Rapp
My aunt Anna Rapp, who kept a diary throughout 1941, mentions that the Koscuisko County fair was going on this day that year. It was held in downtown Warsaw as it had been for many years. The midway was mostly on Center and Buffalo streets. The 4H exhibits were down the hill toward the lake. Since I was an elementary school girl and not in 4 H yet I only remember the rides.

My daughter, Grace, urges me to keep writing my blog even though no one comments. It does not mean they are not reading all the family history. Anyway doctors say it is good therapy for anxiety.

Today's topic is ....Health in the 1930s and 1940s

There were health standards in the thirties and forties just as there are today; only they were very different.

I was a thin child. Shirley Temple was the dimpled picture of health parents of the day were presented . Not only was I thin but had freaky white straight hair; not bouncy dark curls like Shirley.

A lot of people did not have enough to eat during that period so overweight people were thought to be extra healthy. People just naturally died of heart disease.  It was thought that this was normal and anyone who suggested changing the way people ate to gain better health was thought to be weird. Consequently, like other little girls who looked unhealthy, I took the dreaded cod liver oil by spoon every day all winter long.

Doctors were few and revered as "Gods" They did come to the house but medicine was not advanced enough to be much help to them or their patients. We went to clinics for what immunizations were available.

 When school started in the fall, the first thing the administration ordered was that all students were checked for lice.  It was an absolute scandal when a very popular pretty  girl from a prominent family , with long hair (down past her waist) was found to have lice and had to have her hair cut off! Then they doused the head with a kerosene mixture. It was not her fault that she got lice from some playmate or pet, but you could see that she felt humiliated.

At least once a week we were lined up and inspected for things like fingernails being  clean and neat, and general overall hygiene. If  some child had a definite problem in that area I think the parents were contacted.

Welfare had a stigma back then. People fought to stay off "the dole". 

The Welfare people were very strict about what one who got welfare could own. I don't think they could own property or a car. There were stories of how welfare recipients would hide belongings, even gifts, when the inspector would pop in to  see how they were doing.

People who were down on their luck, but did not want to divest themselves of most of their belongings, joined churches who made sure they did not starve or freeze. Usually their situations improved swiftly.

Polio was the big scary disease . There was no known defense against it yet.

People did die of polio.  We were shown pictures of people in  iron lungs and told to stay out of the lakes in late summer. Thankfully, when the vaccine became available, uncle Tom Slough,personally, made sure we all got immunized. Whata guy!!

 

Years ago Uncle Jack Anglin gave me some papers about our Rusher relatives. I remember being taken to the Rusher Reunion at Center Lake Park. Since I lived just up the hill this was not such a big deal for me. They pulled out all the stops with  a big banner  reading RUSHER REUNION strung between trees over tablecloth covered picnic tables. .  I'm pretty sure dad made the banner since he was the sign painter  in the area  Although we had to run the gauntlet of cheek pinching aunts, there was swimming and home made ice cream so, we were looking forward to that.

Anyway, here is the major part of the paper that pertains to the Rushers:  Our Great Grandfather ( Uncle Jacks?), John Rusher came from Elsac  Germany to Canton, Ohio  with his parents when he was nine, where he grew to manhood in Stark County, Ohio.  He married Matilda Runser  who was the daughter of Saraphim and Catherine Runser , natives of France.

Matilda was brought to this country when she was eight.

Both families were Catholic. We know these people had to have lots of Faith and great courage to start a trip across the water in a sailboat. The journey took seven weeks. John was a ' molder., and did not live past age 36. They did , however , have seven children: Mary (Johnson), Vails (Baker) , Catherine (Klinger), John, twins, Michael and Jermiah, Henry and Joseph.

When Matilda remarried she moved the family to Arkensas, (whole other story).  In 1874 , Michael, Jeremia, Henry (our guy) and John Rusher and their families moved back to Indiana.

They used covered wagons , driving oxen and horse teams. This trip took 35 days.

As far as I can tell, Henry Rusher's first child was my Daddy Wash's(grandfather,Washington Irving Anglin)  mother, Ellen Rusher Anglin.