HAROLD EDMUND (EDWIN) DRAKE

1918-1919 Diary of an Intelligent, Witty Us Army Medic Exploring France While Stationed in Rumaucourt As the War Drew to Its Close

Rumaucourt, France, 1918-1919. Softcover. On offer is an excellent, intensely detailed World War I diary kept by a bright, well-written young man named Harold Edmund (sometimes Edwin) Drake (1897-1987) , who would become a well-respected dentist in his home state of Ohio following his time in the service. Military records show that Drake was trained for service at Camp Crane. He was in the Camp Crane Unit #17 August Automatic Replacement Unit (Medical). Camp Crane was a World War I United States Army Ambulance Service (USAAS) training camp, located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Its mission was to train ambulance drivers to evacuate casualties on the Western Front in France. In September 1918, Drake was deployed to France, sailing on the USS Maui. When Drake commences this diary (which he clearly states is his second since entering the service; his first entry begins “Continued from Book 1”) he is stationed in Rumaucourt, France. Rumaucourt is in the Pas de Calais region. This region was in the heart of the WWI conflict and one of the principal theatres of the war. Many major battles took place between 1914 and 1918, including Vimy Ridge, Arras, Artois, and Cambrai. Drake recounts his day-to-day existence at Rumaucourt, sometimes with a very wry sense of humour. “My diary as a US Soldier (I wasn’t really a soldier, just being attached to the army for rations, etc but it sounds swell) ” [Inside front cover]. He does not identify his unit but context confirms that he is a Sergeant, later promoted to Sergeant-Major. Context also suggests that he is serving in one of the many Convalescent Hospitals near the front. What makes Drake’s diary special is the level of detail in which he writes, both about his experiences as a soldier overseas and of his experience as a bright and engaged young man taking advantage of this accidental travel opportunity. His entries are long and he writes with wit and, sometimes, poetically. His entries take a turn after the Treaty of Versailles is signed in June, 1919, and he discovers he will not be immediately returned to America. His disdain for the army in which he is committed to serve is palpable. Some excerpts follow, to give a sense of how Drake wrote about his work and his play: “12: 20 AM and I am sitting at an oil-cloth covered table in the Red Cross hut at Is-Sur-Tille. Our instructions are to be at Rumaucourt station in time to catch the American Rocade for Chaumont. Well we arrived at about 12: 45 and started to wait. When it was about time for the train to arrive, the RLO announced that it would be a very crowded train so he would put us on the 3: 29 ‘Frog’ train. So we started in to wait once more. Time is the most abundant thing a French railroad possesses. 3: 29 came and passed…” [Feb 18, 1919]“Walked around the grounds in bright sunshine and climbed out on the cliffs, where we had a fine view of the cape and the town on the other side of the harbor. The sea of deep blue with the villas of white [together? ] with the red tile roofs made a most beautiful picture. On the shore to the left was the mountains with their tops enveloped in clouds. After dinner we caught the first car into town to take the trip there. The “Old City” and “Chateau Hill” which started from the “Y” at 2: 15pm. Saw a hotel in which Napoleon and a Pope or two had stopped, the Hotel de Hills or City Hall, and the ancient palace of the Duchess of Savoy, an ancient church which was begun about the 15th century. Very beautiful inside…” [Feb 20, 1919 - this is a brief excerpt of his four page account of a vividly detailed description of a guided evening tour of town that he took. On May 30, he travels to Versailles for another guided tour and writes another three vividly detailed pages about the history, sights and sounds of the place amidst war]. “…BH [Base Hospital] 52 and 58 left this afternoon on the first lap of their trip home. They were delayed a bit at the depot as their train of “ Hommes 40 Chevaux 8 “ was believed a wreck. This wreck was caused in a wood very near St. B... The pilot of an airplane fell from his machine at quite a height and fell near the track His machine flew for about a mile and then crashed onto the train smashing in and derailing a car of men Two men were injured and the observer is not expected to live. The pilot was found dead along the track. Probably first time in history that a plane has wrecked a train” [Mar 8, 1919]. “Work about as usual. Peace signed at 3 P. M. [he refers to the Treaty of Versailles]. Parade tonight - Lebanon can put on a better parade than that” [June 28, 1919]. “...No liberty for anyone. A grand and glorious fourth! From the news at present it looks as tho we would be here for a while. Am disgusted with the army and all pertaining to it” [July 5, 1919]. For a historian, this is a superb, first-hand account of a soldier’s daily life at the close of WWI. In plain but well-written English he describes events and circumstances that never make it into the history textbooks but are the all-too-real experiences of life in the army during wartime. This is a fine addition to any collection of first-hand accounts of WWI and is an excellent example of primary-source documentationBIO NOTES ON HAROLD E. DRAKE: Harold Edmund (sometimes called Edwin) Drake (1897-1987) was born to parents Frank and Ida in Lebanon, Ohio. He enlisted to the US Army on July 20, 1918 and was honourably discharged on October 2, 1919. Upon returning to Ohio from his service, Drake became a dentist. Dr. Harold Drake married Dolla Pauline Spencer in 1947. Sadly, Spencer’s father passed away shortly before the wedding, so it was an understated affair. The couple had no children. Harold was accepted as a member of the Sons of the American Revolution as the direct ancestor of Private Joseph Drake (b. 1744) of New Jersey. Joseph Drake was his great-great-great paternal grandfather. This diary measures 5.5 inches by 3.5 inches. It is a standard-issue pocket notebook, a precursor to today’s Field Message Pad (FMP). Each page is printed with a faint grid pattern overlay. The notebook has 100 pages and is about 90% complete. The cover is in good condition save for some chipping and loss of leather at the spine. The binding is intact and the pages present age toning that does not interfere with readability.. The handwriting is legible. Overall G. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 100 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011160

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary; 20th Century Manuscript; 20th Century Rare Book

EARLE SUMNER DRAPER

1914 Diary by Earle Sumner Draper, Who Coined the Term Urban Sprawl

Amherst, Massachusetts, 1914. Hardcover. Offering a 1914 handwritten personal diary by Earle Sumner Draper, who would go on to have a major impact on urban planning in the United States. At the time of writing, Draper was a 21-year-old Massachusetts Agricultural College (later called UMass Amherst) student. The book offers an excellent glimpse of what life as a landscape architecture student in the 1940s looked like. Draper’s days are filled with studying, socializing, and extracurriculars. “Up at 8: 30 went into Boston -- around looking for a summer job in [...] offices. Fair luck. Dinner at N. S. Hotel. Took Susie out to the Harvard game. An awful game -- we lost 18-3. Took the 6: 10 out to Harry’s and studied in evening. Bed at 10: 30 PM” (February 11). “Up at 5: 45 and studied Hort. Waited. Worked all morning with Harrison on topo work. Cut Math. Learned more about topo than I ever knew before. Cut drill (was excused). Tennis practice in doubles. Supper. Worked on Frat ball game. Studied L [...] 10 all evening” (May 20). “Started work on design for Mrs. Haight’s Rose Garden. No letter from N yet. Somewhat worried. Read Kenyon [...] on “Design” in library in evening” (September 17). “Working on design for Ellwood. Played tag football. Attended Senate Hash House Investigation meeting with Kenny. Wrote up Ent roster. Trouble getting Feb 12 date for hockey filled” (November 17). Draper was born in Massachusetts in 1893. In 1915 he earned his B. S. In landscape architecture from Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts). After graduating, he went to Charlotte, North Carolina, to work on the Myers Park subdivision, and eventually established his own firm specializing in upper-class residential neighborhoods and mill towns. He later moved to Washington, DC, and became the director of land planning and housing for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) , and then director of regional planning studies. In 1940 he became assistant administrator of the Federal Housing Administration and was later appointed as its acting commissioner. Earle Draper is the man who coined the phrase “urban sprawl, ” which is used to describe uncontrolled suburban growth with little to no regard for planning. His collected papers can be found at the University of North Carolina and Cornell University. Draper’s diary provides an excellent window into the education and formation of one of America’s most important planners. Details: Size 4.75" x 3"Number of pages: 122100% completeOverall condition: goodBinding: cracked along inside front cover Handwriting: legible; Manuscripts; 4.75" x 3"; 122 pages. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0010044

