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FIFTY GLORIOUS YEARS

(from 1925-1934)

1925

The year 1925 was a memorable one in the history of mankind and, especially, for two young souls residing in Cache Valley, Idaho.

That year the first "Watergate" occurred and it shook the nation. It was called "Tea Pot Dome." The Reformed Seventh-Day-Adventists awaited, in vain, the coming of the end of the world, which had been predicted for the year. There was a revival of the Zionist Movement, when 500 Jews chartered a ship and sailed from New York to Palestine. Some Harvard students started the hippie movement in America by swallowing live gold fish. The King Tut mummy (3,275 years old) was discovered in Egypt. Greece passed a law banning women's skirts if shorter than twelve inches from the ground. Finally, and perhaps in anticipation of what was to occur on August 26, Niagara Falls was first lighted at night by electricity.

The crowning event of this most historic year, at least from the standpoint of this writer, was the engagement and marriage of Della and Earl.

Actually the engagement between Della Comish and Earl Crockett occurred a few days prior to the arrival of the new year 1925. Earl was spending Christmas vacation in the Comish home. He had ridden from Salt Lake City where he was in school. It was a cold winter evening. Della and Earl were by themselves in the parlor with a wood fire roaring in the Franklin stove. Father and Mother Comish and the younger children were either in bed, or in the large kitchen at the back of the house.

What a thrill Earl had as Della consented to allow him to place an engagement ring on her finger! Early the next morning with some trepidation, Earl asked Delia's father and mother if they gave approval. With a smile on his face and a gleam in his eye, after looking at mother Margaret for her signal, father George held out his hand in congratulation.

During the academic year 1924-25, Della taught school at Dayton, Idaho and Earl attended the University of Utah as a sophomore. In March they got together and drove to Grace, Idaho for interviews after applying for fall teaching positions in that school district. In Preston, they picked up Earl's father and mother and sister Jennie, who went along for the ride in the model T ford. At that time it was extremely difficult to get good tires and the roads were unpaved and rough. Con- sequently, the ride from Preston to Grace and back, some 80 miles total, took all day and into the night. Earl repaired punctured tires many times on the trip. In spite of his dirty rumpled appearance while being interviewed by the Board of Trustees, he and Della were hired for teaching positions in a small two-room school at "Sleepy Hollow," a short distance from Grace.

After the school year had ended, Earl joined his brother George in Marsh Valley doing carpenter work. The jobs were repairing and remodeling school houses and chapels in Downey, Virginia, Arimo and McCamman. George taught Earl a great deal and they had an opportunity to really get acquainted. During the summer, they each bought identical cars-new model A balloon tired fords and Earl felt that he was indeed rich. Part of the summer he had earned $1 per hour repairing an irrigation flume, high in the air and rather dangerous, working 12 hours per day. By the end of the week he had $72 and almost felt guilty because the amount was so great!

August 25th Della and Earl drove the new car to Salt Lake City, staying all night with Dave and Pearl, and the next morning on the historic date-August 26th-they were married by Temple President and Apostle George F. Richards in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity.

The next day they returned to Franklin and were "honored" by being forced to head a parade down main street, riding together on an old white horse, with Della wearing a bridal veil in the form of a long lace curtain. Upon reaching Handy's Drug Store, everyone went in and ordered ice cream sodas charging the bill to Earl. It was all great fun.

Before leaving on a honeymoon, Earl went to Sleepy Hollow and repaired an old log house they were to live in while teaching school, beginning in September. It was a one-room log house, with an unheated lean-to at the back, to serve as a bedroom. He laid a new floor and lined the log walls and ceiling with building paper. A large kitchen coal range was to be used for cooking and heating.

The honeymoon trip was to Portland, Oregon and lasted about ten days. The newlyweds traveled to Portland with George and Estella and family in their identical cars. George was moving to Oregon where, after 50 years, surviving members of the family, including Estella, still reside. Red bandana handkerchiefs were attached to the rear of each car for identification purposes as they traveled. Three days were taken in getting to Portland. While there, Earl and Della visited with Mary and Luther and their children 'and even drove to Corvallis and stayed one night with Della's uncle Newell and family. He was teaching at Oregon State University.

