Ypsilanti Teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 Diary

Apr. 24 Fri. Came home from school. Copied my minutes. Was just eating supper when Carrie N. came. It did not take me but a few minutes to get ready. We went and stopped for Joe and then took a little walk. Were the first girls up to Lyceum. There was not anyone there excepting Hawkins S. and McCormick, but they soon came. Never had a better time in Lyceum. Had a good talk in the Library. A nice time promenading.

Apr. 25 Sat. Got up quite early this morning. Sent a note to Joe and to Carrie to see if they could go to ANn Arbor with Marion and of course they said yes. We started about half past eleven. The fortune teller was not there, but we had a gay time and never laughed so hard in all my life before as I did. Then got home past four. Carrie stayed to tea, then I went up home with her to stay all night. We had a good talk as usual. Grandma gave me a piece of bread.

Apr. 26 Sun. Went home from Carrie's and get ready for Church. Stay for S.S. Slept most all of the afternoon. Commenced my Lyceum book. It is real good. Joe N. came down tonight. The girls were gone up to Aunt L. (Lizzie) so I went to church with her. Got there early and got the corner seat.

Apr. 27 Mon. Have had a good deal of fun in school today. Got mad in Geometry class and would not answer a questin. Came home and wrote in the Records, practiced a little. The girls have gone to the Lodge. Got some paper today to write the paper. Have had all of my lessons today except Geometry.

Apr. 28 Tues. Carrie N. came down this afternoon and stayed all of the afternoon. We went over to the shop to get weighed. Carrie weighed 133, I weighed 99, Marion 93. We had a better talk than we have had in a long time. (Note: The shop was the McCullough Foundry and Machine Shop, next door.)

Apr. 29 Wed. Came home from school. Wrote the minutes, copied them into the Records and then went to work and wrote an essay for school and copied it. Studied my lessons over and was tired enough. Never worked harder at my lessons.

Apr. 30 Thurs. Read my composition this morning and Miss Pierce told me it was very nice. I wrote the minutes off for tomorrow. Studied all of my lessons over, sewed the papers together for my Seminary Times and then wrote quite a little in them. Was tired enough tonight, too, for I wrote until after ten.

May 1 Fri. Stayed out of school this afternoon and wrote all of the afternoon for the paper and it is just splendid. Got all ready, ate my supper and Carrie N. came we're just starting when Joe came. I dressed all in black. We had a pleasant but not very gay social. I read hte minutes and then the paper. Everyone seemed to think it was gay.

The 1919 Diary of Ypsilanti High School Teacher Carrie Hardy

Part of a year-long serialization of Ypsilanti high school math teacher Carrie Hardy's diary.Apr. 22 Tues. Am on half duty at noon this week. Mr. Beach was in last night after school to talk about his work. Took out my car after supper + called on Mr. + Mrs. Hayes. Car "bum."

Apr. 23 Wed. Class day participants elected by Senior class. Lillian spent the evening with me leaving at 9:15. Everything going fairly well.

Apr. 24 Thurs. Thurs. evening I attended the H.S. reception for Mr. Piper for 1/2 hour and then went with Lillian to the All Kollege Komedy at Normal.

Apr. 25 Fri. Went [to] the All Kollege Komedy again and Lillian stayed all night with me. Mrs. McLouth with Donald called this evening about Donald's work.

Apr. 26 Sat. Used vacuum + cleaned my rooms. Went down town for groceries + attended the movies at Martha. Am hoping Rob will come tomorrow.

Apr. 27 Sun.Rob came at 9:30 this A.M. and at 11:30 we went to see Dr. Breakey. Rob felt better. Worked at car after dinner. Left for home at 6:30.

Apr. 28 Mon. [written small next to date: "Jimmie"] School fair. Sent J. Moore from the room and he went home. Telephoned to Mrs. Mandeville about Rob. Martha with Mrs. Fletcher. Tired.

Apr. 29 Tues. At 3:45 left for Detroit. Going required 1 hr. 35 min. Aviation exhibition on Warren Ave--so progress retarded. Rob is better (Sore [entry stops here]

Ypsilanti Teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 Diary

Apr. 17 Fri. Went to Lyceum. There were very few there, but I had a very good time. Bert (?) was with Mr. S. most of the time. Sat with him during Lyceum and when it was out he asked me if he might carry my books home for me. I had an introduction to Mr. Harold and he is just as nice as can be. Went into the Library and had quite a good talk with Mr. Spoor.