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: . Planned Communities City Planner Alumni

STELLA MAE DURBIN (LATER BROWN)

1936-1940 Collection of Diaries of a Young Ottawa, Kansas Republican Woman on the Verge of Independence

Topeka, Ottawa, Kansas. Softcover. On offer is a terrific archive of four diaries spanning over four years in the life of a busy, politically engaged and descriptive young Kansas woman named Stella May Durbin (later Brown) (1909-1977) [SEE BIO NOTES AT END OF LISTING]. Stella was a proud Republican and member of the the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and Order of the Eastern Star. She suffered from colitis and describes the experience of inpatient surgery and recovery in 1936 quite well. She references abdominal pain throughout her diaries. Stella works in both Ottawa and Tokepa, Kansas. At one point she works at the Topeka State Hospital. Stella’s entries are generally long and very newsy. Reading her diary is very much like hearing an update from a friend. Her 1936-1938 diaries are very comprehensive. In 1939 she tapers her writing, begins using it as more of a ledger book for her finances, and includes a few random 1940 entries (and dates them as such) , which is a fun treat. Some excerpts give a sense of how Stella writes and the general content of her diaries: “...Lois and Merv took us to see the wrecked car downtown. Two cars collided head on, then Carl, Murch and Eileen drove into the wreck. They weren’t hurt but one fellow was killed. Had quite a surprise this afternoon when Clair Spears called and came up to talk. He must have thot I was a wreck for I’d shampooed and set my hair…” [Jan 5, 1936]. “Hottest ever recorded as late in the season. Leota called to ask me to attend the G. O. P. Party council with her in Topeka tomorrow and I don’t feel like it…Saw Ritz Malone and talked about the elephant cookies for the next G. O. P. Banquet. Have pills to take, got Belladona for colitis…” [Aug 24, 1936]. In September of 1936, Stella has a surgery, in which one and a half of her “tubes” are removed and she reports her “appendix had an attack”. This surgery was presumably related to her colitis though she does not specify. She writes for several days after the surgery, painting a picture of what it was like to be inpatient post-op in the 1930s. A sample excerpt from her post operative recovery is here: “...Get a bath every morning, alcohol rub on back and powder bath then back rub again..keeping register of doctors, nurses and aids…” [Sept 17, 1936]. “Saw Franklin D. Roosevelt today…Ruth, Mother and I went to Junction to see Roosevelt. He just sat in the car and waved - rather disheartenedly, we all thot. Crowd went wild…” [Oct 13, 1936]. “Washed and dressed, straightened house & dishes about 9: 30 when 5 of K. C. Folks drove up. Busy all morning getting dinner but I let them do the dishes. Rested and we all read excerpts from grandma’s diaries…” [May 30, 1936]. “Home after work...Not paid tonight & was surprised. Paid the balance on my shoes and they seem alright but I don’t know... Put 9 pennies in bank tonite – I’ll get something nice with them someday…” [Mar 25, 1937]. “...Went to the Circle meeting...Mrs Morgan pres, Mrs. Bidermans Sr Vice & yours truly Jr Vice. Also elected 1st delegate to State encampment at Topeka in May with all expenses paid Can be so nice with granddad going too…” [Dec 10, 1937]. “Went to see Alexander’s Ragtime Band and surely enjoyed it. Don Ameche, Alice Faye & Tyrone Power. Went to Cheney’s for groceries but didn’t see anyone I knew. Had an experience – a woman tried to run Mrs. Bowlby & Nadine. Then the woman thumbed her nose – audibly – was I mad! “ [Sept 14, 1938]. “Election at Eastern Star and I was gloriously defeated! Mrs. Chalmers got it. Feel relieved but I got the best votes of all 4. She got it easily on the 2nd ballot” [Dec 7, 1938]. “...Mr. Pleasant called today and I’m to work in driver’s license bureau at $12.60 a week, am to go to Olathe Sat re to schooling. Cleaned ice box and floor all around it…. Made ice cream too - butterscotch. Anna, Mother and I to Star and the dummy candidate - my feet are screeching! ...” [June 7, 1939]. “Got letter from Frank this morn so I answered it and told him the decisions were up to him or we might try a month’s separation - just writing if we cared to” [June 20, 1939]. “...Granddad died 3: 15am July 13…Started work in Topeka State Hospital - July 30, 1939…Frank started work Jan 3, 1940 and on his own in car on Wed 24th January” [Memoranda Section, 1939 diary]. For a social historian, this group of diaries offers and excellent look at the life of a young American woman in the years immediately preceding WWII. They also portray the social structures of the time and the roles that women played within society – roles that would radically change in a few short years. BIO NOTES: Stella was the third of four children born to parents William Henley Durbin and Mary Estella Getty in Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas. Stella married Talmadge Abraham Brown in Ottawa, Kansas on October 6, 1940. Brown served 19 years in the US Navy and Stella moved with her husband for his career, landing in South Carolina, where Talmadge would sadly die in 1956. This archive contains four diaries covering the years of 1936-1939. All four diaries measure 6x3.75 inches. The diaries for 1936-1937 are 90% complete, while the 1938 and 1939 diaries are about 60% complete. The covers, bindings and pages are all in Good condition. There are several neat pieces of ephemera tipped into the diaries, including . ; Manuscripts; 16mo 6" - 7" tall. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0010058

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Chronic Illness

ALBERT EDWARD ELLIS

1929-1934 Archive of a Depression-Era Beat Cop’S Log Books and Ephemera Documenting His Patrols of Downtown Boston

