Helen Korngold Diary: June 9-15, 1919

Helen Korngold Senior Photo 1919 Hatchet Yearbook for Washington University

This year I am sharing the 1919 diary of Helen Korngold of St. Louis, MO. Helen graduated from Washington University.

Helen was on the girl's Hockey team as goal

Helen's Junior year Hockey team photo

Helen was a member of the Deutsher Verein Club at Washington University

Monday 9
Junior – Senior Luncheon. May Day Rehearsal.

Tuesday 10
May Day

Wednesday 11
Pilgrimage. Geology Luncheon. Fixed up my clothes – got some new dresses – my white is simply beautiful.

Thursday 12
Commencement – it was wonderful, but oh, so hot. Commencement Luncheon – home. Satellites Banquet at Elks – Went with Bill Weiser. After a marvelous time – Clara Marx, Hymen Stein, Bill & I went joy riding! Swell.

Friday 13
All tired out – slept all afternoon.

Saturday 14
East St Louis – not much success

Sunday 15
Valley Park with Clarence Hirsch. Swimming in morning – canoeing in afternoon – canoeing, dancing & talking in evening. Had a wonderful time, but all tired out.

Notes:

June 10
May Day celebrations were finally held, delayed because of the weather.

June 11
The Pilgrimage was one of the annual Senior Graduation week activities at Washington University.

White embroidered dresses were all the rage.

St. Louis Star ad, June 13, 1919

June 12, 1919 St. Louis Post-Dispatch story

June 12 Commencement Day
According to the 1919 Washington University Record, the commencement took place at 10 o'clock in Francis Auditorium. A procession formed at Graham Memorial Chapel and proceeded to the auditorium. Helen was one of 71 graduates to receive a Bachelor of Arts.



William Joseph Wieser, born May 18, 1898 in St. Louis, appears on the 1917 St. Louis City Directory as a student residing on Eaton Ave. with his father Eugene whose business was ‘hardware.’ His WWI Draft Registration shows he was a student at St. Louis University, born May 20, 1888, and that he was short, of medium build with brown hair and eyes. The 1920 St. Louis Census shows his father was German, born in Austria, 63 years old, and was a retail merchant in hardware, married to Hattie, age 63, of German descent. Their son William J., age 21, worked as a bookkeeper in the telephone office. The 1910 St. Louis Census shows a daughter Rose, age 21, born in Illinois. Also living with them was Julia Levine, mother-in-law, was aged 86.

The 1930 St. Louis Census shows William was the head of household, working in collections, and living with his 76-year-old widowed mother and divorced sister Rose Lachman who was working as a commercial secretary. William shows up in the 1940 City directory married to Elizabeth and working as an inspector. William died on February 24, 1984, in Los Angeles, CA.

Hyman Stein could be one of several possible appearing in St. Louis records. One was born in England and was a porter for a printing company in 1930, married to Bertha and father to 4-year-old Sarah. Hyman G. Stein was born in Georgia in 1895 and shows up in the 1930 St. Louis City Directory and Census as a lawyer. He died in 1962 in MO. Another is buried in B’nai Amoona cemetery, born October 1898 and died in January of 1978.

June 15

Valley Park was a summer resort on the Meramec River at the southern boundary of St. Louis. It offered outdoor activities including swimming, horseback riding, paddling, and fishing. There were 88 trains a day bringing people to the resort at the time of Helen’s diary but was a day trip for automobiliers in St. Louis.

Helen's senior photo notes she was on the rowing team.

June 1919 story on women's bathing costumes

Clarence Hirsch could be one of several people in the St. Louis records.

Clarence son of Arthur, who was a salesman, was a clerk on the 1915 St. Louis City Directory. Clarence Adoph was the V.P. of Hirsch Distilling Co. on the 1919 City Directory, while Clarence E. appears as V.P. of Hirsch Co.

Clarence Hirsch on the 1920 St Louis Census lived with his widowed mother Sarah and family and worked as a salesman in ready-to-wear. He was 20 years old. His WWI draft card shows he was born in Tennessee in September 1896 and was of medium height and build with brown eyes and dark hair. The 1910 St Louis Census shows him living with his father Bernard, who was a merchant of shoes. Bernard was of Austrian German heritage who immigrated to America in 1880. Clarence died in Oct 1977 in St Louis.

*****

Uncle Wiggly characters were introduced to children in a coloring contest in the St. Louis Star on June 13, 1919.

