Good-bye Chicago Theater - June 12, 13 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entries:
Monday June 12, 1911
Lesson at 10.  Pretty good.  Much gossip in the hall.  Left fiddle at Wagners to be fixed.  Double quartette rehearsal at 4 - rather later.  Mrs. S., Tin, and I went to last performance of School of Acting.  Dandy!  4 plays - 3 dramas - rather heavy.  Rainy.

Tuesday, June 13, 1911
Ma Smith and I washed all A.M. and part of afternoon.  I slept rest of the time.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Judging from the entries, Rita was very close to her landlady and landlord, Mr. and Mrs. Smith.  They did a lot of things together and in these last days before Rita leaves Chicago, she starts to call Mrs. Smith "Ma" at times.  It will be a big adjustment for Rita leaving the life of Chicago to return to Iowa.  Pictured here are some of the theaters she visited in 1911.

Judy's Entry: Sunday, June 12 and Monday June 13, 2011
After church on Sunday, Doug came over to fix windows.  Then Diane and I went to Danbury to get a gift for her husband's retirement - an I-Pad.  Later Doug and Cathy took me and Mom out to dinner.  They told us they are going to "elope" to Las Vegas.  I say "Good for them!"  Monday I had a mammo and then Mom and I went to mall.  Mom bought 3 tops and got her hair done.  Later in the day I took a long walk with Diane.

TODAY:  Tony awards on Sunday night.  Best play "War Horse."  I really want to see it and also "The Book of Mormon" which won the most awards!

Children and Horses - June 11, 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Sunday, June 11, 1911
S.S. for Children's Day.  After dinner, I slept most all afternoon.  Smith and Mr. N. went to park.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Children's Day was celebrated in most Protestant church on the second Sunday of June.  This started in the late 1800s and was still going strong in 1911, I guess.  In recent years the U.S. has celebrated it on different days, but seems to be going back to second Sunday in June.  Not as big as Mother's Day or Father's Day because every day is Children's Day now!

Judy's Entry: Saturday, June 11, 2011
My Children's Day.  Spent morning with oldest child.  Doug helped me fix some windows and screens and then his friend came to give an estimate on installing a new door and two windows.  Spent afternoon with youngest child.  Liz, Mike and I went to Buy, Buy Baby to start picking out things.  Looked for two hours and still didn't find everything.  Back next week.

TODAY:  Today was the last race in the Triple Crown... the Belmont Stakes.  The winner was Ruler on Ice.  Neither the Derby winner or the winner of Preakness finished in the money.  I mention this because in 1911, New York stopped the Belmont Stakes due to new anti-gambling laws... and for two years - 1911 and 1912, there was no Belmont.

Hotzell (Hot as Hell) - June 9, 10 - 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entries:
Friday, June 9, 1911
Took Frances to train.  New N. W. depot is perfectly gorgeous.  Miss Baker and Mr. Stuart bro't Fama down.  Ralph Crowl bro't stuff from Mary.  Gene there too.  Delightful.  Fama had roses!!!  Gene and I examined depot.  Came home and went to bed.  Hot -Hotter - Hottest.  Wretched headache.  Talked with Mr. N - "What does this mean - sitting in the dark?"!   Mr. S., Tin and I went to lake to cool off.  Ice watch on back porch.

northwest depot in 1911

Saturday, June 10, 1911
Found broken A string at 8 when started to practice.  Hotzell but walked to Belmont and back.  String broke five times!  Took L down to Belmont and returned or exchanged said string.  Got in about hour and a half.  Sewed etc.  Mr. and Mrs. S. and Mr. N. went off no one knows where.  Came back and went off again.  Tin and I went to drugstore with draft.  "Miss Chamberlain"!?  Bo't candy (!) and took a little walk.  Lugged umbrella to keep off rain.

IN RITA'S DAY: June 9 and 10, 1911 set heat records for Chicago.  It was 98 degrees both days, but that was just the start of a long hot summer.  For three days in early July 1911, the heat was over 100 degrees.  I believe it is a record that still stands.  I love the way Rita writes "Hotzell."  It was hot all over the country in 1911.  The picture above shows people cooling off in NYC by licking ice.

