LIFE WITH MRS. DAN McCUTCHEN IN 1931
In 1931, Laura was living at her home in Belle Fourche,
South Dakota, with her husband of what would be nineteen years, and her
son, who would turn eighteen in April of that year. Laura was working full-time
as a teacher at Belle Fourche High School. Laura`s husband, Dan McCutchen,
a well-known South Dakota attorney, often found himself engrossed in his
work. Rhoades, Laura`s son, was also very busy attending Belle Fourche
High School. Although they were all very occupied in their own lives, the
family always found time to do things together, whether it was lunch at
the hotel or playing bridge with another couple.
Monday, January 5
Dan and I went to the Gay-Evans dinner at hotel, then played bridge
at Evans`.
Tuesday, January 6
Dan & I went to a party at Schufts, 9 tables & pink roses throughout
the rooms. Jack was in to see Rhoades.
Wednesday, January 7
Dan played rummy with R. [Rhoades] while I read the ``National Geographic
Magazine.`` Rhoades wore his white corduroy trousers & new sweater
with ``B``.
Tuesday, January 13
Dan & I went to Small`s to a 6:30 dinner & bridge. Rhoades
got a front tooth chipped by Lighty in boxing.
Saturday, January 17
Rhoades went hunting with Betty Eccles & Frances Miller. Rhoades
& Howard J. went to dance & Dan & I went to Club at Stecks
& had a delicious dinner. She made tea for me. Lots of snow.
Tuesday, January 20
Faculty meeting about giving to the new hospital. I gave $10 to Mr.
Conner. Alas! He probably kept it.
Thursday, January 29
Faculty meeting was long and tiresome about grades and tests. Dan &
I ate supper at hotel. R. & I had chicken lunch at home this noon.
Sunday, February 8
13 years ago today my dear father was taken to heaven.
Saturday, February 14
I went up in the barn to see Rhoades` boat. Tonight Dan & I went
to Club at Overpecks & she had delicious Swiss steak. Stecks were high.
Friday, February 20
After supper Dan took me to the Basket B. tournament & we saw Rhoades
play.
Monday, March 9
A letter from Margaret says the doctors removed grandmother McC`s [McCutchen`s]
left breast and found cancer growth, and the piece taken out was larger
than a pint.
Tuesday, March 10
I got 14 dandy, colorful Spanish posters today, a gift from Ruby Olds
and a nice letter from her, partly in Spanish.
Friday, March 13
This morning Rhoades went to Airport to fly, missing school as the
Inspector was here. Rhoades won his Private Pilot license. Because it is
Friday the 13, Hartwell was selling $1.00 bills for $.90 and I bought one.
Sunday, March 29
Dan was called over to the jail to see Earle Wilson who is drunk and
has been shooting up their house. He gets wild at times.
Sunday, April 5
Rhoades is 18 today. I sent him for a pail of Artesian water and he
saw his new car sitting there. He is so happy over it. It is Bronson yellow,
orange wheels, and black fenders, brown leather upholstering. Deluxe Ford.
After breakfast we took a little ride in it and up on the hill we took
some pictures. Betty Eccles had dinner with us, 6 of us at the table for
roast lamb dinner. Dan and I drove over to Spearfish for the Cantata at
Normal. R. went down to the lake and ate at Betty`s.
Friday, April 17
Rhoades went to the track meet & won the 1/2 mile race in 2-25.
Dan & I got carnations for Gov. & Mrs. Green & put them in
their room at the hotel.
Tuesday, April 28
Rhoades was sick with a headache so went to bed this afternoon. Dan
took us to Spearfish for a lunch at Cooper`s but it wasn`t very good. Rhoades
felt better after I gave him ice cream. Dan went to Legion meeting &
then to Al Porvell`s to play bridge.
Monday, May 25
Hot! Rhoades went swimming again as he has only 2 classes now &
they are in the morning. I mended his bathing suit, lengthened my orchid
dress & went to Mrs. Broomfield`s party at Penfold`s. Sent $35.00 for
my reservation to Mexico.
Wednesday, May 27
Last day of school work. Martha White brought me some pretty carnations.
I had the luncheon at Eaton`s, 12 of us, & the creamed asparagus was
good, also the lemon pie. Dan went to a bridge game at Dr. Frances`.
Saturday, June 6
Ralph Arnold called. By 5 Dan & I had the pies (blue-berry) &
all loaded for the Dutch-Oven feed at Overpeck`s cabin on Sand Creek. The
dinner was good. Dan & I were high & got a silly ash-tray which
he had Grace select as prize.
