By Jared Olar
Library assistant
Pekin Daily Times owner and publisher F. F. McNaughton used his daily “Editor’s Letter” newspaper column to chronicle the weeklong trip to Washington, D.C., that the Pekin Kiwanis Club and a party of Peoria teachers took in June 1932. The second of his daily log entries, headlined “EASTWARD BOUND” was published on the front page of the June 14, 1932 Pekin Daily Times, as follows:
*****
Washington, D.C., June 14
Pekin Daily Times,
Pekin, Ill.
Arrived here 2 p. m. Several are groggy from insomnia. Fifty are off their feet from car sickness [on] account [of a] rough mountain climb. All felt better when they set foot on solid ground again.
McNaughton.
This part of this letter is being sent back from Chicago; written on the Alton while the crowd looks over my shoulder.
We’ve already had our first calamity. Minnie Wilson lost the heel off her shoe. Art Kriegsman was appointed a committee to shoe her, but Art insists that she go barefoot.
You’ve got to hand it to her and Fearn, the Kiwanis president, for courage. They have their three smallest children along – the youngest aged 2. He’s a good trouper.
There, Albert Brennemann of Hopedale just came by and gave me a dandy apple. A bit ago the Jansen sisters (all four are along) treated me to taffy and chocolates.
We certainly have a dandy crowd – about 200 of us including the Peoria car we picked up in Chicago.
Everybody seems to be out for a grand time and even Ed. F. Lampitt Sr., and Al Zinger, who have seen a lot of the world, are wreathed in smiles.
I just asked the boys what to tell you, and they said to tell the gang that there wasn’t going to be any orange peel and apple core throwing on this trip. We’ll have that again next year en route to Chicago to the World’s fare (sic).
The big event that is being looked forward to as this is written is the first call to the dining car when we leave Chicago on the B. and O. tonight. What I’m hoping is that they have food enough.
I’ll try to wire you a lead for this letter from West Virginia tomorrow. Meanwhile I’ve had Bill Janssen help me get the list of names of all on the train (not including the Peoria crowd). Here they are – all agreeable folk:
Albert Brenneman, Margaret Braden, Pauline Braden, Helen Hofferbert, Kathryn Stout, Martha Schurman, Paul Hannig, Mary DeWeese, Beatrice Morrell, Bertha Williams, Helen Smith, Margaret Woelfle, Carl Woelfle, Mrs. Carl Woelfle, Mrs. W. O. Eberhart, Mary Eberhart, Karl K. King, Florence Francke, Frances Towle, Helen Aydelotte, Dorothy York, Mrs. Emma Arends, Mrs. Carry Zuckweller, Charles Alexander, Emma Melxure, Vera Herman, Miss E. Papenhause, Grace Brown, Mrs. R. Nedderman, Mrs. Fred Ferguson, Mrs. V. G. Gore, Mrs. Lena Birkey, Thelma Birkey, Paul Schermer, Mrs. Paul Schermer, Marie Skarnikat, Maurice Moss, Emma Neuhouse, Rhoda Hyatt, Mrs. William Koch, Anna Blenkiron, Milton Denekas, Willis Denekas, Irene Brown, Fred Rolf, Lenora Wilson, Karl Wilson, Henrietta Wilson, Fearn Wilson, Minnie Wilson, William Dean McNaughton, John F. McNaughton, Joe McNaughton, F. F. McNaughton, Marie Deppert, George Brines, Fern H. Smith, Robert Connibar, Mrs. R. A. Cullinan, Duane Cullinan, Dorothy Cullinan, Urban Albertsen, Orville Isenburg, Mrs. E. S. Loy, Mrs. Mae Gardiner, Jane Corbitt, Josephine Thaller, Hester Holland, Elizabeth Hunt, Theresa Jansen, Anna Jansen, Lena Jansen, Adelaide Jansen, Clara Albertsen, Elsie Albertsen, Mrs. Jerry Hurlburt, Emma Luick, Martha Lowry, Mrs. Frederick Reuling, Gertrude Ehrlicher, Freida Nedderman, Anna Gehre, Marie Schreiber, Martha Schreiber, Mary Struker, Edgar Jaeger, Elmer Kunkel, Don Kunkel, Mrs. Leslie Evler, Juanita Cook, Wilma Cook, Dolly Rupp, Dorothy Hieser, Arthur T. Kriegsman, E. F. Lampitt, A. B. Zinger, Marie Kohlbacher, Lila Greeley, Milton Taylor, Mrs. William Krieger, Ray Sloter, Freda Hild, Thelma Woll, Lucille Kaufman, Genevieve Talbott, Martha Tammens, Carl Bottin, Mrs. Carl Bottin, Eva Bottin, Albert Bottin, Hazel I. Eller, Lucy Alice Trowbridge, Sarah DePeu, Robert Schwartz, Richard Schwartz, Jennie Newman, Mrs. Fannie Spaits Marion (sic), Mrs. Jessie M. Spaits, Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Lee, Mrs. Ellen E. Graham, Mrs. Lewis Doren, Miss Margaret Everly, Ruth Pendergast, Luella Rollins, Lillian Skinner, Charlotte Vogelsang, Mrs. Anna Vogelsang, Bernice Hagerman, Ethel M. Brecher, Alice James, Blanche Moehring, Elizabeth Pugh, Mrs. R. L. Lohmar, Rolland Lohmar, Oline Eller, Mary Dean, Elizabeth Strunk, Winifred Robinson, Mabel Miller, Wilbur Karsten, Bill Janssen, Mary Stalin, Laura Schwartz, Frances Watson, Louise Harte, Joseph Wetzig, Gilbert Rapp, Mildred Brigham, Lucille Weesmiller, Virginia Sanborn, Loraine Aper, Jeannette Deppert, Mary Hofferbert, Pearl Sorenson, Miss Lilly Jansen, Minnie Schurman, Louis Zuckweller, Irene Francke, Mrs. J. E. Barnes, and Gladys Hieser.
