The Mystery of "Clara's Girl Ovations"

Which is different from the word: Ovulation o·vu·late intr.v. o·vu·lat·ed, o·vu·lat·ing, o·vu·lates. To produce ova; discharge eggs from the ovary. [From ovule.] --o”vu·la“tion n. --o“vu·la·to”ry
adj.

I wonder if it was a list of dates that she did something like (public marks of respect) or one of the other meanings of the word Ovation. Could this be something connected with Church? Anyway I saw the surname MILLER and was looking because of that and got interested. Hope I do not make things worse by this.

-Jim

I remember his raccounting that part of his job was to flush an experimental product down the toilet. Once the product was developed, the Brown Company decided it could not afford to have its name associated with such a personal product, so they sold the rights to it to a small (for then) company called Kimberly-Clarke. Its trade name, to this day, is KOTEX. Talk about corporate myopic vision!

'Gene Hubbard :-)

Hi,

Saw your reply to Denise Fox. If you would like to send a copy of this letter to her, as you did not give a email address, it would be fine.

I am addressing both questions. First yours.

As for the periods continuing during pregnancy, this is a common fact that they do not always stop. I have known several women who were mortified that they still had them, even though they were pregnant. One of my friends did not know she was pregnant till she was 7 months along. She thought she had a tumor growing and was afraid to go to the doctor. HA!! Also, they might have been practicing the rhythm method, as a ay of trying to not have too many children. I was not aware that they were that knowledgeable about it.

As for Denise's question. When I was a little girl, I had a very interesting conversation with my grandmother regarding this very subject. I was pretty little--Tom---if you are embarressed--quit reading. Anyway, at that time, I guess there was just kotex that was popularly being used. They were HUGE and thick. Much larger than diapers today even. Anyway, I saw her take these kotex out of a closet and being nosy I asked her what they were for and what she was doing. So, being a good grandmother, she told me. So then I started asking what they did when she was a little girl.

My grandmother told me that her mother had a special chest that she kept the softest rags made out of old clothing and sheets. These rags--she called them that--were not touched by anyone else in the house for anything else. She would keep them in this chest clean, ready to be used. When they were needed, she would take several of them, fold them and place them on herself leaving one long one to go up her front and her back. she then would tie them. Now, what I did not really realize at this time was she did not tell me what she tied them to!! The only thing I can think of is that she had one around her waist tied and then tied the other one to it front and back. She kept a pail in the outhouse filled with water and lye soap and cleaned them daily.

My grandmother said that they were more comfortable than kotex.

So, sorry Tom, about the explanation here.

I doubt that is a record of her menstrual cycle unless she was exteremely irregular. She notes dates that are more often every other month. Sometimes consecutive months. Sometimes skipping two months. A menstrual cycle ordinarily comprises 28 days. or once a month... varying a little of course.

As to her pregnancy and a possible cycle. It's possible to get pregnant during part of the actual mensturation. It's also possible for someone to be "spotting" or have a small amount of menstruation during part of the pregnancy.

Have you considered that it might be in some way actually connected to the word "ovation"?

I thing the old saying on the rag, meant that the females used ald rags then, of course most had very few periods in that they were expecting or nursing most of their fertile life.

____
Linda Harris
1872 Regents Park Ct
Marietta GA 30062
770 578-0105
Researching in eastern NC and VA and southern PA

Tom,

I don't mind if you post it but I think the answer you got on "ovation" from a couple other people is more close to what was actually going on. I hadn't even thought on those terms.

Women did know about their fertile time. My mother talks of a wafer they made and inserted to try to prevent pregnancy. She was born in 1918. 80 and very active. My grandmother born 1884 talked about it too, so they were aware of it maybe just didn't call it ovulation.

Beverly

I talked with mother who was born in 1919 and she said they used rags not only that but they had to wash them out and reuse them. My mother came from a family that by today's standards would be classified a poor. Makes me wonder what the rich people used. She also told me that was one reason she would not like to relive the good old days. Think about what they used as bandages it at a time when there was no Band-Aids.