Apr. 18 Sat. Had just opened the door to go up to Carrie N.'s when she came and we came up stairs and had ust got up when Jennie S. came. We went up town with her to have her pictures taken, then up to Carrie's. Durbin was not there when we went, but he came after and I treated him so cool that he noticed it and spoke about it. I told him why I did so. I plagued him about it to death by taking his picture. Jumped out of the window.

Apr. 19 Sun. Went to church in the morning and stayed to S.S. Carrie was there. We had quite a talk. Mary B. (Busby) came here to dinner. Went to Temperance S.S. with Joe H. The teacher of our class had come back so we went in the Bible class. Joe W. came home with us and went to church with us in the evening. It rained when we came home.

Apr. 20 Mon. Did not go to school today on account of a sprained ankle, but read and played all day and it has rained all day too. Had a nice time this morning and quite a little fun. THey have sold our cow and calf, but we are to have another soon.

Apr. 21 Tues. I thought that I would be able to go to school today, but found that I was not. Went up with Mary to have her picture taken. She had it taken with her hair down. Carrie N. came in the faternoon and we had a splendid good talk. She was just going when Joe W. came. They stayed a little while longer. We had a rousing time. Charlie B. came over and spent the evening and have something (?).

Apr. 22 Wed. Went to school today. They all seemed quite glad to see me. Had my Latin and French lessons, but missed in Geometry. Came home from school tonight and the very first thing sat down in the window just covered with paint. After that was cleaned off I went up to Carrie's. Had a good talk. She came home with me. Durbin was not there. Carrie made me a present of a silver napkin ring.

Apr. 23 Thurs. Have had all of my lessons today even to Geometry. Strickland was up there tonight. Felt just O.K. coming home from school. I wrote my minutes for tomorrow night and practiced and wrote French exercises. Did not commence to study until half past eight and then did not study more than a half hour.

Apr. 24 Fri. Came home from school. Copied my minutes. Was just eating supper when Carrie N. came. It did not take me but a few minutes to get ready. We went and stopped for Joe and then took a little walk. Were the first girls up to Lyceum. There was not anyone there excepting Hawkins S. and McCormick, but they soon came. Never had a better time in Lyceum. Had a good talk in the Library. A nice time promenading.

The EMU Professor and the Dime Museum

A world-famous cartoonist whose amazing art inspires artists to this day spent some time in Ypsi being encouraged by a Normal School drawing and geography teacher. Read about it in today's Citizen!

The 1919 Diary of Ypsilanti High School Teacher Carrie Hardy

Part of a year-long serialization of Ypsilanti high school math teacher Carrie Hardy's diary.Apr. 15 Tues. A great number of students absent on account of the rain. Marjorie Moore invited me up stairs to dinner. Cold + rainy. Awful! Mr. Piper returned this noon.

Apr. 16 Wed. Junior Chapel--Play "Lest We Forget." Bo't new brown sweater. Miss Laird in the evening. Lillian was here this morning. Mrs. Drake is just courteous to me.

Apr. 17 Thurs. Pd. $9.75 for new sweater. Wore it today. School fair. Mrs. Drake's Physical Sr. exhibition tonight. Also mass meeting at Temple for Victory loan.

Apr. 18 Fri. After school I had my battery bro't over from the school b'ld'g + placed in car. Wm Arbaugh then drove about the city for a little while.

Apr. 19 Sat. Spent over 2 hours this A.M. cleaning my car. Went to Movie "Infatuation" in P.M. Miss Bachers had a party in evening.

Apr. 20 Easter Sun. Went down to Rob's in the rain. --Returned in sunshine. They liked their Washington souvenirs. Saw Dr. Breakey about Rob.

Apr. 21 Mon. Teacher's meeting after school to elect Sem. [newspaper] staff. Heard rehearsal of "Pot of Broth." Went to Forum to see Junior play + War Tableaux.

Apr. 22 Tues. Am on half duty at noon this week. Mr. Beach was in last night after school to talk about his work. Took out my car after supper + called on Mr. + Mrs. Hayes. Car "bum."

Demolition of Cross Street Greek Revival near Thompson Block

The Greek Revival home on the north side of Cross Street just east of the Thompson Building is being demolished. It had previously been damaged by fire.

Dusty D and colleagues were talking about this sadly today in the Archives. One colleague had walked by earlier when workmen were there. He asked permission to take a quick look around. He peeked in and said that the fire had caused so much damage inside that only the joists were left. He also spotted an original brick-lined or stone-lined well or cistern on the property, in the back.

