very good, choc. cake with reasons.  Tony Paulick cleans our furnace today.  Visited Thres this afternoon and evening.  We both visited Aunt Mary and Gratian Schneider.  Tonite we visited Ann Boelter from Wautoma.  Her husband is a banker there.

04.  Thursday: [TEG] Had luncheon at the Town Grill with Ray Keown, Armstrong Cork Co.  We arrived at a satisfactory arrangement.  Had Mary Ann along.  Took mother home from the hospital at 4³⁰ and she is happy to be home again.

05.  Friday: To 7⁰⁰ Oclock Mass at St. Vincents.  Thres stayed in bed.  Monsignor Bastian has the Mass. 

Com.  Don – Mary Ann – Arlene Debby

06.  Saturday: Vees Haveman has some nice pastry for us today.  Worked all day.  Thres is well enough to go to Rose Binders tonight.  Our Club has a surprise party on her.  Dess Wirtz and I are partners for Canasta.  We are tail enders with 210 the first and – about 660 the second hand but we come out winners in the end.  Rose’s birthday was last Monday.  We took Lester and Mary Borisch, home at 2 A.M. in a driving rain.  To bed at 2⁴⁵.

07.  Sunday: [T] I am all by myself to 7³⁰ Mass this morning.  Honey to 9⁰⁰ Mother had to stay in bed.  To work this morning, slept most of the afternoon.  This evening brought Alvina Putzer – Thres Fretschl to our place to play cards here instead of St. Vincents Hall.  Alvina gets the prize (Tide).  Mary Ann gets a doorprize, a nice glass dish.  I’m at Fretschls to watch television it was bad as usual.

08.  Monday: This is my busy day.  Norm Brown and Bob Kniss in as usual.  Paid bills today which means making remittance slips with discounts deducted, drawing checks and addressing envelopes.  Worked until 11.15 P.M. – a good 12 hours.

09.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  Natalie Huhn explains uses of the public library system.  Four H Club girls explain about grading eggs.  Tonite to Fiss and Bills where Monsignor Reul offers rosary for the repose of the soul of Mrs. Leo Muza.  St Joseph's Church, Berlin celebrates their centennial today.  Present pastor Rev. Charles D. Monroe since Mar 1 succeeded Father Hurst.  Father Francis Fiss was pastor from 1896-1925.  He now lives in retirement in Wauwatosa.  Harry - Agnes Kujawa family attend St. Joseph's.

10.  Wednesday: This is Rose Weisheipls birthday, she has completed 40 years.  It is also Joe and Emma Baiers wedding anniversary they are married 12 years.

11.  

12.  

13.  

14.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Holy Name Hi Mass.  Father Wagner.  Breakfast and then to work.  This afternoon Bishop Grellinger confers a class of 137 at St. Vincents tonite at St. Johns.  Stood honor guard with Fourth Degree Knights at both places.  Its been looking threatening both afternoon and evening, we were lucky it did not rain when we escorted the Bishop at both places.  Tonite Joe and Annie Weisheipl, Thres Fretschl are at our house for a visit and cards.  Uncle Joe gets away with 10 ½ oz. Old Fitzgerald.  Took them home at 1³⁰ A.M. 

Com.  Deceased Holy Name M.

15.  Monday: [R 4 M] Ed Weisheipls Plymouth (my old coupe) registers 88888.8 miles tonite.  Norm Brown is with us today for luncheon.

16.  Tuesday: This is a day of rain.  To Kiwanis luncheon Dr. Ethan Pfefferkorn –Marshall Stowers –Ozzie Witte – Paul Smith – Frank Sullivan and myself at table.  “Korea the crossroads of the Orient” is interesting by Jerry Omstead of the “Laymans Missionary Movement.” Bishop Bona at St. Josaphat’s tonite I’m again with the guard of honor.

17.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Art and Margaret leave for Milwaukee, they will stay at Brictsons tonight and on to Chicago tomorrow to pick up Peggy and Baby at the depot.  This is another day of rain, Winnebago County Daze Sale is a fizzle.  Bishop Bona confirms at St. Mary’s tonite.

18.  Thursday: One cent Sale begins at North today.  It rains all day long.  Art and Margaret Mueller are back with Peggy and Linda.  Arts as a rained all the way to Chicago and back.  Mrs. Karl Schuri passed away at a Rhinelander yesterday.  She left Oshkosh some time after the death of Karl 1930.  Karl worked for Fuller – Morrison Drug Co, called on us for years.  Norman Brown got his job.  Norm boarded with Mrs. Schuri, she would make out his travel route every week and took very fine care of Norm.

19.  Friday: [R 4 M] To retail meeting at Athearn Hotel 8³⁰ A.M.  Byron Lopp is here to explain his sales clinic.  Worked in the basement this afternoon.  Mary Ann puts in a long day today 12 Noon to 9³⁰.  Thres and self visit Aunt Mary at the hospital tonite.