Helen Korngold Diary: June 2- 8, 1919

Helen Korngold, December 1919, New York City

100 years ago a Washington University student kept a diary. I found it in an antique shop in 2001. I was so taken by the author that I spent years researching her, her family, and the people and places she wrote about. This year I am sharing weekly posts from Helen Korngold's diary along with my research.

June finds Helen busy preparing for final exams.

June

Monday 2
Home – tired- study

Tuesday 3
Study for Shakespeare

Wednesday 4
Shakespeare. Slept.

Thursday 5
Study for Ed & Shakes. [Shakespeare]

Friday 6
Exams in Ed & Sh. Pretty fair.

Saturday 7
Exam in Hist., Ed. & Geol. I’m almost dead – downtown – dressmaker’s- Emil phoned – Milliners.

Sunday 
Sunday School. Swimming with Bernard in afternoon at Highlands – Had a wonderful time – to Satellites with Emil Winkler in evening. Big row over elections – they don’t suit us.

Notes:

Helen was busy preparing for final exams but managed to spend time at Highlands Amusement Park.

June 7, 1919 St. Louis Post-Dispatch notice

Helen did not have time to see Mary Pickford in her new movie.


In the news, the last WWI soldiers returned home are celebrated in a parade.

President Wilson congratulated the ladies on getting the vote.

June 7, 1919, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Helen Korngold Diary: May 26-June 1, 1919

Helen Korngold, December 1919, New York City

One hundred years ago Helen Korngold kept a diary that documented her senior year at Washington University in St. Louis, her social life, and trips she took across America. I found the diary and researched Helen and the places and people she wrote about. Every week this year I am sharing her diary and my research.

May

Monday 26

Tired!

School. All dolled up for May Day & then it rained. Tough luck! Have to study at last! Final Exam tomorrow in Ed. 18.

Tuesday 27

School – practiced dancing with Eva – rotten. Keod Tea. Athletic Meeting- banquet – Farewell to Miss Grant – Won Baseball Honors & song for Senior Contest Honors.

Wednesday 28

School – Rehearsal with Eva in evening – junk – I’ll stay out of that dance.

Thursday 29

School – Rehearsal with Corrine. Home – To concert with Summer – lots of fun. Saw Mr. Miller – fair proposition.

Friday 30

School. Home – study

Saturday 31

School – downtown. Grandma’s – Uncle Joe leaves for Colo. & Grandma for Oaksville – Don’t like my new dress.

June

Sunday 1

Home – Rehearsal. Vaudeville was perfectly marvelous. We were all so thrilled & had such a glorious time. Also a big financial success. Some class to celebrate.

Notes:

May 26

Ed. 18 course description: Contemporary Educational Problems. Recent experiments on making schools more efficient will be discussed. Investigations will be made and reports prepared by members of the class. Three hours a week. Credit 3 units. (Wells)

May 27

Keod was the woman’s senior honor society at Washington University. 

Helen was active in sports. Her senior yearbook shows she was on the rowing team as a 'coxswain' and the hockey team. She wrote about playing baseball and basketball in her diary. 

          

May 28

Final Examinations Week was May 29 through June 6 

May 29
Perhaps Summer and Helen went to the opening Park concert

May 31

Joseph Frey (1884 to 1962) was Helen’s maternal uncle. His WWI draft card shows he had black hair and eyes and was of medium height and build. On the 1930 Census, he was boarding with Louis Lieberman in the home of his sister Jeannie Frey Rosenbaum. Lou was a pharmacist and Joseph a newspaper editor who started The Modern View, a weekly Jewish newspaper. In 1940 he was living with Jeannie and worked as a collector for a hospital. His WWII draft card showed he worked in Hot Spring, Arkansas and traveled nine states, and used his sister's address as a contact.

Oaksville is located just south of St. Louis, along the Mississippi River.

June 1

The Satellites Vaudeville

from The Jewish Voice, May 30, 1919

June 1, 1919, St. Louis Post-Dispatch article

Articles and ads from the newspaper that week:

May 27, 1919 St. Louis Post-Dispatch ad

May 29, 1919 St. Louis Post-Dispatch photo Soldan H. S.
'boys...who gave up their lives in the war"

St. Louis Post-Dispatch photograph of Memorial Day Parade

From the May 29, 1919 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

June 1, 1919, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Helen Korngold Diary: May 19-25, 1919

In 1919, Helen Korngold, a senior at Washington University kept a diary which I found in a thrift shop in 2001. Over many years I researched Helen and the people, places, and events in the diary and created a family tree on Ancestry.com.