The teaching experience at Sleepy Hollow extended into 1926 and shall be discussed briefly as it relates to that later year. Enough has been said about 1925, even though an entire book could probably be written on events of that important first year alone.

1926

The academic year at Sleepy Hollow was not an easy one from the viewpoint of teaching. Della had the first four grades and Earl the last four and he served as both principal and janitor. He also had several full-grown boys in the 7th and 8th grades who didn't want to study.

There was no plumbing in the log home and it was necessary to carry water from a spring about one block distant. Della cooked and baked in the crude iron range, but meals were always delicious. She kept clothes sparkling clean by using a washboard, for there was no machine. The new husband learned that his wife really liked having fresh air in the bedroom at night. In spite of the unheated lean-to, the window was always raised at least a little.

In May, the couple moved to Salt Lake City so that Earl could continue his classes at the University of Utah. They found a little home at 738 East Seventh South which they rented for $15 per month, and Della proceeded to furnish it beautifully. Earl obtained a Saturday job with Penney's, he also became custodian for the University library and graded papers for one of the professors in the College of Business. Needless to say, he was kept busy, but Della helped him with the library cleaning.

Early in June, Earl took Della to her Mother's home in Franklin and on June 10th a wonderful event transpired. Their first baby, Marian Joy, was born. Dr. Cutler came in the evening of the 9th and stayed all night as Marian did not arrive until about 5 a.m. on the 1Oth. His total bill was $25. Marian was a beautiful baby and the parents soon learned that she was also unusually smart.

The library floor needed scrubbing each Sunday - that was the only day the library was closed. When Marian (Joy as we called her until she started school) was about six months old, they placed her on the library floor on a blanket and proceeded to clean in various rooms. Suddenly they heard the baby cry and rushed over to see her crawling on the dirty floor-it had been muddy outside that day-with tears mingled with mud running down her cheeks. She had turned over and started crawling - the first time in her life!

Quotations from a letter Earl wrote to his father dated November 25th are as follows:

Best wishes for a very happy birthday. I can hardly believe that you are seventy-you don't look like an old man. I often think of what a lot you and mother have done for me . . . You have set an example of correct living which will be an inspiration and guide all my life . . . Your poor eyesight has been a great handicap . . . I don't see how you supported a large family of eleven children . . . You never kept me out of school a single day to help you with work.


1927

This was the year Charles Lindberg made his historic nonstop flight from New York to Paris in a single engine plane.

When the spring term ended, the three Crocketts moved to Preston where they lived during the summer with Earl's parents in the large house on First North Street. Prior to leaving Salt Lake, in fact on March 21st, Earl wrote in part, this letter:

Dearest Parents: I just opened your letter with the wonderful surprise in it! I don't know when I have ever been so tickled over anything. $200 seems like an awful lot of money to us, especially now. Many, many thanks. I am going to pay off the $100 we owe the bank and make the other $100 last until school is out in May. [Note: Earl's parents had sent the money after careful saving and explained that they had sent the other boys on missions, but hadn't been able to send him.

During the summer in Preston, Earl worked as a carpenter for Roy Greaves. He was not a finishing wood worker, but could do rough work including the shingling of roofs and the laying of floors.

In September the couple both accepted teaching positions in Lund, Idaho, staying in two rooms of Elva and Leo's home for the year. While they were in school, Elva took care of Marian Joy. Considering the low salaries received, much of the income was saved toward paying for graduate study. Earl's major was Economics and he wanted to obtain a Ph. D. degree. He had attended the University of Utah only three years. However, transferred credit from Idaho Tech, and some correspond ence courses taken at Grace and Lund completed all requirements, and he graduated with the B.S. degree.


1928

As the year progressed, Lou Dean, five years old, Mae, three and Marian nearly two, had lots of fun together. In the winter, the parents often froze ice cream in a hand freezer. The three children would run every few minutes with dishes and spoons to test the ice cream and each would sing, "I scream for ice cream"-they loved it.