Boston, Massachusetts. Softcover. On offer is an archive of nine logbooks and associated ephemera kept by a Boston police officer patrolling in the downtown core during the Great Depression. The police officer who kept these log books is Albert Edward Ellis (1897-1986) , a patrol officer with the Boston Police Department. Prior to entering the force, Ellis served in the US Army during World War I. He married Irene A. Kelley and they lived in Roslindale, MA with their two children, Jeanne and Albert. Ellis became a Mason in 1925. He kept these logs while working in downtown Boston for the Boston Police Department in his 30s. His badge number was T229.For each day he works, Ellis notes, at minimum, the intersection at which he is posted, the officer(s) who relieve him on his breaks, and many 6 digit automobile reference numbers of cars he observed. On many days, Ellis’ notes are more in-depth. Ellis makes exceptionally detailed field notes when there are incidents he will need to officially write up and report back at the station. Some incidents he details include handling a pocketbook theft, describing automobile accidents he witnesses, responding to civilian complaints such as open manholes, breaking up fights, and more. Some excerpts from his notes follow: “About 11.40 this PM I found the rear cellar door of 754 South street open…Walter’s Candy store…secured same at 1150 PM with Patrolman Locke. Reported to the station 11.55” [Sept 9, 1925]. “About 9 this AM while directing traffic at the corner of Boylston and Exeter street I gave the traffic in Exeter street a hand signal to start... I then heard the horn and noticed a Police car #103 coming…. I then gave a signal for the traffic I had just started to stop and gave the police car a hand signal to proceed…The operator of the taxi which I had started said he did not see the hand signal that I gave him to stop…. [the police car] was struck and turned over by a Peerless 20 Century Taxi…” [December 19, 1933]. “... Wanted for murder on Div #16 2 men/#1 – 22 6 150 med comp Blue suit Brown hat/#2 – 22-23 6 150 Brown suit and hat which did not fit at Hotel on Huntington Ave” [Sept 14, 1929]. “I found Bernard D. Mann 40 years old married of 15 Tirrell street Atlantic Mass Laying on the sidewalk in Dartmouth street in front of the library near Huntington Ave. He was taken to Boston City Hospital in the ambulance…[he] was found to be suffering from post Epileptis [sic]…his wife was notified” [Jan 28, 1931]. “Opening day for Liquor End of 18th Amendment” [Dec 5, 1933, Ellis refers here to the end of Prohibition]. Ellis also notes his days off work, vacation days, and breaks during his work day. Ellis’ writing is consistently professional in nature, his personal opinions and feelings never overtaking his professional judgment. Tipped into several of the logbooks are some additional police-related ephemera including: detailed, completed arrest cards, an envelope with photographic negatives, a form that was supposed to have been sent to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to record a driving infraction, an official report on an incident (addressed to Captain Perley S. Skillings of Division 16). The final piece of ephemera provides the one and only hint as to who Ellis was as a person outside of his job - a postcard sent from a friend named “Strip”. In the postcard, Strip refers to Ellis as “Bozo” and makes some jokes that are decidedly politically incorrect. This archive is an absolutely fascinating glimpse into the work life of a beat cop working in the heart of downtown Boston in the first half of the 20th century. The names of Boston locals and fellow officers paired with the locations mentioned by Ellis provide rich information for those interested in the Boston region. Since Ellis notes his patrol intersection each day, these books may fill in some historical knowledge gaps about Eight of the diaries measure approximately 6.75” x 4” and contain 60 pages plus an additional two typewritten pages providing instructions to police officers about how to “Ascertain and Note” facts about traffic accidents and the “The Importance of Preserving Fingerprints”. The ninth book measures 6” x 3.75” and contains 140 pages (it is not an official police log book as the first eight are). The diaries are between 90-100% complete. The diaries were kept in 1925, 1929, 1930, 1931 and 1934. Each diary covers a few months of the year. 1929 and 1930 are the most heavily covered with three diaries completed for each of the two years. The covers, bindings and pages of all nine diaries are in good condition. The officer wrote in pencil and pen. All writing is legible. Overall VG. ; Manuscripts; 16mo 6" - 7" tall; Signed by Author. Very Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0010313

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary; 20th Century Manuscript; 20th Century Rare Book

Keywords: Notebooks Urban

RUTH HARRIS DIUGUID DOUGHERTY FALLON

1935-1937 Diary of a Boy Crazy, Popular Sayville, New Yorker Who Writes from Age 17 to 19 and While Completing High School and Who Would One Day Become a Journalist and Historian

Sayville, New York. Hardcover. On offer is a fascinating journal of a young American woman, Ruth Harris Diuguid Dougherty Fallon (1917-2007). Born and raised in Sayville New York, Diuguid lived most of her life in or near Brooklyn. She married Frederick Howard Dougherty (1918-2004) in 1940 and subsequently Robert Edwards Fallon (1917-2012) in 1987. Ruth and Frederick had two daughters. Ruth was a housewife but on the side, she was a published journalist and photographer. She published articles in magazines such as Seventeen, but was best known for her historical newspaper articles in the Suffolk County News, where she wrote a column called Reflections of the Past about the history of Sayville, New York. Ruth also served on the world-wide governing council of the Girl Scouts and was an active member of the Sayville Historical Society. Ruth was 17 when she began this diary in 1935. She was a high school junior at Sayville High School. She crams every single page with detailed entries of the type of personal and social events that are of such crucial importance to a teenager. While the diary is set up to be kept over five years, Ruth writes voraciously and the vast majority of the entries are 1935-1937. On some pages, the entry for a single day will take up most of the page, with entries for other years jotted in the margins or skipped. The diary opens with a “Notice”: “To whoever takes the liberty of reading this diary may it reflect upon their character and be a curse to them if they use the contents against me (or those mentioned) or to embarrass me (or those herein) ” [Flyleaf]. And, with that dire warning, she launches in to a breathless description of her life with family and friends. The entries are very long so these are mostly just excerpts: “Went to school. I had little homework to finish. I am going with the gang to see Tommy Richards (who was stabbed) but some of them appeared []. Maybe I ought to introduce most of the gang – they are the boys and girls of the neighbourhood ...(she then goes on to list over a dozen friends including Freddie Dougherty whom she would later marry) ” [Jan 3, 1935]. “Went to school for an hour in the morning to take English mid-term. I think I barely passed. Bee, Vi & I went to Metropolitan Theatre to see Folies Bergere. Had soda in Lofts. Vi & I went to store for mom...Vi, Helen, Connie, Flo, Margie and I walked to Bob’s, sat on steps listening to his orchestra play awhile. Some young boys followed us. Met the boys from our gang on our block. Stood talking a while” [Apr 3, 1935]. “School. No assembly. Harold & I wandered around a while then went to baseball game. SHS vs Bayshore . We won 5-0. Water pistols were numerous in grandstand…” [May 22, 1936]. “Wednesday work. A day I have long been awaiting arrived - I took my driving test for my senior license! Ma drove me down by 11: 00 to Patchogue(Granville Ave). The man was so nice. We carried on quite a conversation. He visited Daddy’s business in Brooklyn years ago. I didn’t do perfectly but I may have passed and I may not have. I do hope I did. I took mom to lunch in the Bonnie Mart. We looked in stores. (I had lunch…). At home I cleaned my car (as I do once in a while). Then…went to the beach. I later went to library. We felt the urge to study. I get biology and [? French]. Joe and John came down …before we had to…with work…. At church meeting Howie said he had a compliment to tell me ++ nice to hear that the most enjoyable evening he ever spent was at Darcy’s party. I can only say I…find it enjoyable to when Howie is concerned” [August 19, 1936]. For a social historian, this is a terrific look into the lives led by American teenagers during the pre-war years. It would be an excellent source record for a Women’s Studies program, particularly as it shows a lifestyle that was about to undergo a radical change with WWII and the post war years in America. For a genealogist, it offers and outstanding list of names and connections in this community, including the school community of Sayville High School. This diary measures 5.25 inches by 4.0 inches and contains 365 pages. The covers are in good condition as is the binding. The pages are in good condition although there is some slight ink blotting in places. The handwriting is tight but generally legible. ; Manuscripts; 24mo 5" - 6" tall; 365 pages; Signed by Author. Very Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011109

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Teen Angst Women's Normal

GLADYS MARGARET FINNEY

1923-24 Diary of an Observant San Francisco Teen Insightfully Discussing Her Personal Life, the Arts, Local and World Events