No one was there from whom to ask permission when Dusty D came by, so I obeyed the "No Trespassing" sign and stayed on the sidewalk. Dusty D is sad to see this beautiful old house go. I know it was damaged, but......they ain't makin' 'em anymore. One resident who also laments the passing of this house commented that it used to be a stagecoach stop, a historical fact Dusty D has not yet confirmed or disproved, though I plan to research the property tomorrow (on deadline now). Pix:

Henry Ford Bails Out Detroit Banks

Dusty D is reading a rather incredible story in 1933 Ypsi papers about Henry Ford bailing out 2 Detroit banks. As you might imagine, the onetime farm boy and self-made industrial titan despised banks and Wall Street and hated the idea of being enmeshed in the abstract wheeling-dealing machinations of people who didn't make anything.

I went to one of my Ford bios for more information ("Henry Ford, The Wayward Capitalist" by Carol Gelderman). It said Ford did indeed hate the idea of bailing out the banks, and said it was the government's responsibility to do so, but was urged to do so by no less than President Hoover (this was just before the inauguration of FDR).

When Ford refused, it caused a statewide bank "holiday" on Feb 14, 1933 that domino-like, triggered bank holidays in other states. The bio is a tad unclear, but it does appear Ford relented and funded 2 Detroit banks sufficiently to have them qualify for federal aid and keep them afloat, (as the Ypsi paper says), and the bank holiday in MI ended after a week--though withdrawals from the Detroit banks were restricted to only 35% of one's assets--much better than the rate other banks were offering at the time.

Ford's personal secretary Liebold "cracked under the strain," says the bio, and fled to Northern Michigan, "pursued by [Harry Bennett's spies." Liebold stayed on with Ford but "was stripped of more power each year."

In these days of the government bailing our car companies, it's fascinating to read of a time when it was the other way around. I believe this will be my topic for my upcoming Saturday Chronicle article.

Ypsilanti's Historic Four-Named Street

Just south of downtown there's a street with 4 names intersecting with a street that has had 3. What's the story of these 2 streets and their 7 names? Read about it in YpsiNews!

If you guess that Dusty D got a li'l frisson of delight at the chance to use the word "tetranomial," you would be correct. :D

Ypsilanti Teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 Diary

Apr. 10 Fri. Had fun enough in school today but missed in Geometry. Received about 5 I guess. Went to Lyceum. Had quite a nice time. Read the minutes for the first time. John Stoddard's speech was very nice. Then as there was nothing else to do we adjourned for a social. Came home and hear the Bell Ringers play a tune.

Apr. 11 Sat. Snowed very hard all of the forenoon. I did several little things, thought that I would stay at home all the afternoon and study, but Carrie N. came down and wanted me to go home and stay all night with her. I dressed and we went and called on Joe and then up to Carrie's. We had a better time. I thought I would make bread.

Apr. 12 Sun. We got ready for CHurch qquite early this morning and then played and I sang until Church time and read Burn's Poems. Stayed to S.S. Went home and got my dinner and then to stop for Joe to go to Temperance S.S. We took a class together and are going to keep it. Went to Joe's a little while after S.S. then came home, read until Church time and then went to Church.

Apr. 13 Mon. Have had all of my lessons today. We have to get the carpet for the setting room and for Ma's bedroom today. Gave Mary a lesson in music tonight for about two hours and then played myself until supper time. The girls went to the Lodge but I stayed here to study.

Apr. 14 Tues. Ven Cleve Ganson asked me today if I would not read in public Lyceum and I suppose that I will have that ro bother me now for the next month. Have had more fun in school today than have had in a long time. Carrie N. came down and made quite a call.

Apr. 15 Wed. Carrie N. came down again tonight. We had a good talk. After she went away I wrote my composition. After supper Joe Whitback came. When she went home I went up town. Joe H. came down town with me. Got a box of writing paper.

Apr. 16 Thurs. Walked up to school with Alfred Lucking this morning. Carrie N. was there. She stayed until Chapel exercises. I read my composition. Went up to Carrie's tonight. D. was very cool and all that he said to me was to ask me to take a message to A. L. and gave it up to me. The next time I go up there I shall treat him very cool for a change and see how he likes it. Carrie came down town with me.

Apr. 17 Fri. Went to Lyceum. There were very few there, but I had a very good time. Bert (?) was with Mr. S. most of the time. Sat with him during Lyceum and when it was out he asked me if he might carry my books home for me. I had an introduction to Mr. Harold and he is just as nice as can be. Went into the Library and had quite a good talk with Mr. Spoor.

