"Looking Back, Vol. II"
by Sue Gates)
Life in Aberdeen in 1935 was much the same as it is today.
Residents shopped, enjoyed a variety of entertainment offerings, and searched
for housing and jobs. They could find all the information they needed
to plan
their schedules in the local newspaper, which they received by home delivery
each evening and Sunday morning for $6 annually. Here is a look at some of the
news on Dec. 5, 1935.
A small notation on the front page of
the Thursday, December 5, 1935, issue of The Aberdeen Evening News reminded
residents that there were only sixteen shopping days until Christmas. Yes, the
math is correct; stores were not open seven days a week back then.
Advertisements within the paper listed many gift
ideas for those who had not yet completed their holiday shopping. At Sudow’s, a
women’s clothing store, a fur-trimmed winter coat was on sale for $12.95
(reduced from $19.75-$22.50); and a wool sweater, a pair of leather gloves, or
a satin pajama and robe set were only $1.98 each.
Those shopping for children’s gifts could find
bargains at the Gamble Store where a set of aluminum doll dishes was only 79
cents. A Union Pacific windup train set with 103 inches of track was also
available for 79 cents.
Weekend specials at the McDiarmid-Slater Grocery
Store included two cans of Libby fancy pumpkin for 25 cents, three cans of
Libby tomato juice for 25 cents, a five-pound pail of fresh honey for 49 cents,
hamburger 10 cents a pound, lutefisk just 8 cents a pound, and beef short ribs
9 ½ cents a pound.
Area entertainment schedules were very busy prior
to the holidays. Several dances were planned for the upcoming days. Carter’s
Hall was featuring a Blue Ribbon Club Party Dance on Thursday evening, and
Wally Erickson and his 11-piece orchestra would be providing dance music at the
Trianon on Saturday evening. Friday night dancing scheduled at Savo Hall
featured music by the Rainbow Kids.
For those preferring movies to dancing, the Orpheum
was showing Black Fury starring Paul Muni; tickets were 15 cents each. The
Capitol was showing Bright Lights starring Joe E. Brown. Grand Exit was at the
Lyric while In Old Santa Fe was at the Time. The Man from Gun Town was playing
at the Majestic.
Two homes were listed for sale in the want ad
section. One was a five-room bungalow with a full basement, hot water heat and
a garage on paved road available for $2,750; the other, an eight-room house on
pavement with hot water heat in southeast Aberdeen, was priced at $1,850. Ten
rental homes were listed with monthly payments from $12.50 to $40.