San Francisco, California, Notre Dame High School. Softcover. On offer is an interesting journal kept by a motivated and organized young woman attending the all-girls Notre Dame High School in San Francisco, California in the early 20th century. The diary is written by a high school student mainly during her freshman and sophomore years. Research and context indicates that her name is Gladys Margaret Finney. Only her surname is visible on the inside cover (which has been heavily ripped) , but her full name is noted in a list she hand wrote naming all members of the “Class of 1926”, of which she was a member. From context in the journal and research cross-referencing the names of Finney’s classmates, it appears Gladys is our author and that she was attending Notre Dame High School in San Francisco at the time of her writing. Gladys Margaret Finney Luhman (1910-1997) was born in California to parents Constance (1882-1929) and Francis Joseph (1876-1956) Finney. She was an only child. In 1942, she married Bertrand C. Luhman (1909-1944) He died only two years later of esophageal cancer. Gladys does not appear to have remarried or had any children. She and Bertrand are buried together. Finney’s entries are detailed though inconsistent. Her diary begins in April of 1923, when she is a high school freshman. She writes until August of 1923, then picks up again and writes sporadically between January and July of 2024. She also makes a number of undated entries. The diary is chock full of discussions deemed important by high school students of the day, some neat content about the military, as well as a lot of discussion of life in California. Gladys also enjoys attending film and theatre productions and often gives thoughtful summaries and reviews of shows she’s seen. Some excerpts: “Mrs. G. Wore her blue crepe de chine waist , blue skirt, black shoes & stockings & black sweater. I got 88 in History. And 100% in Science” [Apr 21, 1923]. “Today Section A – Biology was introduced to Ferdinand Shumann by Sr. Cecile Marie.... He has black hair a la Valentina, brown eyes, he wore a black suit with grey stripe bow tie, brown oxfords and spats. He carried a cane, brown hat and white gloves...OH THRILLS” [Jan 24, 1924]. “Last Friday we went down to Santa Clara to see “Everyman”. The play was very good. It was an old morality play from the Middle Ages. The author is unknown. I went in Evelyn (Lagomansind? ) ’s machine. It’s a seven passenger Haynes sedan. Mrs. Lagomansind, Claire McCarthy and Evelyn sat in the front…Our machine was the only one with a grown up driver. Ann Nuttman drove her own car, so did Dorothy Barnett…” [April 9, 1924]. “...I went to the Golden Gate with Kathleen. About the best picture I’ve seen is Sporting Youth. It was very exciting with an automobile race. Reginald Denny takes the part of the chauffeur…On Monday June 23, 1924 the first cross-country in-a-day trip was made thro the air by Lieutenant R. L Maughan of the U. S. Army Air Service. He started from Mitchell Field, N. Y, at 3: 59 AM Eastern Time and arrived to Crissy Field, S. F. At 9: 47PM Pacific Time. The actual flying time was a little over 17 hours, so he really beat the sun. 40,000 San Franciscans were waiting to greet him. He was given bouquets and receptions etc. He spoke over IEPO one night and among the listeners in was his wife in Utah…” [July 3, 1924]. Of interest is her description of seeing Royal Navy sailors in the port of San Francisco. She mentions by name the famed British battleship HMS HOOD. In fact, this was a port of call on HOOD’s round-the-world Empire Cruise of the Special Service Squadron: “So yesterday, we went across to Ruth’s. We saw the ships. They looked wonderful. The H. M. S. Hood is 940 feet long. It looked immense. The “California” was right next to it and looked like a baby. Going over, we saw a boatload of sailors on the Narrow Gauge. Oakland and Berkley entertained the soldiers yesterday. Last night, we went to Oakland and saw them again. You could hardly make them out, though. On the 12th and Broadway train there were three sailors - two American and one English. The two were joking and laughing and having a good time. But the other fellow only half smiled and looked lonesome - perhaps for the loss he left behind him…” [part of a multi-day entry begun on July 11, 1924]. Also of interest is a listing of all of her graduating classmates and a poem she wrote incorporating all of the names of her classmates, both at the end of the diary. For a social historian, this journal is an excellent window into the world of a young American girl growing up in post WWI America. The horrors of WWI are behind her and the ravages of the Great Depression yet to come. For a genealogist, the class/student list is an excellent reference for research. This small journal measures 6.75x4.0 inches and contains 72 pages. It is 100% complete. The front cover is damaged. The bottom right corner, accounting for about 25% of the cover is torn off. The back cover shows wear and worn marks on the outer and bottom edges. The binding is generally firm. The pages are in good condition. The handwriting is legible. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 72 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011102

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Angst 20th Academy

HUGH M FOGO

1918 Diary of a Wisconsin Doctor and Newlywed Serving in World War One and Shipping out to France in a Medical Unit

Gillingham, Wisconsin, France, 1918. Softcover. On offer is an outstanding diary describing an American medical officer’s experiences in the final year of WWI. This diary belonged to Hugh M Fogo (1886-1963). Fogo was born in Gillingham, Wisconsin to parents Caroline Morrow and Harvey Fogo. He was educated first at the University of Wisconsin, and then completed his medical training at Rush College in Chicago, Illinois, graduating in 1917. He enlisted in the army in July of 1917. In May, 1918, Hugh, who was a Lieutenant in the Medical Reserve Corps at the time, married Isabel Young. He shipped out to France just a few days later as a part of the American Expeditionary Forces and served there from June 1918 to June 1919. After the war, Huge resided in Chicago with his Isabel and their daughter, Jeanette. He worked as an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor. Fogo identifies his unit as the 83rd Division at Camp Sherman, Ohio. On June 13th, he shipped out for France with the 83rd Division. They arrived in Britain on June 22nd and were immediately re-embarked on a transport ship for France. He arrived in Le Havre on the 24th. For the next several months he was stationed at hospitals near the Western Front. Arriving after the Battle of Belleau Wood, he commented on a number of battle actions as the war ground on to its conclusion in November of that year. Following the armistice, he moved with his unit into Germany. At year’s end, he was still in Germany. The 83rd Division was demobilized in April 1919. During the was, the 83rd was designated as the 2nd Depot Division. It supplied over 195,000 officers and enlisted men as replacements to other units in France but never saw action as a complete formation. Trained as a doctor, Fogo brings a keen eye for detail and an ability to concisely describe what he sees around him. The following excerpts convey a flavour of his diary. “83rd Div Camp Sherman, O. In B Hosp C, Sherman O. Tonsils out yesterday PM. Feeling very comfortable. Weather cold. About 6 inches of snow…” [Jan 1]. “Regular schedule. Dancing party by Bae Hosp. Surgeons at YMCA. Miss Curtis” [Feb 1]. “Packing and checking up at camp. Married at 5PM. Wedding supper at 6PM. 50 guests present. Some nice presents. Everybody very kind. Very glad it is settled. Both happy. Changed room to 177 W. 2nd” [May 28]. “Left Camp at 2: 00 PM. Glad of change and that we’re on our way to the front. Men all happy and singing. Stopped at a good many stations. People waving farewell everywhere” [June 4]. “Left camp at 3: 30AM and boarded ship at 7AM. [Addendum Fogo added on August 27, 1932 right below this entry]: This was the White Star Liner Olympic used to transport HMF” [June 12]. “Attacks successful on British, French and Amer. Fronts along sectors Ch Thierry to Cambrai and Arras. Began in mid-July following a Hun attack on July 15 at Ch Thierry on Franco-Arras front” [Aug 8]. “Capt J. E. McNeel Amb Co 329 had heard of brother killed in action at Soissons in the first big drive” [Aug 10]. “...Rainy most of time. St. Mihiel sector wiped out by French and Amer on Sept [ ]. Big attack from Rhiems to Verdun. Started Sept 25. 7 mile advance 1st day” [Sept 27]. “Cloudy A. M. Clear P. M. Train slow. Reached Vierzonat 3: 00 P. M.. Went on to Saincaize to change cars for Lyon. Reached Saincaize at midnight. Train out for Lyon at 6: 00 A. M. Stayed in Depot. ARMISTICE SIGNED by HUNS 5: 30 A. M”. [Nov 11]. Shortly after the war, it appears that he returned to visit. There are photographs of Belleau Wood which was a major battle fought in 1918. Belleau Wood saw significant action by the U. S. Marine Corps and occupies a significant place in the lore of the Corps. One of the pictures shows an ammunition dump. Others are street scenes of several cities. For a historian, this is an excellent description of one officer’s experiences with the American Expeditionary Force. It adds to the body of information about the 83rd Divisions movements The photographs add a real sense of immediacy to his diary. This diary measures 4.75x3.25 inches and contains 184 pages plus memoranda and is about 65% complete. The cover is canvas with leather trim on the edges. The trim is worn off in areas. There is some staining on the cover. The binding is completely intact as are all of the pages. The small pencil that came with the diary is still in its loop There is a small pocket on the inside of the back cover and it contains 10 annotated black & white photographs plus other ephemera. The diary carries 4 stamps from Army Censors indicating it has been passed. Overall Good. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 184 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011175