Anyhow, here's my transcription:

Jan 10th 1909 - Girl Ovation
Mar 7th 1909 - May 2nd 1909
June 27th 1909 - Aug 22nd 1909
Oct 17th 1909 - Dec 12 1909
Feb 6th 1910 - Apr 3rd 1910
May 28th 1910 - July 24th 1910
Sep 18th 1910 - Nov 13 1910
Jan 8th 1911 - Ma 5th 1911
May 1st 1911 - June 24th 1911
Aug 21st 1911 - Oct 16th 1911
Dec 11 1911 - Feb 5th 1912
Apr 2nd 1912 - May 28th 1912
July 23rd 1912 - Sep 17th 1912
Nov 12th 1912 - Jan 7th 1913
Mar 4th 1913 - Apr 28th 1913
June 24th 1913

Now for my observations/questions:

1. When were the female children born? Was the first one in October 1909? i.e. 9 months after the "Girl Ovation" entry?

2. Also, note that the entries are for every other month, not every month??? I realize that there are actually four times that there are entries for consecutive months, but they are all for a very early day in the first month and a very late day in the second month, always 54 to 56 days apart ( May 2nd 1909 and June 27th 1909; Apr 3rd 1910 and May 28th 1910; May 1st 1911 and June 24th 1911; Apr 2nd 1912 and May 28th 1912). Is this possibly some attempt to determine the best time to conceive a boy???

3. I also find it interesting that the entries stop in June of 1913. For the pattern to continue, there should have been an August entry?? Since her husband was killed in September, that could explain no subsequent entries, but the "missing" August entry seems strange...

3. Are there any clues at all in the other text of the journal??

Just my 2 cents worth...

**************************************************************
Jeanne Lee Cunningham JEANNE2510@GEOCITIES.COM
932 Lawrence Avenue jeannelc10@aol.com or jeanne@ukans.edu
Lawrence, KS 66049 (785)841-0000 OR 843-0000 or work 864-0355
***** Mother's necessity IS invention. *****
**************************************************************

I've been waiting for someone else to post this information but I guess I'll go ahead with it.

Regards,
Strephon Johnson
Baltimore, MD

Strephon Johnson wrote (intending to be rhetorical):

> Would anyone like to hear about my grandfathers'
> enlarged prostate?

The answer is, yes, lots of people would. Really. The issue is whether such a discussion has any bearing on understanding the lives of other forebears who aren't available to be quizzed on the subject. Quite possible. So, if your grandfather doesn't mind, go right ahead.

John Chandler
(who ought to start having
his PSA checked)

I don't know for sure what was used for pain at that time of the month but back then they used Laudanum (sp) for all kinds of pain. It was an Opium derivative.

Bev

Ok, I'm going to jump on this bandwagon. I agree with Tina, if it wasn't for us women and our "woman things". I consider all of this to be a part of genealogy research. I remember my grandmother talking about "coat hangers", "woman who died because they didn't want anymore children" when I was young as 8 years old. Of course, none of this made any sense at the time. However, as I started searching records, especially medical records, I just couldn't believe how many women died of self-abortions!!! This IS an important part of our past.

Marie

Opiates were derived from chewing poppy seeds and acetylsalicilic acid (aspirin) from chewing willow bark. Both were used for hundreds of years.

Happy hunting,
Gil

Has anyone checked to see if these dates are all on the same day of the week? (i.e. Sunday?) Was it usual in that time for menstrual periods to be twice as far apart? I have never heard of this.

I also think it would be unusual for a woman of that time period to use the term 'ovulation' if that is what was meant. I would be surprised if doctors even used the term so easily.

This is a puzzle, indeed.

LaWanda

My grandfather, HARRY H. RAY was born in 1883 in Colegrove, McKean Co., Pennsylvania. He was a carpenter in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, Kansas and Oklahoma from 1905 to 1930, building the large tank farms. In 1943, he and Grandma settled in Chillicothe, MO on a farm north of town. The farm had an old outhouse that was unsuitable for use when Grandpa Ray first moved there, so he built a new one. Oh, what an outhouse it was!