Judy's Entry: Thursday June 9 and Friday June 10, 2011
It was pretty hot here on Thursday... up in the 90s.  Mom and I went with the seniors to see "Singin' in the Rain."  It was quite good and of course theater was air conditioned.  We got home just minutes before a cold front came through with heavy rain, winds and more hail than I've seen for a long time.  Electricity out from 6:30pm until 4:30am.  When we lose power, we also have no water - which is much worse!  Friday is much cooler but temps still about 10 degrees above normal.

TODAY:  These last few days have seen record breaking temperatures.  Washington DC hit 102 degrees and in Philly it was over 100.  Above is a picture of a man selling water bottles that he froze over night.  A little different than licking ice like they did in 1911!

Still saying good-bye - June 8, 1911 and 2011

Rita's Entry: Thursday, June 8, 1911
Harmony at 10.  Mr. Brune like my "tune" very much - showed me how to vary it and make it more effective.  Played Faust with Mr. Sebald.  Not perfect by any means but last lesson.  To have little pieces now.  Went down with Fran to say goodbye to Lu - buy music, carry home junk, etc.  Hated to leave Lucy.  Fran called over to see her aunt.  The Smiths, Mr. N, Tin and I walked the lake and Sheridan.  Ice cream.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Just like when I was in college and in college towns today, students have their last lessons and get together their stuff as they prepare to go home.  Wonder if Rita ever looked like the coed above from University of Chicago 1910??  I feel a little sadness in Rita's entry - although an evening walk by Lake Michigan with ice cream sounds nice!  Rita is leaving Chicago Musical College and Fran is leaving The Art Institute.

Judy's Entry: Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Went to meeting at firehouse to find out what time bus leaves tomorrow.  Stayed and played bingo.  Went grocery shopping and then made veggie wraps.  Starting to watch diet once again.  Had to go to PO to overnight forms related to dear Aunt Collette's estate.  Still working on illustrations for children's book.

TODAY: Speaking of saying goodbye, a lot of people are hoping the U.S. can say goodbye to its involvement in Afganistan.  Troops should start coming home this summer, but their government is not stable and I think a lot corrupt.  Is it our job to police the world? 

Entries for June 6, 7 -1911 and 2011(end of school year)

Rita's Entries:
Tuesday, June 6, 1911 
Home all day.  Fran at lunch at YW and at Crowl's with Fama and Lucina for dinner.  Home with Lu all night.  At 5:30 Tin dressed in new gray.  I at once decided Leslie was coming.  She would say nothing definite.  Mr. and Mrs. S. and she left about 8 or 8:30.  I sewed, played, sang, wrote and played solitaire until 11 then retired. At 11:30 they bro't him [Leslie?] home to sleep with Mr. S.

Wednesday, June 7, 1911
Leslie was very nice, but not as we expected.  Seemed on fine terms with Mr. Smith.  After breakfast, he and Tin went for walk.  I began practicing.  Mr. S. called me out to meet "Mr. Nordwell."!!!  Jokes on me.  Played it on Fran at lunch.  She really expected Leslie so was even more surprised than I.  Tin and I went to Gertrude House [above] for closing exercises.  Folk dances.  Nice time.

IN RITA'S DAY:  Rita and her friends are getting ready to leave Chicago since the school year is drawing to a close.  In June 5th entry, she speaks of going on a farewell "toot."  Although I'm not sure what they did, Rita in her ledger indicates the "toot" costs her 25 cents.  Gertrude House [above] was a place young ladies, especially teaching students, could live for the term.  It also seems that Tin's "young man" named Leslie came to see her and stayed in their landlord's room.

Judy's Entry: Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Went to singing and zumba at the senior center.  Was thinking about Rita as we sang the old, OLD songs, like "Keep the Home Fires Burning" and "Bells of St. Mary's."  I wonder what songs she was singing.  This afternoon I had a doctor's app't and learned that I gained 15 lbs in a year!  As a result, I will probably start doing more blogging and less eating!