This year I am sharing weekly excerpts from Helen's diary.

May 19
Monday
School – May Day Final rehearsals. No studying.

Tuesday 20
May Day Dress Rehearsals. Summer came home! I was thrilled. No studying all day!

Wednesday 21
 School – May Day called OFF! Time wasted again.

Thursday 22
School – May Day called off! Satellites. No chance to study.

Friday 23
School – May Day called off! Can’t find time to do my work.

Saturday 24
School – Greek Games- Lou & Til took part. Cuqots – my new dress is beautiful!

Sunday 25
Rehearsal with Corrine. Wrote Ads – Millstone Dinner. To diner with Winkler. Swell time. Home. Dress. Y.M.H.A. Home 1 AM – almost dead.

NOTES:

May 24

Perhaps Helen went out with Emil Winkler, whom she went out with on June 7.
YMHA is the Young Men’s Hebrew Association

The Greek Games were held at Forest Park, presented by Central High School. An article appeared in the Sunday, May 25 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Helen Korngold Diary May 12-18, 1919

This year I am sharing the 1919 diary of Helen Korngold of St. Louis, MO. Helen was a senior at Washington University, preparing for a career as a teacher.

Helen Korngold, December 1919, New York City

Monday 12
School – Carol Party at Elks. Clara Marx, hostess. Had a dandy time – carnations for favors – delicious luncheon. Learned a little about 500. Home – practiced – wrote Satellites up & went to “Y” orchestra.

Tuesday 13
School – Rehearsal for Bado. Home at 9 o’clock Study. Maizie Rothman gets quite confidential.

Wednesday 14
School – nothing exciting

Thursday 15
School – rehearsal for Bado – home. Downtown – fitting at Cuqots – blue silk. Pretty. Rehearse with Miss Holmes.

Friday 16
School. After buying a suit dark blue serge. Good looking. Home – fitting at Cuqots – rehearse with kids at Aunt Beryl’s. Home – dress. Saw Thyrsus present “Admirable” Crichton, Pauline & Arthur Sarason, Karol. Dandy time. Play was wonderful.

Saturday 17
School – home – played at neighborhood entertainment. Our initial appearance. J Orchestra. All went fine.

Sunday 18
Expect to study all day!

NOTES:

May 12

Clara Marx may be related E. Marx, 1300 Washington, who appears on the Elks membership in the 1913 Gould’s Blue Book.

“Y” orchestra a youth orchestra

May 13

Bado rehearsal; Helen played in the junior orchestra's initial concert on June 17.

May 15

Cuqouts appears to be a dressmaker, although I cannot find this name in the City Directory of businesses.

May 16

Thyrsus was the dramatic society at Washington University.

May 4, 1919 article from St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Admirable Crichton was a stage play written by James Barrie that addressed class issues, first produced in 1902.

From the February 29, 1907, Washington University Student Life:

“What's in a name? This was one of the chief topics discussed at the regular meeting of the Dramatic Club last Wednesday. After mature deliberation, the club selected for its official name, "Thyrsus," suggested by Prof. Holmes Smith and proposed to the club by Mr. Starbird. The name signifies a pine cone, which was the symbol of Dionysus, the Greek god of the drama. In selecting such a name, the club is doing wisely, as the former name was entirely too long and too ordinary, while "Thyrsus" is terse, sounds well, and has some significance." 

I wonder which navy serge suit Helen chose? The St. Louis Post-Dispatch paper Sunday, May 11, 1919, was full of advertisements for clearance and sales!

Helen Korngold Diary: May 5-11, 1919

This year I am sharing the 1919 diary of Helen Korngold. Helen was a student at Washington University in St. Louis, preparing for a career in teaching. I researched Helen and the people, places, and events mentioned in the diary.

Helen Korngold, December 1919, New York City

Monday 5
Practiced with Selma Levinson – School. May Day practice. Home – Practice – study.

Tuesday 6
School – practiced with Selma – Home –

Wednesday 7
Practiced – School. Played for Wednesday Musicale. It was real exciting. Wrote to Summer.

Thursday 8
School – not much excitement – home – received news of my election to Wednesday Musicale. Quite pleased. Sophie Stampfer – Mary Stillman – Harry Vogel & Dan Wolf coming over. Membership meeting. Bed at 12 bells.

Friday 9
Spent all day reviewing 138 for regiment – Harry Goodman came here. Glee Club concert in the evening with Pauline & Arthur Sarason & Karol. Had a good time.

