Diary of Alfred E. Potter February, 1948

01.   Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Hi Mass St. Vincents.  Tried to work this morning that could’nt make the grade.  Donald took me home.  Tried to take a nap this afternoon but could’nt sleep.  Got out my orders and sent package to Carl and Margaret.  Harry Kujawa and family pull in about 5 P.M.  Harry had been skating with Johnny this afternoon.  They left for home at 10.30 pm. 

Com.  Caroline Baier

02.  Monday: We are busy selling candles at St. Vincents this morning, Joe Baier – Don –Ed Fretschl and myself.  Lawrence Kinateder had a narrow escape this noon about 12.55 when his car was hit at the Marion Street crossing near Radford’s where he works by a lone Soo Line engine dead – heading to Stevens Point.  The car was pushed about 200 feet along the track.  Lawrence was thrown out, sustaining several fractured ribs and bruises.  His “Guardian Angel” must have been on the job.

03.  Tuesday: Mailed another package to the Rothbauers with shoe soles for 5 pair shoes – 1 pair shoes – 4 Shirts -2 dresses – 2 dresses -5 cans Vegetables.

04.  Wednesday: Put in 8 hours at the store today.  Ray Trovinger – Ray Keown –Ralph Sperry – Norm Brown call.  Donald Bludau came in with a Mr. Haasse, real estate agent, to see me about buying the Ducherschein business in Neenah at the Barnett Stand.  Don surely looks wonderful.

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08.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Holy Name Mass.  Joe Baier is on at the store today.  Tried to nap this P.M. but no luck.  About 5 Oclock Bob Boynton is in, and about 5³⁰ Donald picks up Lawrence Kinateder at his sweethearts place, brings in here for dinner.  This is somewhat of a preliminary to Donald’s birthday.  Cards are in order for the evening.  Official temperature is 15° below this morning.  Bob could’nt get his car started at 1 A.M. and Donald had to push him most of the way home. 

Com. Deceased Holy Name Members

09.  Monday: More cold 10° below this morning.  Lawrence Kinateder is here to spend the evening.  He is getting along very nicely.  He and I try a little cribbage, we win, He one game, I one game.

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11.  Wednesday: This is Donald’s birthday and what a time to have a birthday, the first day of Lent.  A record cabinet and some cash plus a number of cards arrive.  He is twenty, two decades completed.  I worked 9 ½ hours today.  We all attend Church tonite.  Father Ott has the sermon, it will be a series on the “Seven Last Words.” Mailed a package to Teddy Gittings tonite.

12.  Thursday: Lincoln State Programs are plentiful today.  Lawrence Kinateder drops in after choir rehearsal (Joe Weisheipl Jr. brings him in) We play more cribbage and we both win again.  Lawrence is in very good mood tonight.  We have quite a time waking Aunt Mary but once awaken she was lots of fun especially for “Ollie” Jr.  Thres is on tour with South Side Business Men and Auxiliary to “Sunlite Dairy” –“Miles Kimball” –“Peoples Brewing Company.” The folks have a grand time.  We get to bed about 1 A.M.

13.  Friday: Mama is up early this morning, gets another cold wave permanent for only twelve dollars at Gert Atkins South Side Beauty Parlor.

14.  Saturday: St. Valentines brings mother a nice Valentine from dad.  Donald is at Larry Seaberg’s birthday party this afternoon and evening.  He also gets another birthday present.  Pulls in about 1 AM.  I’m busy with the orders this evening.

15.  Sunday: [T] To 730 High Mass at St. Vincents, Father Wagner is celebrant.  Donald takes Fernie’s (Reichenbergers) basket ball team to St. Nazianz.  I’m kept busy making out orders for about four hours. 

Com.  Father John Nuernberg

16.  Monday: mother and I tried playing cribbage tonite.  Well, she just is not lucky, I take 3 straight.

17.  Tuesday: [T] Another package to the Rothbauers, 2 Summer Suits -1 Top Coat – 5 Cans Vegetables – 2 Old Dresses 1 Pair Shoes.  Viewed the remains of A. F. Andrews at Mallory Seefeldts this morning.  To Church this evening “Stations of the Cross” and “Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions.”

18.  Wednesday: Ma is out for revenge tonite at cribbage.  Well she’s unlucky again.  I take 2 more games.  Bob and Mrs. Kniss are married 15 years.

19.  Thursday: Emma Siewert spends the afternoon and evening here.

20.  Friday: Corky Weisheipl is laid up with a cold.

21.  Saturday: [T] Mama Potter is happy today.  We get a new refrigerator, A Philco Model C885.  Papa is sad, cost 349⁵⁰.  And Thres Fretschl is also very happy, she gets our General Electric and that’s the first electric refrigerator for her.

22.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents, we get our annual report today.  I work on the drug orders until 1³⁰ P.M.

23.  Monday: Laurence Kinateder is over this evening for a game of cards.  We played cribbage for change.  I win 2 games.  Betty Drexler is in town, she stopped at the store, took her home and visited with her mother Anna.  Her mother seems to think she has a goitre.  Betty goes back to Milwaukee on the 5 Oclock train.

24.  Tuesday: Im busy with inventory today, am working in the stock room. Ollie Kinateder sells his tavern to the La Moor Brothers. He has not been too well of late and feels he needs a rest.

25.  Wednesday: Norm Brown is in today to tell me the good news that he won the Lilly sales contests in this district, and that means a trip to New York for him and Sybelle.  Joe and Annie Weisheipl and Thres Fretschl are here for a visit tonite.  The first in quite some time.  We played much sheephead, I win 45 cents.  Donald took them home at 2¹⁵ A.M.  Cork Weisheipl is back on the job at Club 41 after a week’s layoff, with a cold.

26.  Thursday: Attended Oshkosh Theatre this evening to see the picture “The Life of the Pope.” It depicts the life of Pope Pius XII and is narrated by Monsignor Fulton Sheen.

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28.  Saturday: Had a busy day at the store today.  Took some inventory also.  Worked 10 hours today.  The weather was none too good.  Had a lot of snow that is the heavy kind.

29.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents then busy with the orders at home, also did some work at inventory, put in 7 hours today.  Harry Kujawa called by phone from Berlin to inquire how we are.  Agnes is just getting over the flu.  The Roof on our porch leaks quite badly, have’nt had that happened since the house roof was insulated.