JOURNEY TO CHICAGO, JUNE 1934
Mary G. Engle
By the time my mother, Mary G. Engle
Richardson, died last October, most of the memorabilia
and the possessions she had collected over ninety
rich and fruitful years had been distributed to those
she thought would be interested and appreciative of
them. Among the small collection of papers remaining
with her when she died, Mary's cousin Alma and I found
an envelope containing a few pages of a journal she
had kept of a road trip she and her siblings had taken
to the Chicago World's Fair and back in June 1934.
Alma recalls the trip vividly, and
describes crossing the Allegheny Mountains after dark,
with Jake swerving to and fro on the tightly winding
roads to avoid potholes when heading west, while Mary's
sister Elizabeth recalls how hard she had to work
to keep Jake awake at the wheel on the same treacherous
stretch on the return trip. Within minutes of discovering
the journal, Alma had produced this photograph to
document the journey, and with it a opened priceless
window into a fragment of the Engle Family History
for the rest of us.
I am publishing the relevant pages
of Mary's journal here in hopes that others in the
family will find it as interesting as I do. I've added
a few contextual notes and will be happy to add more
information if readers care to provide it.
Mary Lynn Richardson
March 2001
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Monday, May 28:
Downtown on my
hours off today. Bought material for blouses. Mrs. B.
told me a of a lady who would make them, and Alma and I
walked out to Lititz Avenue to see her tonight.
Tuesday, May 29: Had afternoon shift today. [In evening]
Jake, Emma & I drove up to Messiah Bible College to
attend annual Alumni Banquet. Had a nice time. Saw old friends.
Wednesday, May 30: [Worked] hours 7 to 10 today.
Home last night. Tonight President Roosevelt stopped at
Lancaster. Spoke a few words from his train at the railroad
station. I was over with Alma tonight, heard president over
radio.
Thursday, May 31: Commencement exercises tonight
at Hensel Hall. Prizes given. Highest Average in the class:
Mary G. Engle. To reception at Iris club. Rev. Mulder had
Invocation & Benediction at Exercises.
Friday, June 1: Hours 10 to 12, sitting on the lawn
to get some sun. Had light treatment also. Alma & I
out to Lititz Avenue tonight for blouses.
Saturday, June 2: Off-duty at 10:30 A.M. Papa came in
for me. Home for dinner. Esther & I went shopping in
P.M. Took Esther to barber. Clara Stoner in Lancaster, and
phoned home. I met her and we went to Pequea Love Feast
this week-end. Average this year (95th).
Sunday, June 3: To Sunday School in Lancaster, then
down to Pequea for services. Dinner at Pequea, then drove
awhile before returning home. Spent afternoon and evening
at home.
Monday, June 4: Busy all day getting ready to go on
trip. Had a lot of dresses to day,
was to town etc. Alma down this P.M. Jake busy working late
on chicken house.
Tuesday, June 5: Left Lancaster at 5 A.M. Arrived at
Fries' about 10 P.M. Stayed only a short while, then on
to Kittie's home. We all stayed there for the night. Had
lovely weather and a grand drive out to Ohio.
Kittie & Joe are just grand and are the same as
always.
Wednesday, June 6: Breakfast at Kittie's home, then
on to Conference at Ludlow Falls. Meeting lots of old friends
and I am enjoying myself greatly. A group of us drove to
Peoria to meet
Aunt Anna. Had a flat tire returning to Conference.
Thursday, June 7: At Conference. Having a very nice
time. Kittie and I had a rendezvous this afternoon for several
hours down by the Falls. We had a grand chat.
Friday, June 8: Breakfast at Kittie's home. On to
Conference. Stopped a few minutes, then drove on to Covington
to visit a former patient. Found that he had died. Left
Englewood [close to] noon for Wheaton. Arrived at Wheaton
about 10:30 P.M. Saw
Elizabeth. Girls stayed with her; boys to camp for night.
Had a nice day. Weather ideal.
Saturday, June 9: Waited at Wheaton until 10 A.M. for
the boys. Arrived at Fair after noon, got separated very
soon after arrival. Saw Field Museum, Horticultural Building,
Belgium Village, Planetarium, Ford Building, General Motors,
Travel and Transport Building, Electrical Building, Hall
of Social Science, etc. Also we took a boat ride on the
lagoon. Were very tired but had a fine day. Spent the night
at the Mission.
Sunday, June 10: Drove to Wheaton from Mission. Attended
Baccalaureate Exercises at Wheaton. Ate dinner in College
dining room and had lunch at Eavey's. Visited them in the
evening. Also attended Sacred Concert in P.M. at College
Church. Eavey's about like always.
Monday, June 11:
Attended Commencement Exercises at Wheaton. Elizabeth graduated
with high honor. Met Prof. D. and liked him lots. After
Elizabeth finished packing went in to Chicago Mission for
the night.
Tuesday, June 12: Spent today at the Fair. Had a
very nice time in Halls of Science & Religion, General
Exhibits, Llama Temple, Federal Building, Court of States,
etc. Back to Mission for night.
Wednesday, June 13: Left Chicago Mission about 6:55
A.M. Drove all day. Ate lunch for breakfast, stopped and
cooked dinner and supper. Having ideal weather.
Thursday, June 14: Arrived home about 7:30 A.M. Did
some laundering today and didn't get any rest. Down to Hostetter's
this P.M. and went along to Prayer meeting at Claire Slaymaker's.
Friday, June 15:
Slept until noon today. I must have been more tired than
I realized. The family drove to Grandpa Hostetter's this
evening and I accompanied them . . .
In 1934 both
Mary Engle and Alma Engle were working as registered nurses
at Lancaster General Hospital.
Kathleen
and Joe Aiken of Englewood, Ohio.
Anna Ruth
Engle (daughter of Eli Musser Engle and Barbara Ostot Engle,
1896 - 1991).
©
EngleFamily.Net, 2001