Entries for February 26, 27, 28 -- 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entries:
Sunday, Feb. 26, 1911
Wrote home.  Went to Crowls.  Met Maude S. up town.  Had a delightful day.  Dandy dinner.  Read roses as favors.  After dinner Tin went calling - Ed, Mary, Maude, Fran and I walked in Jackson Park and "U" campus.  Had my fid. so we had music like old times.  Tin sang a little.  Home about 10.

Jackson Park

Monday, Feb. 27, 1911
Lesson at 9:30.  "Pretty good" for double stop.  Took last of concerto.  Am to play it all on Thurs.  Practiced.  Started record of mail rec'ts to see whether Tin or I get most mail.  Tin ahead so far.  I feel in my bones that everyone will write me this week.  Cards from F. R. L. and Sadie MacD.  Letter from home.

Tuesday, Feb 28, 1911
Home all day.  Much practice.  Fran home early - tried to sleep.  Mrs. S. played for us all evening.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Rita did a lot of practicing so I wondered how she might sound.  The following link from YouTube shows a professional (named Bruni, sort of like Rita's teacher Brune) playing some of Firillo's Etudes that Rita must learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q98iFLTi3c&feature=related

Judy's Entry: Monday, Feb. 28, 2011
At last I am caught up with this blog!  My grandmother spent a lot of February playing the violin.  I spent a lot of this month taking care of my daughter and doing that stupid puzzle.  But it is completed!  See below.

Entries for February 22,23, 24 and 25 -- 1911 and 2011

by Sorolla

Rita's Entries:
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 1911
No school for Fran.  I cut orchestra and practice in the a.m.  Read.  After lunch, Mrs. S. and we girls went down to Art Institute to see the great Sorolla Exhibition.  Also saw Mrs. Packard.  Went shopping a little.  After dinner under protest went over to Barbers.  Very nice evening but a horrid headache.  This paper is awful.  My patience won't hold out.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 1911
Took harmony at 10.  Mr. Brune is a dandy.  Had to wait till 11:30 for my lesson.  Talked with a bunch of nice girls on fourth floor.  Said my double stops were "pretty good" but need more expression.  For exam I must play Fiorillo Etudes and I haven't had a one.  I guess not hustle.  He asked me to come back Fri. afternoon to finish my lesson.  Practiced and studied History.  Read.

Friday, Feb. 24, 1911
Practiced all morning.  After llunch Tin went to Helen's for afternoon and dinner.  Mary there too.  Tin stayed all night with Mary.  Went down for lesson.  Porr man was "half crazy"  Am to finish concerto next week I guess.

Saturday, Feb 25, 1911
Lecture at 9:30.  Tine went to opticians.  Came back for last of recital.  Ensemble and 4 violins.  Sebald at piano.  Fine.  Practiced an hour before lecture.  More after lunch.  Mrs. S., Fran and I sent to Julian.  Fran and I took walk after dinner.  Music till 9:30.

IN RITA'S DAY:
Early in 1911, Sorolla visited the United States for a second time, and exhibited 161 new paintings at the Art Institute of  Later that Chicago.  Later that year he was commissioned to do murals that were to be installed in the Hispanic Society of America and would range from 12 to 14 feet in height, and total 227 feet in length. There would be fourteen large panels in all. The major commission of his career, it would dominate the later years of Sorolla's life.

TODAY:  The panels are still at the Hispanic Society and their website encourages everyone to visit the newly renovated gallery to view the Sorolla's in all their splendor.

Judy's Entry:  Looks like in the midst of my daughter's pregnancy and herniated disk problems, she and her husband have purchased their first home!  Contract to be signed the end of this month!  After all this, I am looking forward to meeting a friend in NYC early March.  Maybe we can go and see the Sorolla murals!  I'm not familiar with him, but looking at his work online, I think the paintings are fabulous!

Entries for Feb 18,19,20,21 --1911 and 2011

Rita's Entries:
Sat. Feb. 18,1911
Tin and Mary met me for lecture.  Helen B. has grippe.  Matinee by School of Expression.  Fine!  Practiced.  Tin and Fran rode down town - around loop and home.  Nearly lost at Belmont.  Box from home - house dress - cookies - candy - oranges - money.  Wrote letters.  Trying to catch up.

Sunday, Feb. 19, 1911
Tin and I went to church.  Met more nice people.  Awfully nice.  Afer dinner, Mary came.  We all went to Gertrude House to see Maude S.  Helen Abbott there - invited us to her home a week from Sat.  Dandy time.  Wrote letter.