Eastern Echo Picks up Smallpox Football Story

...thanks to them! Wowie, this story has legs. It's certainly gettin' around a lot more than I do! Thank you to the great folks over at the Echo for running it. I appreciate it!

Takeaway lesson: You can't lose with a smallpox cartoon.

When Smallpox Swept Over EMU's campus

The story.

Don't forget to pick up a print version on Thursday, to see the smallpox cartoon.

Support your local paper, nag, nag.

Thanks to the Courier!

Wednesday Mystery Spot

Last weeks Mystery Spotters alertly noticed that I had foolishly not renamed the jpg. It said "Gilbert.jpg," and this is indeed a painting of thechildren of John and Harriet Heartt Gilbert. The children gave the Gilbert Mansion to the city. For years this 1870 picture by J. K. Grego hung in the Gilbert living room. The home was later used by the Boys' Club of Ypsilanti.

After the last child pictured died, Miss Alice Gilbert in 1946 (she is at top right) the picture was stowed in a barn on the property.

It stayed there for seventeen years.

(story at left; click to enlarge).

Its re-discoverer thought the painting was just some old crating in the barn. It was salvaged, and restored by J. Charles Collins.

"One of the children," says the December 3, 1963 story about the painting (from which the aforementioned facts were gleaned), "at the upper left of the picture, John T., died before its completion, and the artist finished his likeness from a tintype. The boy had been born in 1863."

A search shows that John died on July 16, 1870, at 6 years and 6 months, of brain fever.

This week I have cleverly remembered to rename my jpg. It's a tricky one, though. A couple of objects give you a hint as to the era, and this place was briefly mentioned in one of my earlier pieces some time ago. Take your best guess and good luck!

Doodles from 1923

Page from the 1923 "Ypsi-Dixit" high school yearbook once owned by Helen J. Beal (class of '24).

Ypsilanti Poet-Farmer William Lambie Hated the Smoking Car

Dusty D has been reading William Lambie's poetry of late and got curious as to where his farm is. A check of old plat maps reveals that it was 80 acres just north of Highland Cemetery. Amazingly, if you look on Google Maps, you can still see the faint outline of his and his wife Mary's farm.

Lambie immigrated here from Scotland at age 18 with his father and mother. He married Mary Campbell and they had 6 children. Lambie kept a diary and wrote prose snippets and poetry. He was known as a poet in his day, and wrote several poems celebrating silver and gold wedding anniversaries of neighbors in the community.

One thing he didn't celebrate was the railroad smoking-car. After failing to find a seat on the train one day, perhaps on a trip from our Depot to Detroit to get something, he resigned himself to sitting in the smoking-car.

William soon regretted this decision, and made no bones about it in his poem "The Smoking-Car." Note the Poe reference at the end.

THE SMOKING CAR
The passengers told me, in their glee,
They could not find a seat for me,
But all the standing room was free.

And forward stood a door ajar,
Where one was lighting a cigar ;
So I went in the smoking-car.

Right in the strong tobacco fumes,
Where men were smoking in platoons,
Puffing and talking 'round spittoons.

In they came to get a big feed—
What good, clean men do never need—
Their "bill of fare" a filthy weed.

All in a car, like Juggernaut,
Worshipers of the weed are caught,
To give their wealth away for naught.

The pipes were lighted o'er and o'er,
Ever dirtier grew the floor—
'Twas smoke and smell, and nothing more.

I grew sick of smoke and spitting,
In the tobacco temple sitting,
With the foul air around me flitting.

Some were chewing their "Honey Dew,"
Others their "Solid Comfort" blew ;
So I bade the smoky den adieu.

Unlike the solemn bird of yore,
I flitted out the foulsome door,
And left the dirt upon the floor,
And the smoking-car for evermore.
---William Lambie, c. 1883

Jessie Swain's Class Makes "Pink Luncheon" for Carrie Hardy

In April of 1910, Ypsi High School cooking class teacher Jessie Swain* helped her cooking class girls prepare a lunch for fellow teacher and Ypsilanti diarist Carrie Hardy, according to the April 14, 1910 Ypsilanti Daily-Press.

"Miss Jessie Swaine has divided her High school cooking class of eighteen into three groups, each of which will entertain at a luncheon two of the high school teachers."



"Wednesday at 3:45 the initial luncheon was given at the Woodruff school for Miss Hardy and Miss Benham by the Misses Addie Lanin, Teneriffe Thompkins, Clara Wenrick, Lena Ziegler, Goldie Thompson and Clara Sweitzer.