20.  Saturday: I’m back in the basement this morning.  This afternoon Norman Brown and myself attended funeral services for Mrs. Karl Schuri.  Rev. Kendrick Strong had a short service.  Norma and Dave are out to the cottage (our) to get some ducks, but the ducks were too far out in the lake to shoot at.  Norm reported about 10 hunters at Geffers next to our cottage.  Worked at the store tonite.  Otto Lemke and Emm visit Thres and Mary Ann tonite.  Emm and Mary Ann win 3 games Canasta from Thres and Otto.  Rain tonite.

21.  Sunday: [T] Rained most of the night still raining this morning.  To 7³⁰ Hi Mass Father Wagner.  Mission Sunday Collection in Catholic Churches today.  Some interesting facts In 1950 The per Capita donation of U.S. Catholics on Mission Sunday only 7 cents.  Holy Father received 03.57 cents for his For an Missions –The Home Missions 02.80 cents –The Near East 00.63 cents.  While Catholics gave 7 cents, they spent 9 dollars per capita for the movies, 14 cents Toiletries.  Per Capita Income U.S.  1453.00 – Japan 100.00 –China 27.00

Com.  Happy Hour of Death

22.  Monday: Rev. E.A. Koch, pastor First English Lutheran Church is 55 today.  He was installed as pastor here October 24 – 1926.  At that time the church had 600 members, it now has 2000.  Mr. Mrs. Albert Reichenberger get the sad news that their son Norman Reichenberger was killed in action in Korea Oct. 10.  He had been returned to duty Sept. 3 after recovering from wounds received July 18.  He had been hospitalized in Osaka Japan after July 18.  He was 23 and for some time had been going with Dolores Kinateder, when he was working for Fugleberg Flister florist shop.

23.  Tuesday: Another day of rain.  To Kiwanis luncheon.  Bud Menzel –Leight Hough – Wes Schneider and self at table.

24.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Aunt Mary is very happy today.  She is 79 and Thres –Annie – Thres Fretschl –Emma Lemke visit her this evening afternoon.  This evening Mary Ann and I visit her, bring her on new doll.

25.  Thursday: Visited Dr. Will Wagner at his home this morning.  He was operated on two weeks ago today, and is doing nicely.  Bill Steude also drops in to see him.  Dr. Wagners house is being redecorated.  Katherine and daughter Anne are there, Lillian is in Milwaukee.  Then to Mercy Hospital, visited Sister Emmelia (pharmacy) also Sister Kunigunda.  Attended city wide “Holy Name Supper” at St. Marys this evening.  Joe Baier and Eddie Weisheipl with me.  Fred Muth, Diocesan Secy Milwaukee, spoke very forcefully on bringing Christ back into our daily life.

26.  Friday: [R 4 M] To Sacred Heart parsonage with Don and Ginny Abrams to make arrangements for the sale of religious goods at the Mission which begins Sunday.  Fr Bunkleman is not at home, Agnes is there good humored as usual.  Thres is down town this aft. buying curtains, Emma Lemke is with her.  Took in the Strand Theatre tonight.  “Texas Carnival” with Red Skelton – Esther Williams – Howard Keel – Ann Miller –Keenan Wynn is hilarious comedy – “The Tall Target” a picture about Abraham Lincoln stars Dick Powell, very good.  After the show to Sitte’s (Lemke’s Bar) for fish.

27.  Saturday: Winston Churchill is returned is Prime Minister of England according to Election returns.  His Conservative Party has 319 seats –Atlees Labor Party 293.  Joe Louis is knocked out in the 8th round last night by Rocky Marciano at Madison Square Garden, New York.  He was knocked out only once before, June 19 – 1936 by Max Schmeling in Yankee Stadium.  Eddie Weisheipl was hit in line of traffic at a stop by Ed Duwie yesterday noon as he was on his way to work.  Viewed the remains of Alfred Berger at Poklasny this aft. 

M.O. Al Berger

28.  Sunday: To 6 Oclock Mass St. Vincents – Father Milbauer.  To Sacred Heart about 9 with Donald for final touch up on Mission display.  Then to work.  Back to work at 4³⁰ P.M at 7⁰⁰ to Sacred Heart, back to work at 7³⁰ back to Sacred Heart at 8³⁰ busy until 9³⁰ Mrs. John Stockinger – Mrs. Libowski – Mrs. Poeschl – 3 Sisters –take over the sale of religious goods.  Back to the store to work until 10.40 PM.  Com.  Alfred Berger

29.  Monday: [R 4 M] Joe and Annie Weisheipl are married 45 years today.  The children took them to the Roxy and entertained them for dinner yesterday.  Norm Brown is somewhat low in spirits today.  I think things will be OK.

30.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  Louis Lyons – Frank Schulz and myself are birthday boys.  Ozzie Witte got my present.

31.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Eddie Weisheipl gets a different car today the 1941 Plymouth with about 36000 miles on it.  My old Plymouth Coupe which he traded in had 89010 miles.