TODAY:  Hot, hot weather in the middle of the country.  102 degrees in Minneapolis.  Heat is coming this way tomorrow.  Wild fires in Arizona are out of control.  The news seems to be dominated by weather events!

June 2, 3, 4, 5 - 1911 and 2011(cops and the theater)

Rita's Entries:
Friday, June 2, 1911
Rained all day.  Couldn't do lots of things I'd planned.  Practiced.  Gene, Laura and Crystal came and we all went for a walk.  Poor Crystal nearly frightened to death at tho't of policeman or "cop."

Saturday, June 3, 1911
Worst headache I've had in ages.  Tho't I was a deader sure.  After sleep and "medio" it left.  Gene, Mary, Fran and I saw "Madame Sherry."  Good, but not up to our expectations.  Went to Phi Kappa Sigma dance.  Time of my young life!  Great night - good floor - nice partners - peachy music, etc.  Strolls between acts.  (O, you Mr. W. with the three dances!)

Sunday, June 4, 1911
Tin and I went to S.S. and church.  Hottest day in ages.  Expected lots of company, but disappointed by some.  Fama came for a while.  Also Gene, Crystal and Miss McNally.  Grand evening.  Awfully cool.  Wrote letters.

Monday, June 5, 1911
Lesson at 9 as usual.  Pretty good.  Nice man anyway.  Didn't practice an awful lot.  Fran home early.  Went to Millers on a farewell "toot."  Made ourselves sick anyway.  Played for about an hour in dark - Fran sang.  Retired very early.

IN RITA'S DAY:  The reference on June 2 to Crystal being frightened of a "cop" reminded me that this was the period that organized crime was growing in Chicago.  Al Capone was still in NYC, but in 1911 racketeers from NYC came to Chicago to fight a gang called the Black Hand.  Between Jan 1 and March 26, 1911 38 members of the Black Hand were assassinated.  At least 19 of them were killed by someone known only as Shotgun Man. Dozens of people witnessed him killing people, but police did nothing.  No wonder Crystal was frightened!

Judy's Entry: Thursday June 2 to Sunday, June 5, 2011
Now that our art class is over, Mom and I have been working on the little book we are trying to write and illustrate for Elizabeth's baby.  We also have planted some flowers at her new home.  They hope to move in soon.  Friday was pot luck Mah Jongg.  Did some shopping on Friday morning.  Lovely weather.  Took many long walks over the weekend.

TODAY:  In the papers - lots of stupid stuff... John Edwards, former Presidential candidate, was indicted for using campaign money to cover up his affair.  Another politician, Weiner, supposed set pictures of his aroused privates (in underwear, thank God) to young women.  We may not have the racketeers like in Rita's day, but still a lot of sh---!

June 1 - 1911 and 2011 (Sebald and Brune)

Rita's Entry: Thursday, June 1, 1911
Harmony at 10.  Jollied Mr. Brune about leaving before his sonata was finished.  He's a peach!  Good lesson - exercises.  "Can see much improvement in them" (my fingers are more sure of themselves).

IN RITA'S DAY:  At the Chicago Musical College, Rita had two main teachers - Alexander Sebald for violin and Adolf Brune for Harmony lessons.  Mr. Brune was born in the Netherlands in 1870, so he was in his early 40s.  I can't find an birth year for Sebald.  He was born in Budapest.  Below is a photo of him in 1909 in which he looks fairly young, so I'm pretty sure he was closer to Rita's age (Rita was 18 going on 19).  She got along much better with Mr. Brune.  I suppose she felt more comfortable with him.  Wish I could find a picture of him!

Judy's Entry: Wednesday, June 1, 2011
It's been unusally hot.  I went for an early morning walk and was sweating when I got home.  After getting cleaned up, went to the store and came home and made lunch.  Put some chicken in the crock pot while we went to the final class of "Drawing and Painting in Harmony."

TODAY:  Hot weather with a cold front behind it is causing some wild weather.  Large tornado in Mass. (see above).  First since the 50s.  Actually, this season has seen more tornadoes than for years!  130 killed in Joplin, Mo.