Wednesday, June 10
Dan and Rhoades brought Howard J. here to eat. R. is so careless with
his new car, (we think). Dan and I drove to Rapid taking my fur coat to
Thomas, the furrier to have a new beaver collar put on, a new brocade lining
and front widened by a flare. Stopped in Spearfish, saw Ruby Olds, ate
a terrible supper at Spearfish hotel and went to see ``The Royal Bed.``
Rained hard.
Tuesday, June 16
Dan went to Buffalo on the F. Short homicide case. I got a shampoo
and round curl at Mrs. Muth`s. I took Rhoades and Lester Hill to lunch
at Eaton`s. Voted for 2 new school board members, J. Armstrong and J. Durr.
Hope they are good and sensible. Rhoades and I ate chicken sandwiches at
Eaton`s and a frappe at Brackett`s.
Wednesday, June 17
I got my traveler cheques at the bank and got R. some ice cream.
Friday, June 19
Dan and I have been married 19 years today. Beautiful day, as it was
then.
Sunday, June 21
We got up at 5 and tried to get an early start from dinky Casper--I
drove over the Continental Divide 7200 ft. west of Rawlins. Dismal, barren
deserts thru most of Wyoming. We had a punk dinner at Rock Springs, after
terrible detours thru the sand.
Wednesday, June 24
Rhoades drove & we went to Patrson`s & I paid Mrs. P. $250.00
balance on my Mex. tour. Watched ocean & then bought bathing suits
& 6 of us--Dubas, Bradys & we went into the surf. The breakers
were high & rough & knocked me down. We had lots of fun but it
straightened my hair & how the sand clung!
Sunday, July 19
We drove to Guadalupe and saw famous picture of the Virgin, Blue and
White then up steep road to cemetery and saw grave of Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna. Went down to well and a little bird picked out a paper-fortune
for me when my glove was removed. They freeze ice cream in an open freezer,
holding a big paddle in it and turning the can by hand. Drove to Piramides
at San Juan Teotihuacan and saw the one for moon, Sun and Wind or Quetzalcoatl,
the plumed serpent. Dr. Cornyn, our Aztec teacher talked in the museum
of the Toltec civilization long before the Christian Era. These were unearthed
in 1906 and found made of Adobe brick, and inside part of wood and stone;
then covered by volcanic ash and then lava on top. Toltecs are oldest civiliz.
flourished 100 B.C. I climbed up the big steps of the sun pyramid, 123
steps, then got dizzy and had to stop. Worse coming down. Grand view. Ate
lunch in park then drove to Quetzalcoatl which is magnificent in its gray
stone, even in ruin. Bought some pretty black and white clay vases at base
of temple. Sun pyr.--215 ft. high. 5 terraces--volcanic rock. At base 721
X 761 ft. Quetzalcoatl was the citadel. Camino de los Muertos connect the
3 pyramids. Went to Corrida de Toros in largest bull ring in world, 10,000
seats. Saw parade of Senoritas in cars. Gay Span. sharres, black and white
lace mantillas. Toreros advanced in pink stockings after 6 Banderillas
thrust in shoulders. Blood. After 2nd bull we left for hotel, as it was
raining.
Wednesday, August 26
Cool in night but country looks dry & rather desolate. Mr. Stumbaugh
& D. Kinghorn helped carry my luggage as I had to leave the sleeper
at Chadron, changed again at Rapid & then Whitewood. Terrible train
service.
Sunday, August 30
Rhoades got home this morning from Fort Snelling. He is 1st Lieut.
& has a commission for Reserves when 21.
Saturday, September 5
Cleaned & worked in house. Alina Wallace called. I gave Rhoades
his $2.00 school fee & he registered for his senior year; Manual Training,
Amer. Gov`t, Economics & Typing. Got my credits from Univ. of Mexico
& received ``A``--excellent for which I was very glad.
Wednesday, September 9
Classes are larger & larger, crowded into that tiny room 305 of
mine. 37 in each section of Jun. [Junior] Eng.
Friday, September 11
Rhoades was elected president of the senior class today.
Monday, September 14
40 juniors in my P.M. class. Too many.
Tuesday, September 15
Rhoades is new football captain.
Wednesday, September 16
Hazel Lang got 100 in Eng. III and I gave her a frappe.
Wednesday, September 23
Showed my classes the corngrinder, metate, from Mexico.
Friday, September 25
School dismissed early for football game and Bronc parade. Dan and
I drove over and our boys beat Sundance 20 to 0, and Rhoades made a touchdown
and scored the highest no. of points--7. It was fine, cool and sunny.
Wednesday, September 30
Lovely and warm today. I shot the automatic pistol of Rhoades` at the
Rodeo grounds.
Thursday, October 8
Dan went to Deadwood to see Judge Ogden.
Friday, October 9
Some "villain" broke the glass in my door at school, got
a key, opened my desk & stole $9.00 I had collected for the "Iliads."
