Wednesday August 20, 1930

At breakfast today, the fog horn sounded. The boat “rocked” some today (Josephine’s term).

On the passage to Europe for Party R, there were activities (1) to keep the pilgrims occupied through the day and into the night.

Cabin-class passengers could enjoy frequent concerts and movies on their voyage. Food service was opulent. Dinner each day featured its own printed menu and included hors d’oeuvres, soups, fish, entrees, roasts, vegetables, salads, and desserts.

There was some kind of entertainment every night and the band played several selections at every meal.

Josephine wrote home about her second day on board the SS George Washington (2):

We got lost today - walked about 15 minutes before we find our state room - this ship is just like a big hotel - you get the same service every waiter is nice - went to Mass this morning at 7 o’clock - think will go to communion some time this week - we had movies tonight - did not walk today but am feeling fine.

It took a few days for Josephine and the other pilgrims to learn their way around the ship. It was easy to learn to enjoy the wonderful service the staff provided. Starting to get into a routine, today Josephine went to Mass in the morning and to a movie at night. She had just started to walk yesterday, the first day on board, but did not do so today – but it would soon become part of her daily routine.

From the few notes we have from Josephine while aboard the SS Washington, we learn she quickly developed a routine:

Mass (for Josephine and other Catholics – not for all passengers).

The Mass was probably offered by a priest who was a passenger also – the ship did not have a Catholic priest assigned to it).

Breakfast followed by activity of choice – walking, sitting in deck chairs, writing letters, etc. The promenade deck was glass-enclosed so that must have been very nice.

Mid-morning snack consisting of bouillon and crackers

Individual or group activity or sometimes a tour of parts of the ship. For example, the ship’s library was very nice and had many books to read.

Lunch

More individual and or group activity or a tour of parts of the ship. For example, there was a nice writing room (3) in which to write letters.

Mid-afternoon snack of tea and cake

Additional individual or group activity.

We hope that Josephine was one of those mothers whose “sea legs” permitted her leaving her cabin to enjoy the inspection trips of the ship from the topmost deck to the hold. Such tours included seeing the mammoth white kitchen and watching the preparation of the meals; many pilgrims were amazed at the supplies which were consumed daily by the voyagers.

Other tours included seeing the room where the coal was stored and the rooms where men employees lived and seeing the mechanism that guided the ship.

Dinner

Entertainment: Movies, dances, community sings, etc.

Josephine does not report on this, but according to Mrs. Fannie Fine of Joplin, Missouri, Captain Arnold J. Funk, the Army officer in charge of Party R, was having troubles. Several of the mothers had become seasick and became hysterical, begging to be thrown overboard! According to Mrs. Fine, Captain Funk was chasing them like mad. When Mrs. Fine asked Captain Funk what was the matter, he responded, “Everything! I feel like crawling through a porthole.”

Note: Those who were indisposed for a day or so due to sea sickness received solicitous care by those delegated by the War Department to attend to the sick – that is, if Captain Funk could catch them!

Mrs Mary Everson reported to a Joplin newspaper: “Our voyage over was fine. A very few were sick. As to myself, I never felt better in my life. Not one moment was I sick. I never missed a meal.”

Since Josephine does not speak of it, we assume she was not one of the ones who got seasick. If she had, however, we know she would not have gotten hysterical about it. Josephine was a woman who had buried three children –one in early infancy, one about the age of 5, and Buddy, age 18, killed in the war. She could handle seasickness without becoming hysterical.

Buddy died on October 26, 1918, but the family did not hear about it until November 1918 after the Armistice had been signed. How shocking it must have been to find out that the war was over but their beloved son had been killed a few weeks before it ended. My mother told me that when her mother heard the news, she went into her room and stayed there all day, not coming out for anything. That was her one day of external mourning. We know she had plenty of days of mourning left in her. At the time of Buddy’s death, Josephine’s children were ages 15, 14, 11, 10, 8 (my mother), and 4. She had a lot of family to tend to so probably had to carry her grief more internally than externally.




Source: written by Carolyn Ourso