Mon. Feb. 20, 1911
Lesson at 9:30 - almost an hour.  Then "Italian."  Practiced.  After Fran came, she and I took a walk down by the lake - around Sheridan Road and home.  Beastly cold and windy.  Played solitaire as usual.  Letter from H.E.B. made me grouch all day.

Tuesday, Feb. 21, 1911
Practiced hard.  Fran came home early.  Tried to sleep while I practiced.  Succeeded pretty well. Snored.  Positive proof of the fact by Tin.  Fran and Winifred took a walk.  Read all evening.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Young teachers and "kindergartners" in Chicago could find lodging at a nominal fee at Gertrude House (see picture above).  It was described in the following manner in an article from the early 1900s:
Chicago kindergartners may well be proud of their "kindergarten houses" where kindergartners, teachers and students, young or old, native or foreign, are always made at home and welcome, provided with fine food and shelter at a cost purely nominal... In Chicago there are two such houses.  For Gertrude House...it is actually the only house of its kind in existence.  It is a home, a real home for over sixty women annually, and it receives and constitutes a pleasant temporary home for many others...
It was at this time period that women were pressing for a kindergarten program to be added to public schools.

TODAY: Teachers are not held in the high esteem that they once were.  Because of the failing economy, politicians are trying to find ways to save money and public education cuts are one way.  The governor of New Jersey recently said that there are just two occupations where individuals are not held accountable for what they do... one is weathermen and the other is teachers.

Judy's Entry:  My daughter is starting to feel a bit better.  She (and all of us) have been struggling to decide whether or not she should have an MRI.  Of course, all the doctors have different opinions.  The actual technicans that perform MRI say it is best to wait until your second trimester if you must have one when you are pregnant.  Wouldn't it be nice if the doctors were all on the same page?

Entries for February 15, 16 and 17, 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: , Feb 15, 1911
Down town with Fran at 8:30.  Shopped a little.  Orchestra 9:30 to 11:45.  Practiced, got harmony - played - sang.  Wrote letters.  Letters from Elizabeth, Mattie, and Cornie and cards from Leon and mother.

Rita's Entry: Thursday, Feb 16, 1911
Harmony at 10 - fun - I like him ever so much.  Lesson at 11:30.  Had three for audience.  Made me so fussed my fingers were all thumbs.  Beginning work on double stops.  Horrors!!!! Sewed, wrote, played.

Rita's Entry: Friday, Feb. 17, 1911
Home all day.  Tin went to Crowls.  I practiced hard all afternoon.  Played whist in evening.  Fran grouchy because she hadn't a bid to church dance.  Found out later it wasn't till Saturday. 

DANCING IN RITA'S DAY: There have been many references to dancing in Rita's diary.  They go to church, Hamilton Park, the Reynolds Club at the University of Chicago to dance.  Some of the dances they did were probably the one step, the two step and maybe the cake walk.  Below is a passage from Every Woman's Encyclopedia, published in London at this very time:

All the new dances of recent years - round dances, that is to say - have come from America. We have had the Washington Post, the modified cake-walk, which was worked todeath by a certain section of society a few years ago ; the two-step, which is still popular, and the Boston. This dance continues to be invented, changed, and altered to suit the convenience of thedancing public.

Last of all, the one-step has arrived. It is a quicker, more jumpy edition of the two-step, with several variations, and is danced with one step taken at a time by successive feet. Throughout all the varieties of the one-step - most of them acquired since it reached England - in no case does the. same foot take two steps directly following each other. The left foot must immediately follow the right, and vice versa ; so it Will be guessed that the steps are not at all complicated. Whether going sideways, forward, round, or backwards, the " one-step walk " continues," like a series of jumping steps, taken as if walking, with a spring, in whatever direction the gentleman chooses to steer.

TODAY: Dancing has become very athletic and dance competitions are popping up on TV (along with singing competitions like American Idol).  So You Think You Can Dance?  was one of the first and it tries to find individual great dancers who can do things like the two-step as well as new dances, and now Paula Abdul is the host of another one trying to find great dance acts.

Judy's Entry:

As February progresses, my daughter's back pain seems to be getting worse.  I spend most of my days taking her to chiropractor and trying to find things she can eat.  She is very nauseous this first trimester.  My mother and I are also working on a 1000 piece puzzle.  I'm not crazy about puzzles, but now it is a challenge!

Entries for February 13 and 14 -- 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Monday, Feb. 13, 1911
Went down with Fran.  Lesson at 9:30 - almost an hr!  Am I stupid or is he interested in my progress?  Saw Mr. Smith and Dr. Ziegfeld.  Am advised to cram muscial history and take exam in 3 weeks and so get my diploma or certificate in June.  Some work but guess I can do it.  Practiced.  Dlouble solitaire.  Retired at 9.