Saturday 10
School. Dreadful exam in Hist. Pauline Carps, Grandma’s & home. Practiced & then took bath & to bed.

Sunday 11
Sunday School – Study – Satellites with Nat Aaronberg. Good time.


NOTES:

May 5

A Selma Levinson appears in the 1917 St. Louis City Directory living on Waterman St. She was a student.

May Day is a traditional and ancient springtime rebirth celebration dating to the Druids and adopted by the Romans.

May 7

The Wednesday Musicale was perhaps part of the Wednesday Club, which was founded in 1890 for civic improvement and for continuing education and advancement of the arts for women.

May 8

Mary Stillman on the 1910 St. Louis Census was 12 years old and living with her father Isaac (age 42, Yiddish, immigrated in 1884), mother Nettie (16), and siblings Maynard (14) and Edmund (10). Isaac was a merchant of gent’s furnishings according to the census and the St. Louis City Directories.

The 1920 Census shows Mary, age 23, living at home. Mary was not employed. According to his death certificate, Isaac died on March 10, 1936, of a burst appendix. Nettie (born Oct. 31,1874) died on July 25,1957, of heart disease according to her death certificate. They are buried at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodel Cemetery in Clayton, MO.

A December 22, 1929 story in the Jefferson City Post-Tribune reads, “St. Louis, Dec. 21—When the bandit appeared, he shouted, “Oh look at all the policemen at the door.” That is what Isaac Stillman, clothier, did here yesterday and the robber fled.”

Harry Vogel: There are several persons who this could be.

May 9 (University holiday)

Harry Goodman could be a number of persons in St. Louis, such as the 22-year-old son of Russian immigrant Simon, age 70, and Pauline, age 64 who appear on the 1920 St. Louis Census. On the 1916 St. Louis City Directory a Harry Goodman is listed as in ‘pants’.

Glee Club was an organization of Washington University.

St Louis Dispatch Article, May 11, 1919

Pauline Francis Sarason was in Helen’s Senior Class. She appears in the 1917 Washington University yearbook Hatchet on the Varsity basketball team. She received Final Honors in her graduating class in 1919. Final honors were awarded on the basis of having taken twenty half upper-level courses in the Junior and Senior years.

May 11

Nat Aaronberg may be Nathan Aronburg, the youngest of seven children to Max and Anna Aronburg. Max was a Polish/Russian immigrant born in 1848 who was a merchant on the 1900 St. Louis Census. On the 1920 Census, Nat and his mother Anna are living alone together and Nat was a clerk in a jewelry store. On the 1930 Census Nathan and Sadie Aronburg appear; Nathan is a sales manager in a jewelry store.

Ads from the Sunday, May 11 St. Louis-Post Dispatch:

Helen Korngold Diary: April 27 - May 4, 1919

This year I am sharing the 1919 diary of Helen Korngold of St. Louis, MO.

Helen Korngold, December 1919, New York City

Tuesday 29
School – not much doing. Home. Study History.

Wednesday 30
School – Baseball – our team lost to Sophs – 26-20! I’m all in.

May
Thursday 1
School – Home – Ida Goodman is here! Drove over to see her. She’s darling. Home – wrote Shakespeare theme. Went over to Jeanette Gate’s at 10 p.m. had a nice time. Home at 12:45

Friday 2
Up at 6 a.m. Finished Shakespeare theme. Danced in Field Trust. Awfully tired. Ida came to dinner & we talked until 12 a.m.  Then we went to bed.

Saturday 3
To school with Karol in machine. Collected a dime from Dr. McCourt for being late. Awful history exam. Junior Council Meeting. Pauline’s – she had a few girls over. Union Dinner in the evening. I’m certainly tired.

Sunday 4
Cleaned up & helped prepare for the girls who came over in the evening afternoon. We had a nice time. Aunt B[Beryl]. in the evening.

Notes:

May 1

An Ida Goodman shows up on the 1915 Kansas Census living in Valley Brook with her family H. Goodman, Maggie, H.C. and Grace. Other Ida Goodmans in California and Texas also appear in the census records.

Jeanette Gates (1899 to 1971) was Morris Gate’s sister.  In the 1917 City Directory she was a clerk and on the 1920 St. Louis Census she was a stenographer. She married in 1943.

May 3

The 'machine' is their automobile.

The Washington Union Dinner.