The H. S. doors always were punk. Our boys beat Deadwood tonight 6 to 0
in the first night-football I ever saw.
Wednesday, October 21
A cold, dismal rain all day. I told Conner that he, Cadwell & Sorbel
had given Rhoades too cruel & harsh treatment for their offense. Dan
wrote me from Bison & we are both heart-broken about Rhoades' trouble.
Someone should have told me, Fri., Sat. or Sun. I wrote a letter to Rhoades
urging him to come home.
Thursday, October 22
Mr. Sorbel talked with me after school. Mrs. S. thought she saw Rhoades'
car in Pierre, so I telephoned Sioux Falls to ask Peter Traynor if they
knew any of Rhoades` plans. Mrs. T. did not. Mr. Sorbel blames Lighty for
his laxness.
Friday, October 23
Our football team without Rhoades (& Howard) on got beaten tonight
by Spearfish, 12 to 0.
Sunday, October 25
It seems that Rhoades` going away is a curse on me.
Tuesday, October 27
I got a letter from Rhoades this noon, mailed in Santa Monica &
I was so glad to receive it. He drove out there in 36 hrs. He seems to
appreciate me now. Bless his heart! I know he loves me.
Thursday, October 29
A telegram to me from Mrs. Duba saying the boys, R. & H. also Rex
were thinking of returning home. They can`t get work out there. Dan telegraphed
her to urge them to come back home. Mr. Schneider showed me Rhoades` drawings
& they were very good & neat.
Friday, October 30
Dan started at 4 o`clock for the Minneapolis-Wisc. football game with
Dr. Brackett, Mr. Farnhorm & B. Aune. First National Bank closed this
morning. Mrs. Rowlins & many others lost much.
Saturday, October 31
The electricians came this morning & put in switch by door &
2 wall-receptacles for my 2 new bedroom lights.
Sunday, November 1
Rhoades, Rex & Howard got back & R. & R. stayed at Don
Pratt Hotel, because garage door was fastened because of Halloween. I`m
thankful they are back. Rhoades has 13,043 miles on his yellow Ford car.
Rhoades wouldn`t go to the show, ``Sidewalks of N. York`` with me &
I thought it a very terrible show, tragic & highly melodramatic.
Monday, November 2
Rhoades, & Howard got excused absences today & I have Rex in
Eng. III & Span. III. Dan got back this afternoon from Minneapolis
& we 3 ate supper together. R. & I ate lunch at hotel.
Thursday, November 5
Rex Duba quit school because his grandfather Q. made him go to Mission
church every night & wouldn`t let him go to dances. Mr. Pratt is dead,
passed away last night & will be buried in Salt Lake City. Rhoades
& Darrell Dorton had workout with a football.
Friday, November 6
I treated my Spanish I class to hot Mexican tamales having Ralph McKim
get them for me. I brought 4 home to Rhoades & Dan. School dismissed
at 2:15 for Vale game;--Rhoades went over. Dan & I went to Club at
Sly`s & they had a good dinner. R. went to the High S. party.
Friday, November 20
I watched Seniors & Juniors play basket-ball in the gym. &
Rhoades made 3 baskets & I gladly gave him the $3.00 as I have promised
him $1. a basket.
Wednesday, November 25
Rec`d a note from Mrs. Duba & letter from Mrs. Martin. Rhoades
& Cy. A. went to the dance.
Monday, November 30
I bought 130 Red Cross seals today. Cadwell told the youngsters to
tear down the building if they wished & they certainly tried to &
disturbed my 7th period class so I gave his Vandals 9th hr.
Friday, December 4
My French soap came today, but it is too drying for my skin. I made
delicious hot Jasmine tea this noon.
Monday, December 7
Cadwell is making the deficiency attendance optional! He is a boot!
Wednesday, December 9
Dan, Betty & I went to the Operetta ``Sonia`` which was good but
voices hadn`t had much training.
Saturday, December 19
Electricians came this A.M. to put in a new receptacle on W. baseboard
of living room for my Christmas light.
Friday, December 25
Dan gave me a beautiful 2 carat diamond ring (-3/16) to my delight
& a box of Whitman`s Sampler Candy. Rhoades gave me a lovely pair of
brown kid gloves. Everyone was happy here and R. liked his blue suit, etc.
A lovely mild day & truly a Merry Christmas. Everyone so good to me.
Thursday, December 31
We took Bradys to supper (a tough steak) & a poor show. I drove
up. Then we went to the dance here at the Legion Hall & I enjoyed it.
Danced with Dan & Rhoades, so happy. Came home & we opened my peach
brandy from France. Drank a toast with peachy, diluted & sweetened.
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