Tuesday, Feb. 14, 1911
Home all day -- waiting for our violets, which didn't come.  Joke!  Practiced much.  Fran home early.  Sang for the man who was putting in the phone.  Double solitaire.

IN RITA'S DAY: Hallmark didn't start until 1910, so flowers were the way to express love on Valentine's day... but not roses like today.  Violets instead.

TODAY:  Valentine’s Day is the second biggest day for Greeting Card companies. Only at Christmas are more cards sold. Every year there are more than $1 billion in Valentine’s Day card sales.
> Single males outnumber single females – 119 to 100, creating a better selection for women in search of love.
> For the first time ever, two major online dating services –LavaLife and eHarmony are making their services free for the entire month of February.

Judy's Entry:  Getting back to rehearsal for singing group... Yorktown Daytimers... we perform at nursing homes.  Today's practice was really good.  Some new members and they are strong singers.  A man came from the local cable station and wants to do something on our group.  Liz got flowers from her husband.  He misses her so much, but since she can't move and needs extra nutrition, she will stay with us for the weekdays.

Entires for February11 and 12 -- 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entries:
Saturday, Feb 11, 1911 - Lecture at 9:30.  Mary C met us at 10:45 for matinee.  Pupils recital and then 3rd act of Faust.  Dandy.  Mrs. S. Helped me fix my geen coat in afternoon.  Tired by night.  Fran and Mr. Roberts - Floyd Zaring and I went to Reynolds Club Dance at "U"  Fine time.  Enormous crowd.  Disappointed in Mr. R. - rather a stick.  F. Z. better.

Sunday, Feb 12, 1911 - Went to Crowls about 10:30.  Wrote home on way over.  Mrs. C, Ed and Mary perfectly grand to me.  After dinner, Ed, Mary and I went to Field Museum.  Saw mummies and jewels.  Then took long walk all thru U campus.  Awfully sloppy and slushy.  Had musci and lunch and came home.  Ed and Mary took me to car.  Dandy day.  But too much dissipation is not good for one.  Probably won't go any place again for months.

IN RITA'S DAY:  As strange as it sounds to us today, some people one hundred years ago had the opinion that packing a lot of activities into a day or weekend wasn't healthy!  Still, there were more "amusements" being built.  The Field Museum was built to house many of the attractions from the Chicago Exposition of 1893.  The museum was named after Marshall Field, the largest contributor.



Judy's Entry:  I have gotten way behind on my postings, but will try to catch up doing a few each day.  My daughter has really been in a lot of pain with her back and she can't take any pain killers because of the good news.  She is expecting a baby in October.  So these things are taking over for now!

Entries for February 8, 9, 10 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Wednesday, February 8, 1911
Went down with Fran.  Orchestra at 9:30.  Dandy tme.  Not flirting but just getting acquainted.  Practiced etc.  Letter asking Fran and me to go to Reynolds Club Dance Sat. night with F. Z. and someone else.  Al S. doesn't dance well enough yet!?

Rita's Entry: Thursday, February 9, 1911
Late this morning.  "L" was slow.  So was I.  Dandy lesson.  Long.  New G string.  Met Fran at Institute and had lunch with her and Lucina.  Mrs. S. met me there and we went shopping.  Bo't pumps, etc.  Wrote to H. B.  Tin got a box of "cats" from home.

Rita's Entry: Friday, Feb. 10, 1911
Home all day.  Practiced.  Fran called.  Had a card from Joe asking me to go to dance on south side.  Helen B. here for dinner.  Mr. Snyder coming in evening.  Dick Barber and Fran and Joe and I went to Hamilton Park Field House to dance.  Very nice time - very informal - not even programs.  Home about 12:30.  Helen here all night.

IN RITA'S DAY: The University of Chicago's Reynolds Club was built in the early 1900s and the style was copied after St. John's College at Oxford.  The Art Institute of Chicago where Fran studied was founded in 1879 and moved to present location in 1893.  Chicago's Hamilton Park was created in 1904.  All of these places where Rita socialized were fairly new in her day and still exist today. see pictures below


Inside of Art Institute around 1911



Entrance of U of Chicago's Reynolds Club

Judy's Entry: Thursday, Feb 10, 2011: 

Not a lot of time the last couple of days.  My daughter is still here recovering from back problems.  She has a bulging disc or herniated.  Lots of time spent with her and planning our menu around what she can eat.  My mother and I haven't been too health conscious lately... but now we are!  Still we have made cookies and lasagne, as well as lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.



Entries for February 7, 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Tuesday, Feb 7, 1911
Practiced.  Grew awful dark.  Ripped cream dress and cleaned it.  Fran home awfully early.  Practiced more.  3 hours all together.  F & I went to Evanston after Fran's pink dress.  F. L. disappointing.  Went to to Theobalds.  Home for dinner.  More double solitaire.  Fun.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Magazine's like McCall's contained a lot of dress patterns and women often were sewing and redesigning their frocks.  Butterick's magazine was called "The Delineator" and the Butterick publishing company grew into one of the largest in the country.  The magazine's editor from 1907 was Theodore Dreiser and the magazine championed women's rights.

Judy's Entry: Monday, Feb 7, 2011
 Had to go to the Bronx to pick up my daughter.  She can't sit or walk too well since her back went out.  I took her to the chiropractor and she is slowly improving.  Not much time to do my own thing, but I like taking care of her.

Entries for February 6 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Monday, Feb 6, 1911
Deep snow - cold.  Lesson due at 10:30.  He was delayed by "L" - blockades.  Practiced after lunch.  Planned remodelling of cream dress.  Played double solitaire.  Fun.

IN RITA'S DAY: It seems that the term "snow blockades" was used a lot to describe snow that blocked transportation.  I haven't found any pictures of winter 1911 in Chicago, but the one above is from "the big blow of 1913" where the waves from Lake Michigan are hitting Lincoln Park.
The Big Blow of November 1913 blasted the Great Lakes with a cyclonic weather system that looked a lot like a freezing hurricane.  Two separate cold fronts converged over the warmer waters of the Great Lakes, creating a furious weather event that would never be forgotten.
For some 16 hours, the entire region endured 60-90 mile per hour winds that whipped up whiteout conditions and towering 35-foot waves on the lakes.
On land, cities from Chicago to Cleveland were buried under many feet of snow.   But things were even worse out on the water, where twelve major ships sank – five of the wrecks were never even found – and more than 250 people lost their lives.

TODAY: Snow has been disrupting the Northeast and other areas.  Alternate side parking will be back tomorrow in NYC, but some cars are still buried!  Just something the owners will have to deal with.

Judy's Entry: Sunday, Feb 6, 2011
Super Bowl Sunday.  Half time score is Green Bay 21 and Pittsburgh 10.  I hope Green Bay wins.  Went to church, then more ice removal.  It was a beautiful sunny day - the first in a long time, so the weather helped get rid of some ice.  Went for ice cream with my friend and my mother.  Must go to the Bronx tomorrow to pick up my daughter who threw her back out!

Entries for February 5 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Sunday, Feb 5, 1911
Cold!  Fran and I went to church.  Tin not well.  Wrote, read, fooled all afternoon.  Tin went to bed about 7:30.  Fran and I put on house dress and kimona.  Had given Al and F.Z. up because of awful blizzard.  About 8 they came.  Grand rush to dress.  Bro't candy.  Dandy evening.  Al peeved because wanted to play whist.  Danced a little.  Left about 11. Called - no sleep.  Worried.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Transporation was greatly impacted by blizzards.  The trains didn't run and once they did they were delayed.  Fire was a concern because of the inability of fire wagons to get through the streets.  Local Chicago paper wrote at the time: City officials tonight issued another warning of the danger of fire, because of the inability of the fire wagons to get through many streets, and volunteer bucket brigades have been formed. Police today made a house-to-house canvass, warning everyone to keep buckets of water handy, and seeing to the enforcement of city ordinances regarding clearing sidewalks.

TODAY: The Super Bowl this year is to be tomorrow in Dallas.  I guess no one expected snow and ice to be a problem there, but it is.  Some people are not able to get into DFW because the flights have been cancelled.  The weather all over the country has been strange.

Judy's Entry: Saturday, Feb 5, 2011
Even my Pollyanna friend, Diane, agrees that the weather today is rotten.  Stayed in all day.  Snow, rain and freezing rain.  Reading, movies, cooking,  puzzle, company for supper.



Entries for February 4 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Saturday, Feb 4, 1911
Lecture at 9:30.  Fran met us later and orchestra gave matinee at 11.  Very good.  Headache.  Slept most all afternoon.  After dinner tried to rub Tin's headache away.  Wrote letters.

IN RITA'S DAY: No aspirin without a prescription until 1915, so headaches were often dealt with by massage.  Rita's mother Lottie (Charlotte, above) was quite well know in her area for being able to relieve headaches and Rita picked up the technique.  Unfortunately, drugs became available and the technique was not passed on after Rita. (PS I love the picture above because I still have Lottie's necklace - but not her massage ability).

TODAY:  Lots of people are trying to get back to simpler ways to deal with pain - like massage.  But overall, we are very dependent on our "drugs" like aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, etc.

Judy's Entry: Friday, Feb 4, 2011

Went to Mt Kisco in the morning for Mom's eye injection.  She gets one every six weeks to slow the progression of her macular degeneration.  Then did some shopping and tried to get things ready for her supper since I was going out.  Went to MJ and we played and ate Chinese food in celebration of the Chinese New Year - the year of the rabbit.

Entries for February 3 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Friday, Feb 3, 1911
Home all day.  Practiced hard.  Gossiped.  Retired early.  Went over on Clark with Ma.

IN RITA'S DAY: Since Rita had little to say this day, let's talk about the weather.  After all, isn't that what you talk about when there is nothing else to say?  The 1911 weather in Chicago hasn't seemed too bad although Rita will mention a blizzard on Feb. 5 and 6; but in 1918 Chicago had a big blizzard - one of its top 10 (14.9 inches).  Here is what was reported in the paper about it:

Heading many of the volunteer digging brigades today were women-some clad in bloomers or overalls. In some districts the women were out at 4 oclock in the morning. They were assisted by thousands of children. Schools will be closed this week until the streets are cleared. Releasing some 60,000 children for work in shoveling snow.

TODAY: The blizzard of 2011 that just occurred in Chicago was one of the top 3 blizzards with a little over 20 inches of snow.  One of the most bizarre sights was the hundreds of cars that were stranded on Lake Shore Drive (see picture below).  Some people spent the night in their cars and others just abandoned the cars.  The city schools were closed both Wednesday and Thursday (today), but the children enjoyed playing rather than shoveling as in 1918.

Judy's Entry: Thursday, Feb 3, 2011
While Chicago had snow, we had ice - and lots of it.  In the New York City area, our suburban area had the most with ice three-fourths of an inch thick!  I spent this morning chopping ice off the front walk .  Mom baked cookies for art class on Saturday.  I went to get my hair cut and then after lunch took Mom to get her hair done.  Did some shopping while she was in the salon.

Entries for February 2 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Thursday, Feb 2, 1911

Harmony at 10.  Lesson at 11:30.  Dandy.  Took part of concerto.  After lunch Mrs. S. went to party at Hoppe's.  Practiced lots.  Read in Post.  Letters from H. B. and Mother.  Then box fro home came - kimona, 1 1/2 doz oranges - money and everything GREAT!  After dinner, we girls went to meeting of Kings Daughters at Miss Osgood's.  Very nice time.  Met some nice people.

IN RITA'S DAY: Asian styles (always called Oriental styles then) were very popular; however, such styles were worn at home.  Not as sleepwear but as something to wear when good friends came over to visit. 





Today's kimona style


TODAY:  As you can see this kimona dress is meant to be worn in public.  It is short and low-cut.

Judy's Entry: Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011

Even though the Groundhog did not see his shadown today, it doesn't seem like spring is around the corner.  This time it was an ice storm.  It took me hours to chop and shovel up ice.  In Chicago they had the 3rd worst storm in history.  I was finally able to clear things enough to go get some groceries.  Mom enjoyed getting out of the house. 

















Entries for February 1 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 1911
H. B.'s birthday.  Went to orchestra practice.  Practiced hard till after 12.  We are to give the matinee Sat.  Practiced in afternoon.  Am to have silver "G" for Xmas or New Years!  After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. S., Fran and I played whist.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Again, the popularity of whist.  A good explanation of the game is at www.pagat.com/whist/whist.html. (Thanks to my librarian friend, Joan, for that website).  Rita didn't have a great variety of violin strings to choose from like we do today.  Getting a new G string wound in silver was a big thing for her.  Hers were usually plain gut strings.

TODAY:  When one does an Internet search for "G string" very few images like the one above appear.  Most are like the one below:

There is a rumor that this kind of a G string got its name from the violin G string since the G is the "lowest" of the strings on a violin.  Other sources say that the G-string or geestring was first used to describe loincloth worn by Native Americans and "G string" was used instead of groin string because the word groin was not acceptable.

Judy's Entry: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011

Got cabin fever today because the snow storm kept us inside, except for shoveling.  Mom and I started and completed a jigsaw in one day... that's how bored I was.  My son came over for supper, we had some wine and relaxed.  Nice ending for the day.