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary; 20th Century Manuscript; 20th Century Rare Book

Keywords: 1 Medic

PAULINE E. GELSER

1936-1940 Incredible Diary Chronicling a Rural New York Farm Girl’S Life from Age 11 to 16, Meeting Her Husband and Becoming a Woman

Duncan, Short Tract, Hornellsville, Canaseraga, New York, Rural New York, 1936-1940. Cloth. On offer is the outstanding five-year manuscript diary of bright, chatty and boy-crazy Pauline E. Gelser (b. July 26, 1924) kept from age 11 through 16, as she completes her schooling, dates, supports her family’s work on the farm, socializes and meets her future husband [See BIO NOTES on Pauline at the end of the listing]. Pauline begins her diary at age 11, in January of 1936 and keeps it religiously until December of 1940, when she is 16. Pauline records her graduation gifts and discusses her graduation in the spring of 1940 (and records show she graduated high school in the class of 1940) however she does return to school in the fall of 1940 and we are unable to verify where this schooling was taking place. This coming-of-age diary shows Pauline growing from a young girl who doodles on her diary pages in 1936, to a young woman who is preparing to enter the adult world. It is a rare treat to find a young diarist so dedicated to her writing, allowing us to watch a Depression-era high school experience unfold in detail. The first year of Pauline’s diary includes funny anecdotes from school, jokes and doodles and, in some cases, just the names of boys she likes written in a huge hand. 1937 begins as the year of Gail Coombs. Pauline has a big crush on him, though he doesn't seem to share her feelings. She spends 1937 talking about the boys, school, her work on the family farm and her family. She is now a freshman. As Pauline grows and changes, she finds new boys on whom to focus and gains confidence in herself as a woman. Her entries become more insightful and more self-aware. However, she never loses her childlike quality. In 1940 Pauline realizes she is in a less-than-great relationship with a boy named Bill and finds her true love in Tommy, her future husband. Some excerpts from the diary to give a flavour of Pauline’s writing and growth follow: “The boys said the teacher was coming. They brookin [sic] the door when we opened it. They stayed after school, also apologized” [Feb 6, 1936]. “Had party, young folks. Danced with Johnnie, Francis, Vernon and Billy. Billy was good. (Oh I can never forget it) ” [May 9, 1936]. “I got 100 in civics, 100 in General Science and 48 in Home making. I am…not smart. Don’t know what happened” [Sept 16, 1936]. “I got a note to-day warning me to let Gail Coombs alone from my advisor whoever that is. It is my own business” [Dec 3, 1936]. “Gail was pretty good. Didn’t talk nor write any notes. I got a note today…but Gail never wrote. I hope he likes me. I sat by Johnnie, Francis, Claire, Billie…Gail went by and did not like it” [Jan 8, 1937]“Our new teacher was there today. She isn’t very good looking and some say she isn’t very bright” [Feb 9, 1937]. “I went to the Freshman party at the “Old Mills”. Walked down Gerald. He roasted a weiner for me and got my lemonade for me. My slip came down. I had a good time. Swim was there. I went wading and fell in. Gail said I didn’t have any pants on. Imagine! ” [June 2, 1937]. “Gail’s father hung himself today. Geo Gates came down and got Gail this noon. It’s too bad. He was 45 years old” [Oct 4, 1937]. "Mr. & Mrs. H. R. Jones were over to dinner. Guy has 2 boils, pretty bad. Grandma gave me a dress, apron and $.50. Pretty good Grandmother" [July 17, 1938]. “Have seen Bill every day this week. Boy! He sure is swell” [May 10, 1939]. “Went to Japland. About 20 min to 3 deadline. Margie and Laverne, Eleanor and Clair, and Bill and I. I fought with Bill. Eleanor sat out with Leighton…. ” [July 12, 1940]. “Election! Mother’s 43rd birthday. Old pie face Roosevelt won - Bah! Humbug! ! Tommy came over, went to Birdsall and around by Gawoods home. Sat to home on his lap” [Nov 5, 1940]. In nearly 2,000 daily entries, Pauline charts the course of her life as she grows up. This is an absolute gem of a find for anyone interested in the lived experience of a teenage girl during the Great Depression and the experience of living on a family farm while cultivating a thriving social, academic and church life off the farm. BIO NOTES: Pauline Gelser was the second of four children born to Paul and Frances Josephine (Hamilton) Gelser in Hornellsville, New York. She lived her entire life in that part of New York state. According to records, she graduated from Canaseraga Central School in 1940 (though in her diary she discusses attending school in the fall of 1940 and no post-secondary records have been located). In 1943 she married a farmer, Thomas J. Bennett (1918-2002). They lived on a farm in the Dalton, New York area, near Short Tract, and had a son, Thomas R. Bennett, Jr. This diary measures approximately 6.75 inches by 5.25 inches. It contains 365 pages and is 99% complete. The fabric covers are in fair condition with staining and lots of markings written by the diarist (and maybe her friends? ) Markings include the handwritten names of the author’s crushes and friends. There is a clasp closure but the strap is broken. The spine and binding are intact and the pages are in good condition. The handwriting is legible. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 365 pages; Signed by Author. Fair with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0012048

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary; 20th Century Manuscript; 20th Century Rare Book

Keywords: Angst Teen Romance

HELEN LEONARD GILMAN

1901-1903 Manuscript Diary of a Wisconsin High School Sorority Girl Who Would Go on to Marry Into a Prominent New England Family and Make an Impact at Dickinson College