In May, the diploma arrived from the U of U showing honors because of high grades and Earl was thrilled. It would make possible taking graduate study at the University of California without paying out- of-state tuition. Della deserves equal credit for the accomplishment, as well as other subsequent achievements and honors. During the early years of marriage she worked and gave financial support and always encouraged him to perform well, expressing confidence in his ability to excel. A husband surely is blessed when he has a wonderful wife such as Della.

When May came, the three Crocketts moved to Berkeley, California where he began graduate study. The ride across the Nevada desert was an adventure in itself with washboard roads and a leaky radiator. Earl made a mistake, unknowingly, he put salt water in the radiator-by the time they arrived in Berkeley, most of the rubber hose connections were eaten away.

It was surely an adventure going to California. None of the couple's classmates had gone away for graduate study-certainly not as far away as Berkeley, and it became a daring, adventurous, but glorious undertaking. Natural questions arising: Could they finance the expensive schooling, and had Earl the ability, energy and "stick-to-itiveness" sufficient to achieve a Ph.D. degree-there were then relatively few throughout the nation.

They found the University of California, at that time, to be a quiet, scholarly place with a beautiful campus and outstanding professors.

At two years of age, Marian was a great talker, singer and reciter of poems. She loved to have Delia read to her by the hour and with a few pictures on the pages, Joy could do a remarkable job of pre tending to read the stories herself.

There was a branch of the church in Berkeley with very friendly members. The Crocketts were wholeheartedly welcomed into the group and soon they felt as though they had always lived there. Earl became first counselor in the Sunday School superintendency and Della first counselor in the YWMIA presidency. She also served on the San Francisco Primary stake board.

Church friends made in Berkeley remained friends for many years thereafter by an exchange of Christmas messages, if through no other means. An example of continued friendship, when Mrs. Emma Russell, who had continued to live in California, died in 1975-Earl was asked to speak at her funeral - forty years after there had been much direct contact.


1929

After living temporarily in two different apartments near the campus, the Crocketts moved to a new apartment house on Russell Street, some four or five miles distant. They still had their Ford car, however, to travel to school, church, to shopping, etc., often in Oakland or San Francisco.

The apartment house was owned by two Jewish brothers, who had advertised for a house manager. Della saw the ad and she and Earl went for an interview. There was a long line of applicants both ahead and behind, however, when it was their turn and Della was interviewed, one brother said to the other, "This is the lady we want," and they disbanded the remaining applicants without interviewing them. Della's job was to rent out the apartments, collect the rent money, keep the halls clean, while Earl took care of the outside lawn. In return, they lived in a rent-free apartment with no cost for telephone, lights, water and heat. Earl also kept books and accounts for the Jewish brothers for extra pay. There was a city park across the street with swings, teeters and slides for Marian. It was an ideal place to live.

Della's sister, Reata, was getting a Master's degree at Mills College, Oakland, and often came to visit. Also, her parents came a time or two. It was a great convenience having a furnished vacant apartment for them on Russell Street.

Beginning with the fall term in 1929, Earl became a University teaching fellow in introductory economics. He taught three classes, each one meeting twice a week and received a reasonable salary. This work was good experience and very enjoyable. It lasted until graduation in 1931. The experience was also good on his record. He could always say that he had taught at one of the very best schools in the nation - the University of California!

Della became ill with bleeding ulcers and spent about a week in the hospital. Happily, she soon fully recovered, and this difficulty reoccurred only once again - some ten years later in Colorado.

While she was in the hospital, Marian Joy wrote her a letter with Earl's help. The following are quotes from the letter:


Dearest Mother-

Guess what! I had my hair cut this morning and sat
just as still as could be, only when the clippers tickled my
neck and then I had to hunch my shoulders up and giggle.
The barber gave me some candy because I was so good.
Tomorrow night Daddy will bring you some pictures
of me taken with my short hair. I hope they are good.
I liked your letter you sent last night and Daddy
liked his. I'm so glad you are getting well and strong.
Hurry and come home. Love, Joy

[Note: She made kisses and hugs all around the
edges of the letter and where two kisses overlapped she
said, "That is an H."]

The following are quotations from a letter received from Earl's Mother dated August 21, 1929:

Our dear children Earl, Della and Joy: It is now 2 p. m., dinner is over, father is asleep and I shall answer your welcome letter which arrived yesterday. We were pleased as ever to hear from you. Your letter was very interesting telling about your trip to San Francisco by ferry boat, then down to San Jose and Monterey. The orchards must have been beautiful. We got a wedding card from Jennie and Maurice on the 19th. They had been married just one month (in Philip- pine Islands). Your loving parents


1930

As 1930 came and the months passed, Earl worked hard in his classes and studied the French and German languages preparatory to taking preliminary examinations for the Ph. D. degree. His committee was composed of seven professors in economics, business, history and political science. The languages needed to be passed first and this was accomplished by summer time. A date was fixed for the oral prelims for October. This examination is a comprehensive one which decides whether the candidate is qualified to pursue the work further by writing a thesis and then passing a final exam. It is the big step at which point most candidates fail, if they are going to fail at all.

As Earl was working hard in preparation, sad news came from Preston. His father Ozro was seriously ill and not expected to live more than a few days. Consequently, he postponed his oral prelims until January and journeyed by train to Preston.

His father had had a severe stroke and was unconscious. He remained in this condition until his death on October 2, 1930, two days after Earl's arrival. All eleven children and mother Ruth were there, except Jennie, who was in the Philippines. The funeral was a beautiful service and father Ozro was buried in the Logan cemetery. Mother was indeed saddened and for weeks she had a child or grandchild staying with her at least at night. After a few months she sold the home and moved into two rooms in Ruth Ann's home. Sister Ruth Ann was a great help to her mother during subsequent years.


1931

In January, Earl took his comprehensive prelims. He and the seven professors sat around the table for three hours. First one, then another would ask questions. Finally, he was excused from the room and told to wait nearby. In probably less than three minutes he was called back and congratulated by each member of the committee. They told him he had passed with flying colors. In a daze, he walked out of the building and joined Della and Marian, who had unexpectedly traveled by bus from home, because they wanted to be with him. Needless to say, the little family celebrated that day.

Earl proceeded to begin work on his thesis, the approved subject being "History of California Labor Legislation, 1910-30." He hoped to finish in time to take a teaching position in September. 1931 was one of the first years of the Great Depression and jobs were not plentiful.

About 100 universities and colleges were picked throughout the nation and applications were sent to these schools. Della did all the typing which was a big job. Replies came back with much the same discour aging information. "We are keeping your letter for possible future reference, however, we anticipate no vacancies in the entire univer sity." "When teachers retire, die or resign, we are not replacing them because of lack of funds."

Finally, toward the end of the summer, Earl obtained two offers - one at Sacramento Junior College and the other at the University of North Dakota. Although the salary at North Dakota was only $2400, his committee recommended that he take that position because it was a senior college. This he did, after he and Della considered all the pros and cons.

Work on the thesis progressed and when summer came, Della and Marian traveled to Franklin so that they could visit with their families before the need of going to the distant North Dakota in September.

As Della left at the depot, many of the women and girls who had worked with her in the stake and ward primary were there to say good-bye and wish her well. They really loved her and appreciated her past services.

Toward the end of August the thesis was completed, the final examination successfully passed and the new Dr. Earl C. Crockett left by train for Idaho. He sold the 1925 model A "honey-moon" car for $30 - it had served its day.

After short visits in Preston and Franklin, the three Crocketts left by train for Grand Forks, North Dakota. They found a satisfactory apartment in which to live. It was conveniently located near the campus.

Going to North Dakota University was a new experience. There were no other Mormons on the faculty and the Crocketts had some misgivings, expecting possible social rejection and loneliness. Nothing, however, could have been farther from the truth. Faculty members wholeheartedly accepted them with visits, enthusiastic welcome, dinners and parties. Actually, although the three years at North Dakota had problems, mostly due to the great depression, they were overall glorious years too.

Earl's teaching load was five different courses, only one of which he had taught before - a total of 15 credit hours per week. This was a tremendous load and it kept him busy keeping ahead of the students.

A wonderful thing happened on December 11th. Della presented the family with a second child, a boy whom they named Robert Comish Crockett. Mother and son got along fine. On Christmas day, their neighbors, the John Rellahans had them to dinner. They put little Robert in a dresser drawer, where he slept during the meal.

The year ended with happiness, but much snow, ice and bitter cold winds. The Crocketts were not accustomed to living so near the North Pole!

The parents still remember a frightening winter episode which turned out to be amusing. About daybreak they awakened and were startled to find no Marian Joy in bed or even in the apartment. They quickly dressed and began looking everywhere with great concern. Finally, the milkman in his horse-drawn cart came along and let jubilant Marian out - she had requested a ride with him around the block as he delivered milk.


1932

The depression deepened and the University followed the example of other employers in the nation by cutting salaries even lower than they had been. The family moved into Mr. Earl's house located half -way between town and school. There was space for a garden with wonderful black soil and various vegetables were grown. An excellent second- hand Ford car was purchased.

There was a small active branch of the Church in Grand Forks and missionaries were often stationed in the area. The family frequently had the missionaries to Sunday dinner. Many of the members of the Branch were new converts and needed fellowshiping, which the Crocketts tried to accomplish. In September they received the following letter from the Mission President:


CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

Office of North Central States Mission

Dear Brother and Sister Crockett:

It seems to me, if I had the delicacy of touch to do it just as I should like, that I would wish to extend to you good people a word of approval and commendation. There are many people in the world who would serve the Master and their fellow man if they could, and many others who could if they would; but, the man the world is waiting for is the fellow who CAN and WILL. To this class, in my opinion, you both belong. Please accept my sincere commendation and love. I know something good about you; and I am proud of you. May the Lord continue to bless and prosper you as you both so richly deserve.

Sincerely your Brother,

ISI Arthur Welling, President

AW/MT

Faculty members were very friendly people and Della, especially, was invited to join several clubs. One partly humorous activity of faculty members, during those severe depression years, was passing word from one to another regarding how money could be saved by such methods as heating water in the garden hose placed in the sun, cooking food on the edge of the furnace door, half-soling shoes by using pieces of worn out rubber tires, etc. Friends made in North Dakota became widely scattered over the nation and still keep in touch through correspondence. It is sad to see them getting old and now (1975) at frequent intervals, hearing about some of them passing on.

Bob learned to walk when nine months of age and he soon had a craving to climb on anything available, such as chairs, table, cup-boards, etc. One day he was left alone in the kitchen for a few minutes and when Della came in, Bob was sitting on top of the table with a full carton of eggs all smashed and dripping on his head, face and clothes.

Being six years of age, Marian entered school in the first grade and did very well indeed. She loved to read and write.


1933

As Earl continued teaching, the work became easier and very enjoyable. Even though it was a 15 hour load, he had now taught all of the courses before and thus preparations required less time.

Every winter was very cold and after the New Year in 1933, this was especially the case. One morning he got up, looked at the thermo meter, and exclaimed, "It's warming up; it's only 30 below zero!"

When summer came, Della's mother and sister Reata came to Grand Forks for a visit, which was very enjoyable for the Crocketts. Also, during the summer, Earl and Della visited Chicago and the World's Fair. It was quite an adventure and very educational.

During 1933, the Ozro Crockett family started a grand-round chain letter, which continued for over 30 years. It was initially promoted by Mary. This was a great way for all members of the family to keep each other informed. The letters circulated about twice each year. As Earl's or Della's letters came back each time (to be replaced by a new one) they were saved and are now helpful in writing this fifty year history.

Part of the first letter sent by Earl is as follows:

December 18, 1933

Dearest family-

Merry Xmas and a prosperous New Year to you who see this soon, to the rest of you, Easter Greetings!! Gladly do I add my bit and I promise to function as a link in the chain as long as grand-round lasts.

We are well in North Dakota. I am afraid you people in Idaho are stealing California's stuff when you praise your climate so much. Are you trying to make us less fortunate ones jealous? We have had plenty of winter out here. Joy is taking ballet dancing lessons this year and is so enthused, she goes flitting about the house like a butterfly on her toes and waving her arms. Robert tries to imitate and is surely a scream to watch. He had his two-year old birthday last week. Delia made him a cake and for two days everyone was dragged frequently over to the frigidaire to inspect the cake (with candles) or what remained of it. He is learning to put words together in sentences now.

1933 was momentous in a national and world sense. Hitler became Chancellor of Germany - a step leading to the tragic Second World War. Franklin D. Roosevelt became President of our country and began trying measures to reduce the severity of our great depression. In many places unemployment was as high as 20 and 30 percent of the labor force.


1934

Earl's salary had been cut to $1500 per year for 1933-34, the University President's to $2500, and 20 faculty members were dismissed. It is not surprising that many remaining on the staff, including Earl and most of his friends, began looking for positions in other states where financial conditions might be better.

A letter sent to his major professor at Berkeley, led to a job offer for the summer. It was a position with the National Longshoreman's Board in San Francisco and was gladly accepted.

On the way to San Francisco, the family visited Yellowstone Park. It was the tenth of June, Marian's birthday (8 years old) and the family ate birthday cake watching the beautiful canyon falls. Upon reaching Franklin and Preston there was hurried visiting with the families and a side-trip to the Logan Temple where Della had been baptized, so that Marian could be baptized at the same place.

The main destination, Berkeley, was finally reached. The family resided there for the summer and it was great to see the many friends again, after a three-year absence.

Earl immediately reported for work in San Francisco. He commuted by ferry boat each day, for the Bay bridges were just in the con struction stage. He worked for the Longshoremen's Board as a special investigator. In June, the Board had been appointed by President Roosevelt to settle the dockworker's and seamen's strike which had continued in all Pacific coast harbors of the nation for six weeks time.

The docks were piled high with cargo which could not be transported to warehouses, shops or stores, and dozens of unloaded ships were anchored at the docks, especially in San Francisco. The men on strike were attempting to obtain the right to organize into unions and to engage in collective bargaining.

By July 2nd, the employers association decided to transport goods with strike breakers and battles ensued. Several men were killed and there was a stalemate. The Board was helpless in settling the dispute. For four days, there was even a sympathetic general strike in all of the Bay region and most activity came to a halt, even streetcars and taxis. Earl supervised an election among the seamen along the Pacific Coast to determine the proper union to represent them.

Finally, the Board succeeded in getting both sides to arbitrate and the settlement turned out to be rather favorable for the longshore men and seamen.

During some of the crises of the summer, Earl had direct contact with many government leaders from Washington D. C. who came to San Francisco either to investigate or to assist the Board. These included Senator Wagner of New York, Postmaster General Farley, Francis Perkins, Secretary of Labor, General Johnson of the NRA and even President Roosevelt himself. At times it appeared as though the National Capital was almost being moved to San Francisco.

The summer was a great experience for the entire family and one to be always remembered.

By August, the Economics Department at the University of California obtained a teaching position for Earl as Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado and, in September, the family moved to Boulder. This turned out to be a happy move, indeed, as subsequent experiences proved. Furniture was sent from North Dakota and a home was rented on Eighth East Street.

Shortly after arrival in Boulder, Della was shopping in the down town business section with Bob, who was three years of age. She was in a department store looking at some goods, when suddenly she realized that Bob had disappeared. He was not in the store nor on the street in front. She became highly concerned and notified a policeman on the street corner. After 30 minutes of search, Bob was finally located in a barber shop across the street and a block away. He was seated in an unused barber chair happily eating an all-day sucker given him by the barber. Apparently, his curiosity had caused him to go out side the store and to the street corner, where a woman helped him across the busy street, assuming that was his destination. He then wandered into the barbershop thinking he might find his daddy there. Bob was always an adventurous, unfearful soul, with great confidence and trust in others.


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