The location was ideal, fairly close to the house and next to a large Redbud tree. The family didn't mind using Grandpa's outhouse even in the winter, because it was built better than the old farm house and a good deal warmer. He built it on a concrete foundation, with white siding, and a nice shingled roof. The door was a wooden solid core entrance door with a real door knob. Of course there was a hook to lock the door when in use. Inside, the walls were neatly wallpapered, and there were two modern toilet seats with lids. All the wood was painted white. In the winter he had a small kerosene heater to keep us snug.

The most interesting about Grandpa Ray's little outhouse was the flushing technique. There was a waste basket in the corner that had a foot lever to depress to open the lid. The little waste basket was kept full of LIME. Two scoops of lime was equal to one flush. There was never a problem with an unsightly aroma coming from Grandpa's little outhouse. We never used oyster shells. Probably too expensive.

The wellhouse, smokehouse and outhouse that Grandpa built are still standing today, but the old farm house has been gone for several years.

Isn't it funny what a child will remember about Grandpa??

Adonna Morgan

Ovation was a PUBLIC WELCOMING. Probably welcoming new converts or new members into the church. Check to see if all your dates were on Sunday.

A. Morgan

In reflecting on this and saying it out loud, this phrase suddenly came to me: "Standing Ovation". My dictionary says that ovation is to pay public homage or tribute.

Perhaps Clara received applause or tribute for performing in public or at church--such as singing, recitations, etc.

We may never know the true meaning of this. Thanks for sharing it with us on Roots-L.

Email: nharvey@fiona.umsmed.edu
Name: Nan Harvey
subject: Family and local history

Okay, here goes my daughter's theory:

Clara and her husband somehow got the idea that if getting pregnant during one cycle produced a girl, then the next cycle would produce a boy, the next a girl etc.

They must have known when she got pregnant with the first girl baby. So they sat down and figured out which cycles would produce girls and which would produce boys. Therefore, each date is TWO cycles apart - and supposedly keeping track of ovulation, not menstrual periods.

The days of the week vary, from Tues to Wed to Sunday; but the number of days between each date is 56 or 57. Exactly two menstrual cycles.

I am amazed that anyone was doing this back in 1909.

It's still a possibility that she was speaking to girls at church meetings.

LaWanda

My mother recently told me a very funny story about this very thing. Seems that Great Grandma, who was tee-totaling staunch Baptist, kept a quart jar of whiskey hidden behind a loose stone in the fireplace - for medicinal purposes, you know (it was hung on a string down behind the masonry). One of her daughters was lying on the couch with cramps and Gr-Grandma was doing the wash - outside in the washpot over the fire, of course. Every time she went outside, the daughter would go take a swig of the whiskey - by the time the wash was done, she was 'feeling no pain'!

LaWanda

Do some of you get the list in a different way than I do? When I go to the list, I see the subjects and have to click on a number to read the message. If I did not want to read messages about "female problems" (what an archaic expression!) I would not click on that one.

Am I missing something here?

LaWanda

Just a bit on other remedies for the delicate female gender of old:

I have several old bottles that once held tonics.

Lydia Pinkhams compound, at one dollar a bottle, boasted help for the "prolapsus uteri, or falling of the womb and other female weaknesses". It also boasted a healthy percentage of alcohol.

Another bottle, with a complete label "McElree's Wine of Cardui" or Women's Relief was used to treat menstrual irregularities, supressed or delayed menses, painful menstruation, whites, falling of the womb, and change of life. Printing on the label front instructs to "keep well corked"--wonder if that is the product or the consumer?... ;o]!!

Smile...life is life, no matter what century you are in!

Mary M.

Come on folks. Lay this to rest. Find someone who has a dictionary, or a primary school education.
end
Mark and Hwaji Cueni
mnhcueni@pahrump.com

2. Childhood Memories

3. Name Change...

4. Ovation...

5. LaWanda -

Barbara Rivas
sayona@telepath.com