Madison, Wisconsin: Madison Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, Dickinson College, 1901. Hardcover. On offer is a revealing diary written by one Helen Leonard Gilman (1884-1952) of Madison, Wisconsin, during her sophomore and senior years of high school at Madison High. Gilman would go on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin as a teacher and marry Dr. Herbert Wing, a member of a prominent New England family which founded Sandwich, Massachusetts, and a renowned professor of Greek literature for many decades at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. [NOTE: We also hold a diary written by Dr. Herbert Wing in our collection - search for item # 2097 or contact us for the listing]. See end of listing for complete BIO NOTES on Gilman and Wing. This diary covers the second half of Gilman’s sophomore year of high school, with long, chatty entries spanning January to August, 1901. There is then a large gap, and Helen returns on June 12, 1903 for a detailed update about her high school graduation, and once more on June 29, 1903, when she meets up with her Delta Epsilon sisters for a final picnic before they all move on. In her diary, Helen gives us much more than a daily look at her life. She is highly intelligent and provides great detail that situates the reader clearly in the teen world of Wisconsin at the turn of the 20th century. She is heavily involved with her high school sorority, Delta Epsilon, and discusses their activities at length, including the initiation process for a new member named Daisy. She shares great detail about her education, extracurricular activities, church life and community involvement. She is an engaging writer and her entries are robust. She writes in a notebook instead of a diary, allowing her to be as verbose as she desires in her writing. Some excerpts from her diary give a sense of the themes and style of her writing: “Another week of school begins! The same old studies History, Caesar, Algebra and Greek are gone over. This noon took my notices to the Journal office with my notices. After school tonight, the committee appointed to oversee Daisy’s initiation met here. We have planned the most terrible things! Its a wonder if the poor child is not killed. This evening the Nautilus Club have a sleigh ride but I am unable to go on account of my cold and hard hard studies…” [Jan 14, 1901]. “I took to school with me this morning the babies Mother Goose Rhymes which we [Delta Epsilon] girls gave to Daisy who is to learn portions of it [Daisy is being initiated into the sorority]. Nautilus club met this evening after school and we had quite an exciting time as one of the girls got so excited while talking about how much she loves Burns that she wept. After club Margaret F and I went up town. The small pox scare at the Psi U house has proved to be nothing put a case of La grip” [Jan 15, 1901]. “This has been a very busy and delightful day – Flora and I went uptown at noon and tried to find a poster girl that I could use tonight but failed so after school I had to draw one. Such a sight as all the girls were this evening. Fran and Daisy came as ballet girls and looked too dear for any use. Awful low necks and short skirts. Dignified Clare shocked us all by appearing in a skirt far above her knees! ...” [Feb 21, 1901]. “... Today however is a great day for this morning I received the reward of four hard years of labor – my diploma from Madison High School ... With a grade of 5th in a class of 95! ... Last night I received my graduation presents...grandma gave me a beautiful diamond solitaire and the aunts a beautiful pearl ring...Mama gave me one of her beautiful gold bracelets with the initials of all who have worn it inside…” [June 12, 1903]. For a social historian or researcher into Women’s Studies, this is a window into the role education played in socializing young women into gender roles. As the writer Karen Graves noted in Girl’s Schooling During the Progressive Era, the high school education system became a more "efficient site for the construction of gender" (Graves, 2016). Traditionally, education served to teach middle and upper class girls enough to make them suitable marriage partners for men who would actually be the ones running affairs. Its goal was to make them good wives and mothers, not educated equals in society. This diary gives a fine view into this system and would be a valuable addition to any writings exploring this subject. Her sorority membership adds an extra layer as sororities and fraternities have long been seen as elitist and exclusionary organizations that serve to segregate young people based on ethnicity, class and wealth. BIO NOTES: Gilman was born to Edward Gilman and Sophie Mosley in 1884 in Madison, Wisconsin. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin in 1907 and taught at schools around the state. She also worked for the Wisconsin Historical Library. In 1916, she married Herbert Wing who came from a well-established New England family. Helen and Herbert lived in Pennsylvania where Herbert worked at Dickinson College. They had one child, H. Gilman Wing, who graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dickinson in 1948. During the senior Wing’s tenure at Dickinson, Helen helped to organize the Mary Dickinson Club. While in Pennsylvania, Helen founded the Carlisle branch of the American Association of University Women, was a patroness of Pi Beta Phi sorority and was heavily involved in the Methodist church. Herbert Wing was an ancestor of Reverend John Wing, who founded the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts, the oldest community on Cape Cod. Through marriage, she is a member of the Wing Family of America Inc. This nonprofit corporation was formed in 1902 to preserve the family heritage of The Reverend John and Deborah Wing It also owns Wing Fort House, the oldest home in North America continuously owned by one family. Helen sadly passed away at the age of 68 from breast cancer. This hardcover, lined notebook measures 9.5 inches by 7.5 inches. It contains 96 pages and is about 50% complete. The cover is in good condition. The spine is in good condition, but the binding is loose at the inside front cover, although it is still intact. The pages are in good condition and the handwriting is quite legible. Tipped in to the diary are dried flowers from Helen’s high school grad, two handwritten original Delta Epsilon songs, and a handwritten list of names that appear to be connected to sorority life. Overall Good+. ; Manuscripts; Large 8vo 9" - 10" tall; 96 pages; Signed by Author. Good+ with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011166

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: 20th Female Authors Angst

DR. CHARLES THOMAS GNEWUCH

1953-1990 Travel Diary of a Wisconsin Chemistry Professor’S Two Incredible Outdoor Adventures at Ages 15 and 52

Milwaukee, Wisconsin WI. Hardcover. On offer is an interesting journal with entries separated by nearly forty years. It includes a reference toanother of the unique historical (and true) legends of the west. The journal belonged to Dr. Charles Thomas Gnewuch (1938-2020). He was born to parents Charles and Dorothy (Ahern) Gnewuch and graduated from St. Mary Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, WI. He earned a PhD in Chemistry at Georgetown University, and became a university professor, ending his career at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His focus as a university educator and researcher was in the area of medicinal chemistry with an emphasis on anti-cancer agents. Outside of his professional work, he was a gifted musician, being heavily involved with the Green Lake Festival of Music. Gnewuch enjoyed a late-in-life marriage in 1999 to Julie Ann Lickteig. Julie cared for him as he lost partial use of his legs due to transverse myelitis. This journal is unique in that it contains details of an outdoors trip with his father, Charles, when he was 15 years old and a second trip in 1990 when he was 52. The diary also contains two photocopies of photographs taken at the “Vagabond Ranch” in Colorado – a wilderness ranch still in operation today. The first trip was taken in 1953 along with his father. Together, they travelled to join a larger group of campers with whom they set off on a cross-country adventure to a ranch in Colorado. He keeps detailed notes of each day and the flavour of the trip shines through: “Got up at 7-15 and made bed. Ate breakfast. Packed extra socks . And sleeping bag in trailer and back of Chrysler. Started to Cheyenne at 10-30 or 10-40... Finally camped near an amusement park not far from the rodeo grounds ... Ate dinner on park bench. Before this we tried to go swimming in a lake nearby, but the lake was closed to swimming (Reason Water was so polluted and stagnant from lack of rain...) ” [July 21, 1953]. He makes reference to both the Shepp and Bemis ranches in Idaho and the legendary history of Polly Benis. “Got up around 6: 00 ... Had the trout for breakfast... Pack up and were on our way at 9-45 A. M. We saw some more deserted cabins... The homesteads were a product of the Depression... The Bemis and Shep Ranch. Bemis was shot during a poker game and a Chinese slave girl nursed him back to health. Benis took her to the ranch near the river. They were married and they [lived] together until they died…” [Aug 10, 1953]. “... We started on the last leg of our journey at 9-00 A. M. We went through some good-sized rapids. At one rapids, Dad and & I got out of the boat and got pictures…” [Aug 11, 1953]. Barely a page after the description of this trip as a youth, Gnewuch begins a journal of a trip he took in 1990 from Fond du Lac WI to the southern states. At that time, he was 52 years old and in the middle of a very successful career as a university professor and researcher. Unlike the first trip description, this one does not bring him full-circle to his home but rather ends abruptly in Jackson MS. It is also a much shorter account. He begins on April 5th, 1990, leaving Fond du Lac WI and driving to Cairo, I. It’s a succinct entry with a descriptive comment about Cairo: “... Cairo is a poor town at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Down along the levi of the Ohio River” [Apr 5, 1990]. In Memphis, his love of music comes through in his comments: “...In evening went to Beale Street to listen to blues and jazz. Enjoyed listening to a jazz band at [blank]. All black musicians and a black female vocalist. Walked to the Peabody Hotel to listen to an old Negro pianist at the lounge. He played a boogie woogie number for me and he was very good with the blues…” [Apr 6, 1990]. The record of this trip extends another few days before ending abruptly when he is in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This is a fine example of a look at an early formative experience in a successful man’s life as he kept his childhood journal well into his adult life only to use it again to record another similar experience. The book is a travel journal and measures 6.5 inches by 4.0 inches. It contains 88 pages plus reference pages and is 50% complete. The cover is padded and it and the spine are in good condition. The pages are in good condition and the handwriting is legible. ; Manuscripts; 16mo 6" - 7" tall; 88 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0012205