"The menu for this attractive and well-served "pink" luncheon was, first course, cream tomato soup; second, salmon cutlets escalloped potatoes, peas, biscuits, and coffee; third course, banana salad; fourth, baked pudding."

This pleasant occasion may have represented a counterpoint to what might have been, for Jessie, a somewhat lonely life. Neither she nor her sister Florence married. As they grew older, they lived with their mother in the Swain house. Florence is not listed in the 1930 census. Only Jessie, age 51 and no longer employed, is listed as living with 82-year-old Eliza.

In the 1900 census, 52-year-old English-born Eliza is listed as "Lizzie" and as widowed. 23-year-old Florence and 19-year-old Jessie are listed as having no occupations.

In the 1910 census, Eliza is 63. Florence is listed as 35, Jessie as 31, and both are teachers.

In the 1920 census, Eliza is 72 and Florence is 44 and a teacher, and Jessie is 41 and a teacher. All 3 women live in the Swain house at River and Forest.

In the 1930 census, Eliza is 82 and Jessie is 51 and listed as having no occupation; both women continue to live in the Swain house.

Eliza, her husband Frederick, and their two sons Frederic and John are listed in the Highland grave index; Florence and Jessie are not (I haven't been there yet to check their graves; often graves are not listed in the index).

*"Swain" is the way Jessie's name is spelled in the 1880, 1900, 1920 censuses, in the yearbook, and in the newspaper sub-headline. It is spelled "Swaine" in the 1910 and 1930 census, in the Highland grave index, and the body of the newspaper article.

Portrait of Carrie Hardy

One of the Ypsilanti High School yearbooks from the 20s was formally dedicated to Carrie Hardy. The yearbook includes this portrait. I find so much expression in her face and so much written there.

Things I see in her expression are: an unwillingness to put up with foolishness, anger, sadness, a sly sense of humor, resentment, weariness, a desire for order.

Perhaps Not So Refined

Page from the ad section in the "Ypsi-Dixit" yearbook of 1920 once owned by Alice Beal.

House of All Nations

Enraged police, Prohibition moonshine, and raid after raid on a sordid house of ill fame. It's the story of Ypsilanti's "House of All Nations."

The 1919 Diary of Ypsilanti High School Teacher Carrie Hardy

Part of a year-long serialization of Ypsilanti high school math teacher Carrie Hardy's diary.Apr. 8 Tues. School as usual. Mr. Piper entering into school affairs. Lillian remained with me all night. $20 check.

Apr. 9 Wed. Chapel this A.M. Mr. Quirk told of his Red Cross work over seas. Am tutoring N. VanWegen and Samuel Simon.

Apr. 10 Thurs. N. VanWegen did not appear today. P. L. S. met this evening. made fried cakes. Bo't several toilet articles at Wein. Matt. 1 cent sale.

Apr. 11 Fri. After school a meeting of the Parent-Teacher Club was held. Every thing about as usual in school. $40 check.

Apr. 12 Sat. swept, cleaned, washed + ironed waists. Mrs. Purnell called. Lillian stayed all night with me. Mr. Ross fixed my steps.

Apr. 13 Sun. Washed my hair. Did not go to church but went over to Edna's to dinner. Called on Mrs. Hayes who has been sick.

Apr. 14 Mon. Mr. Piper away. Mrs. Drake returned from Chicago convention last night. P. L. S. are planning a party to be held May 3.

Apr. 15 Tues. A great number of students absent on account of the rain. Marjorie Moore invited me up stairs to dinner. Cold + rainy. Awful! Mr. Piper returned this noon.

Monday is Double Deadline Day

...so Dusty D dashed off to do a bout of research in the Archives for one last thing.

Man, is that place creepy when you're alone there.

Dusty D busily checked the microfilm for her target date and stared determinedly at the tiny text. Now, DD is a steely-eyed, iron-stomached, copper-toed realist. I don't cotton to all that ghost nonsense, nosir.

Not too much, anyways.

DD ignored what appeared to be flickers out of the corner of her eye (just my imagination) and a feeling of being watched (bah, indigestion or something).

Then the microfilm drawer closed by itself.

Which it has never done in my frequent use of it in the past.

"Ha ha, how odd!" Dusty D cheerfully thought while leisurely gathering her things at about 95 mph. "Must just be a hidden spring or something, yes, that's it of course," she meditated, while setting the security code in a blaze of fingers and springing like a springbok up the steps. "Funny thing, that."