The Sunday, April 27 St. Louis Post-Dispatch included this ad for an event on the following Tuesday:

Helen Korngold Diary: April 21-27, 1919

This year I am sharing the 1919 diary kept by Helen Korngold of St.Louis, MO.

Helen Korngold, December 1919, New York City

Monday 21
Visited Central High – Saw Hofferty, Stratton, Schweikert, Curtis – Blumstead. School – Tryouts for May Day. Headache – home. Winkler came over – I like him so much.

Tuesday 22
School – feeling badly- came home

Wednesday 23
School – Baseball

Thursday 24
School – Satellites – went with Winkler – he’s a fine kid. We had a nice long chat. Stayed up till 12:30 writing a theme or rather a report for Ed. 12. I hate that course.

Friday 25
School – baseball – dancing – home. Napped. Had ten couples over in evening. They all seemed to have a fine time. I think they did. Didn’t get to bed till 1 a.m.

Saturday 26
School – Home – Zel entertained in the evening. We had a good time.
Sunday 27

Sunday School in morning. Temple Israel – Dr. Harrison is really a marvel. Study in afternoon – write letters. Aunt Beryl’s in evening.

Notes:

April 21

Central High post card

Central High was situated at 1030 N. Grand. The building was destroyed in 1927 by an F3-scale tornado that caused over seventy deaths and injuring 550 more. At the time it struck, there were 1,500 students attending classes.

Clarence Stratton, BA University of Pittsburgh, began his teaching career at Central in 1903 teaching English and Public Speaking. He also taught Public Speaking at Washington University. In 1921 he left to become Director of English in the Cleveland, OH public schools. He also wrote the Central school song.

Dr. George M. Holferty was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin class of 1893. He organized the Boys Literary Society, the oldest Central organization. The 1920 City Directory shows he lived at Morgan St. The 1928 Central yearbook shows he taught Botany, General Science, Biology, and Physiography. He sponsored the Botany Club and had coached the Boy's Debating Team. He died in 1930.

Harry Christian Schweikert appears on the 1920 St. Louis Census as a public school teacher living on Morgan St. with two lodgers, one a lawyer and one a salesman. Harry was 42 years old. His WWI Draft Registration shows he was born February 24, 1877, and taught at Central High School. His nearest relative was Christian Schweickert. Christian shows up on the City Directories as a baker. Harry had blue eyes and brown hair and was of medium height and build. He died in 1937 according to Who Was Who in America. A Harry C. Schweikert appears in the WWII Navy muster roles but I do not know if it is the same person.

Chester B. Curtis was a teacher and principal at Central High School and lived at 5192 Page Blvd. He was born in New Hampshire and studied at Dartmouth College. The 1910 St. Louis Census shows Curtis, age 43,  a high school principal married to Marie M.  The census of 1930 shows he was a personnel director.

Mabel Olmstead appears in the City Directory as a teacher at Central High School. On Mary 8, 1922 her application for a passport shows she was born 11/24/1871 in Potosi, MO to father Jonas who died in 1907 in Los Angeles, CA. Mabel was going to Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Gibraltar. She made several trips to Europe. She taught American and later European history. She died January 28, 1941, and is buried in the Potosi Presbyterian Cemetery. Her mother Amelia Riehl Olmstead (August 21, 1839-December 23, 1903) is also buried there.

April 24

Ed. 12 was Educational Administration taught by Prof. Wesley Raymond Wells. The course description:
The aim of this course is to make a critical study of the problems of school organization, administration, and supervision. It will deal with such problems as: education, a state function; local school boards, their organization, duties, and manner of election; kinds of schools, their aims and scope; duties of the superintendent, principals, and teachers; the relation of the school to the community; statistical and experimental studies in school administration. Three hours a week. Credit 3 units. (Wells)

June 1919 notices in St Louis Post-Dispatch

Satellites was an acting group that performed an annual Vaudeville and Dance. It was under the direction of Mrs. Diamant of the Thyrsus Dramatic Society at Washington University.

April 27

Congregation Temple Israel was established in 1886.


Dr. Leon Harrison (1866 to 1928) served Temple Israel as Second Rabbi from 1892 to 1928.

An April 1906 story in The Portland, OR newspaper New Age reported that Rabbi Leon Harrison was to be a speaker at the Willamette Valley of Chautauqua Association in July lecturing on “Shylock” and “The Glory and Shame of America.”

Helen's diary may not be full of war news, but the newspapers were. Below is an ad from the April 17 St. Louis Star and Times.

Ad from the April 27 St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Ad from the April 27 St. Louis Star and Times: