Professor Hamilton's Diary: Feb. 19, 1935

Trials of Mary Elizabeth continue; knitting leads extracurricular activities at high school

Poor little Mary Elizabeth. Far from getting better, her middle ear infection had now spread to the other ear, and Dr. Kotzen, making a morning house call, said both eardrums needed to be lanced to let the pus and fluid seep out and ease her pain and fever. It wasn’t until late afternoon that Dr. Boff, the ear, nose, throat and eye specialist, could perform the procedure, with Professor Hamilton assisting with the anesthesia (probably ether).

Knitting has waxed and waned as a popular activity for years. Remember the revival that began among young women with Debbie Stoller’s book Stitch and Bitch in 2004? Apparently 1935 was another revival year, perhaps because Eleanor Roosevelt was so often seen with her knitting. Paid subscribers can read on about the rising popularity at Readitng High School.

The 1939 ad showing the first lady knitting on an airplane is being offered on eBay.