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Camping Outdoorsman

GEORGE GRANGER

1943-47 Diary of a Camrose, Alberta Student, Labourer and Film Buff Discussing Work, Life, the War, and Many, Many Movies

Camrose, Alberta, Canada, Canadian Prairies. Hardcover. On offer is a fine example of a multi-year diary kept by a young man named George Granger in rural Alberta, Canada during World War Two (WWII). The author of the diary is George Beverley Granger (b. 1927). He was the youngest of five children born to Barlow Clyde Granger (1889-1966) and Helen Marie Solien (1895-1973). He was raised and lived in Galahad, Camrose, Alberta. This diary originally belonged to his mother, as she inscribed it with her name and made one brief entry on January 3, 1943. George then crossed her name out, written his own, and written the rest of the diary in his large, childlike hand. He kept the diary almost every day from 1943-1946, and was less consistent in 1947. There is very little information available on George Granger, but we know he is around 16 when he begins his diary, and 21 when it ends. This aligns with the early entries he makes about attending school. We also know, from his mother's inscription, that he lives in the village of Galahad. He works on a family farm and also ‘in town’, unloading freight at the railroad station. George's daily entries are generally brief but certainly until 1945, make continued veiled references to WWII. Mostly he comments on seeing ‘airplanes’ - groups of them most days. Another constant in his entries are the many movies that he sees. Some brief excerpts from the diary follow: “Fair and warm. Earned 30 cents. 3 airplanes. Didn’t go to school” [Mar 17, 1943]. “Thawing. Got $1.10 today. 7 airplanes. Have $28.00 now” [Mar 26, 1943]. “Fair and windy. Hauled out junk and got water. Our army invade France. Last train 4: 00. 3 airplanes” [June 6, 1944]. As noted, he lists the many movies that he saw and indeed, his diary could be a catalogue of the most popular war-time movies then in circulation. “Show “Queen of the Yukon”...” [Apr 3, 1944]. “Fair and mild. Worked. Show “Captain Eddie”” [Sept 28, 1946]. Canada entered WWII in September 1939. The British government looked to its Commonwealth allies, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, for assistance in training up the necessary air crews required to prosecute the war. Canada was an ideal location as it was the closest to Britain, far from the combat front and had the vast space necessary for air training. In 1939, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) signed and the program was rolled out in Canada. Between 1940 and 1945, some 151 schools had been established across Canada with a ground organization of 104,113 men and women. By the end of the Second World War, the BCATP had produced 131,553 aircrew, including pilots, wireless operators, air gunners, and navigators for the Air Forces of Great Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. A number of these schools / bases were located in Alberta, one of the largest being in Edmonton, Alberta. This would account for Granger’s almost daily sighting of planes. For a social historian, this diary offers an excellent long-term look at life in rural a rural Prairie province in Canada during the war years of WWII. This five-year diary measures 6.0 inches by 4.25 inches and contains 365 pages. It is 100% complete. The cover is in good condition. However, it has separated completely from the binding. The pages are in good condition and the handwriting is legible.; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 365 pages; Signed by Author. Fair with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011054

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Canadiana 2 Movie History

EVER READY GUILD

1950-1964 Manuscript Minute Book for the Ever Ready Guild Women’S Christian Social and Charity Club of Weymouth, Massachusetts

Weymouth, Massachusetts. Hardcover. On offer are the detailed minutes of 14 years’ worth of club meetings from a group of women collaborating to improve their church and community in 20th century New England. This minute book belonged to the Ever Ready Guild in Weymouth Massachusetts, which was founded in 1928. Newspaper reports of the time indicate that the Ever Ready Guild was a women’s club within the East Weymouth Congressional Church. Research shows that clubs of this or related names such as Ever Ready Club were a regular feature of many Christian congregations of the time. The minute book is fascinating for the amount of detail it provides about this group. According to their records, they had about three dozen members and would usually have 20-30 members out at their monthly meetings. These women were quite active in their church and community. At their meetings, they recognized members for life events such as births or deaths, they planned and carried out events such as dinners and discussed ways of supporting their wider community. One delightful feature of most meeting was the ‘Mystery Package’ wherein one member was responsible for selecting and giving ‘mystery gifts’ to two other members. Some of their fund raising activities were creative and certainly evidence of good humour, such as this: “...We were asked to measure our waists and pay a penny for each inch at the September meeting…” [p. 68]. “...It was reported that $8.93 was earned by the waist measurement project…” [p. 77]. “... A motion was made and accepted that the Guild pledge to the church should be $150.00…” [p. 47]. “...It was voted to make a donation of $5.00 to the Red Cross…” [p. 55]. “...Helen T made a motion that we bring to the next meeting gifts for children…” [p. 176]. Other donations were made to Red Feather (this community aid group was the fore-runner to the United Way) , Children’s Medical Center, their local Baptist church, programs to support the needy, a Childrems’ Table at the local fair, the March of Dimes, the Seaman’s Society and others. “... It was voted that the Guild take charge of the Children’s table at the fair. The Guild was also asked if they would take charge of a Silent or Sacrificial Luncheon to be held on Good Friday…” [p. 103]. “At the May 23rd, 1961 meeting, they recorded that it was the 33rd anniversary of the Guild” [p.226]. The monthly notes are filled with local references and specific members of their community. There are repeated references to events such as rummage sales and food sales, luncheons, annual outings, silent auctions, Halloween and Christmas parties, etc. They were held at local locations such as the "Country Fair", "Odd Fellows Hall", etc. These women were completely invested in their church and civic community. They planned, hosted and participated in many events throughout the year such as "Covered Dish Supper", "Snow Ball Festival", "Music Festival", etc. They also were a close-knit group and were careful to be aware of and respond to their fellow members such as visiting ill members of the group, sending cards or flowers for events such as births or deaths, attending funerals. They were conscious of events beyond their community and dark war clouds on the horizon did not pass unnoticed: “...The meeting closed at 9: 00 followed by a very interesting talk on air raids given by Mrs. Betty Prudent…” [p. 21]. It is tempting to look at middle class women from the 1950’s and 60’s through the stereotyped images of June Cleaver from Leave It To Beaver but these women were actively engaged in their communities and dealt with real-life issues. This Minute Book offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of these women and their church and the wider community of Weymouth, MA. For a social historian, it is rich in detailed information about the world these women inhabited and their roles in an evolving social structure. For a Women’s Studies or Gender Studies program, it offers an outstanding look at the role these women played in their community during a period of momentous social change in the United States. For a genealogist, this is a superb source of information about a fairly cohesive group in this New England community. There are extensive lists of members’ names along with their addresses. The book is a minute book and is in very good condition. Measuring 9.75x 7.75 inches, it contains 300 numbered pages and is 100% complete. There is evidence that 15 pages have been cut out of the book near the beginning. The hard cover is in good condition as are the binding and pages. The handwriting is quite legible. The minute book covers the years 1950 through 1964.; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 300 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011169

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: ' Societies ' Unitarian

GORDON CARL HAM

1940 Diary of a Blue Collar Rural New Yorker Working Day and Night in Southport to Provide for His Family of Five

Southport, New York, Rural NY, 1940. Hardcover. On offer is an interesting diary from rural NY in the years immediately preceding WWII. The diary belonged to Gordon Carl Ham (1903-1972). The eldest child born to parents John and Nettie in Southport, Chemung County, New York, Gordon lived on a farm in the Elmira area which is located in the ‘southern tier’ portion of upstate New York. Context and census data suggests that he worked for the local municipality, mostly doing road work. He was married to Mrs. Prudence Cortright Ham. Together they had two daughters and a son, Joyce, Sharon and Clairmont. Gordon kept this diary when he was in his mid-30s, when his children were 7, 8 and 9 years old. His writing focuses on the daily life of a blue collar worker who toils at his day job as well as on his family farm. It is truly amazing that our author found time to write in a diary, given his workload. Some excerpts indicate the flavour of the diary: “Plowed over to North Vanitten [Van Etten, NY] got stuck R Mullen and Tommy Wood brought #9 over and helped me out. Rick came over and got in ditch C, K & C Everheart gor laid off for 2 weeks for getting drunk" [Mar 6]. “Plowed and rolled up Wuncoop [Wyncoop] Creek and then Hogback. Awful hot. Moved mixed into shop P & Sharon went over to church to tea [ P refers to his wife, Prudence]. Filled holes on Main this A. M. With dirt went up hill” [June 7]. “A beautiful day puttered around all day dug some potatoes and went down and got J shoes. Dad and mother took J and C [2 of 3 children] to Wellsburg to Dairymans’ huge picnic. Mom stayed with Sharon A. M. She was sick when we went to town” [Sept 14]. “Rolled on Skunks Hill. A beautiful day nice & warm. Burned grass tonight and fixed Ma’s floor” [Oct 23]. “Went up [ ] and sawed up wood then went up to Lanper’s and got 1 cord of wood then called to work. Snowing hard [ ] greased truck and worked on it but did not go out of shop. Came home...Rained in night…” [Nov 30]. “A beautiful day. J & C to [ ] Ma, Ruth and Ephram went to Bernies. Got a pair of socks, a pound of P. A. Tobacco from P and kids, a new shirt from Ma & Ruth. J, C, and I went up in woods after Christmas tree. Sharon quite sick all day. Ma came home sick from Bernies” [Dec 15]. The enclosed ephemera consists of several bills for electricity and shipping as well as a lovely Valentine’s card. For a social historian, this simple diary gives a very good look into part of the daily, on-going work and life in a small rural part of America. Written in 1940, this diary contains 183 pages plus memoranda pages and some pieces of ephemera. It measures 7.25 inches by 5.0 inches and is approximately 85% complete. The hard cover is in good condition. The stitched binding is loose by all pages are intact. The handwriting is legible. Overall VG. ; Manuscripts; 12mo 7" - 7½" tall; 183 pages; Signed by Author. Very Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011136

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Farming Labourer

AGNES STANWOOD HARRINGTON

1913 Sweet Diary of a Young Shopgirl Who Moves from Her Home in Maine to New Hampshire Where She Will Soon Begin Her Married Life

Brunswick, Maine, Nashua, New Hampshire, 1913. Softcover. On offer is the quaint, interesting diary of Agnes Stanwood Harrington (1886-1969) of Brunswick, Maine. Agnes was born to Sea Captain William S. Harrington and Fannie A. Skolfield. In 1915, Agnes married William Perley Drowns (1889-1944). He worked as a Brakeman in the rail transport industry. Agnes and William lived in Nashua, New Hampshire and had four children, though only three survived infancy. At the time she kept this diary, Agnes is still living in Brunswick, according to her notation in the back of the journal, but it seems she moves to New Hampshire in late September, and begins seeing “W” (likely William, her future husband). Agnes kept this diary fairly consistently throughout 1913, beginning when she was 26-years-old (she turned 27 on May 19th). Entries describe her day-to-day activities and shed light on the life of a young, unmarried, working woman in early 20th century New England. The following excerpts will give a feel for her experiences: “Stormy. Worked all day. Went to Military Ball in evening with A. S. C Doris came at night” [Apr 11, 1913]. “My birthday. Sadie gave me a box of stationary. May a pair of stockings. Sadie and Helen and I went to pictures” [May 19, 1913]. “Fair. Worked all day. Henry H & I went to Baltic in evening for circus” [Aug 8, 1913]. “Fair and very warm. Left B for N. H. Got in N. H. For the evening had a fine trip” [Sept 27, 1913]. “Had electric light the first time Friday night Sept 5th. [Memo off Sept 6th entry] Fair and very warm. U and a friend and I went to Stark Park in afternoon” [Sept 28, 1913]. “Fair. Went to work in the morning in the shoe shop for the first time. Made $1.00” [September 29, 1913]. “Weighed 121 lbs Sat Sept 27, 1913 when I go to Manchester” [Memoranda]. “Cloudy and foggy. Worked all fore-noon. W and I went over to the city and di some shopping” [Oct 11, 1913]. For a social historian, this little diary offers a glimpse into a world long gone. It certainly paints a picture of the life of a young woman in urban New England at this time which would be of interest to Women’s Studies researchers. Measuring 4.0 inches by 2.75 inches, this small diary contains 91 pages and is approximately 80% complete. The red leatherette cover and binding are in good condition as are the pages. The handwriting is legible. The original pencil is still in its holder in the spine. ; Manuscripts; 32mo 4" - 5" tall; 91 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0011059

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Americana 20th Retail Workers

REVEREND HOWARD DAWSON HETRICH (SOMETIMES HETRICK)

1921 Diary of a Philadelphia Reverend, Salesman and Wwi Veteran Recording His Work and Religious Endeavors

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania PA, 1921. Hardcover. On offer is the small yet interesting diary of Reverend Howard Dawson Hetrich (sometimes Hetrick) (1889-1953) [SEE BIO NOTES AT END OF LISTING]. At the time he kept this diary, Hetrich was 32-years-old, single, living in Philadelphia, working in sales and as a Pastor. He discusses his personal life only briefly. This diary is chock-full of short, factual entries about his work life and religious occupation. At the back of the book, he kept a detailed record of his earnings over the course of the year and even notes details like his income tax. His annual sales for 1921 to $8,203. Some brief excerpts follow to give the flavour of the diary: “No del. - on 27th St. $28.00 for orders. Only canvassed few hours. Letter to Mrs. []. Very cold and clear” [Jan 19]. “To Newton’s for dinner. To Sunday S [school? ]. Preached in church in PM. Many out to service. To Mench’s in eve after supper. Prayed in homes. Heart touched” [Feb 6]. “To Camden to Baptize in Del. River. Six souls. Fixed up route. Good services. [Pleasant], clear and warm” [Mar 20]. “Sabbath. Practiced hymns around town (until? ) sun set…Sister Katie gone…in eve. Letter to Emco. Rain” [Nov 26]. For a social historian, this small diary gives a detailed look at how one young man earned a steady income and infused his life with his religious service in the heady days following WWI in America. BIO NOTES: Born in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania to Agnes Ream and Cyrus R Hetrich, Howard Dawson Hetrich was baptised at St. Paul’s United Church. He grew up and lived in Lebanon and Philadelphia, PA. Hetrich served in the US Army as Pvt 1st Class in Company B 326 Field Signal Battalion. In 1926, Howard married Ardenia C. Ennis (1907-1976) and together they had three daughters: Mary (1928-2010) , Ruth and Ardenia. Howard worked in sales and was also a Reverend who worked as a Pastor within the United Church. This small diary measures 4.75 inches by 3.0 inches. It contains 122 pages and is 100% complete. The cover and binding are loose but intact with some bumps and bruises due to age but overall good condition. The pages are also in good condition and the handwriting is legible, though in a messy cursive scrawl. Overall G. ; Manuscripts; 32mo 4" - 5" tall; 122 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

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Book number: 0012220

Catalogue: 20th Century Diary

Keywords: Christianity