Image from John Jenkins via internet
box with an earphone
for each listener.
Tuesday, January 1, 1924
Well, I start in my second diary. I had good luck last year, only missed
one day and I hope to do as well and better this! It was a clear day. There
was a strong, cold wind from the north west. The rain yesterday left a crust
on the snow and the skiing was pretty good... We got the radio working, but
we can't make the amplifier work. I got 7 or 8 local stations and Dad is
still at it. The 1924 number plates look funny as they are red and white
instead of blue and white. We got 2724 eggs in 1923 or 227 dozen. I hope
we top that mark for 1924. School begins tomorrow...
Wednesday, January 2, 1924
... Last night.. Dad found a broken wire and he fixed it and then the
amplification worked. We got as far as WWJ on the loud speaker. Today we
went skating up to McDowell's pond about a mile away. Right after supper
about 20 from the high school were there. I tore the whole front of my pants
out on a piece of wood and walked home and changed then back. Charlie's uncle's
house is only a little way, a 100 yards or so away from the pond, and he
died while we were all skating out there. When we got back I got a lot of
local stations and WOC and WTAM on the loud speaker...
Thursday, January 3, 1924
...I got WSB and KYW besides local stations on the radio tonight. The loud speaker didn't work very well... Some of the fellows had to stay after til almost 4:30. We went up to the church supper tonight...
Friday, January 4, 1924
... Everything was ice this morning. The roads were solid but they had most of the corners sanded by this afternoon... Dad took in the radio this morning and brought it out tonight with new tubes and a storage battery. The tubes are big ones and the loud speaker works pretty good... John and Charlie and some of the little kids were skating on the frog pond this afternoon... Some of the fellows went up to Colcord's pond where the gang was the other night... We smelt a skunk close to the house after school but I couldn't see him. Last night Bill was coming home and he saw it in the road but he didn't dare go by it so he went back. When he came again it was still there so he came through the woods.
Saturday, January 5, 1924
... Mother and I went in on the train this morning and I got a new pair of corduroy pants to replace the ones I tore skating. At two o'clock we met Roger McGill and his mother and Beany and we went to see Powder River. It was a picture filmed in France during the battles and it showed everything of the war. 11 camera men were killed filming it...
Sunday, January 6, 1924
... In the afternoon we shoveled off most of the pond and skated. When I left the house I took two skates from the closet and started out. When I came to the pond I found one was John's and one was mine and both for the left foot. John went with Jack skating and he had mine both for the right foot...
Tuesday, January 8, 1924
About 1 A.M. Wed. morning I got KAO Oakland, Cal. I thought I would drop when I heard the announcement. I have always wanted to get the Pacific coast. It wasn't very clear because I had only one stage of amplification. The tube for the second won't work. I got 14 stations altogether among them WDAP,WJAZ,KYW, all of Chicago, WLW, Cincinnati, WSB Atlanta, KSD St. Louis and WRW a new one of Tarrytown, N.Y. I went to bed early and mother woke me up around 10:30 when she fed the old man [Baby Robert] and I stayed up til 2:15. I have just come up from the radio. It must be 2:30, Wed. morning, wow... It was a good night for radio reception...
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Image from John Jenkins via internet |
Early radios came in a box with an earphone for each listener. |
Wednesday, January 9, 1924
... The top of the pond was all soft so we scraped it and fixed it... We took all the grass and snow out of the hollow and made it even and got posts chopped holes in the ice and set them in for goal posts and then flooded it. If we can keep people off til it freezes it will be great... Beany got WOC Davenport Iowa and WTAM Cleveland. I had too much algebra to try it. We got our report cards for the last two months. I went up in algebra and conduct the same in effort and English and dropped in Latin and science. Dad brought out a case for the radio. I put it in and it looks great. It is only wired temporarily because it is not neatly done now.
Thursday, January 10, 1924
... The Congregational church gave a supper in the town hall tonight. Before supper we were throwing snow balls around outside but after supper and before the entertainment there was about an hour and we had a great fight. Winters, Crowley, Goosey and I stood the rest about 15 kids all sizes. They had the town hall front steps and could get behind the posts and had kids pass them their balls. We took it away from them. I went home with Isabelle... I like her as well as any person in this world...
Friday, January 11, 1924
... It rained so hard I couldn't come home for dinner so Ally and I bought 2 loaves of cake between us and divided them up. On the radio tonight I got WOS, Jefferson City, Mo and two new stations WTAS Elgin, Ill and WTAH, Belvedere Ill, besides about 12 local stations... We are having astronomy in science in school and were trying to pick out the different stars... Charlie and I got sent out of the English class today because we got laughing so we couldn't stop.
Saturday, January 12, 1924
... This afternoon Mr. Kinnell came out and we went over to the private school to jump. I cleared 4 feet 7 inches but I had my heavy boots on. I have done 5 inches better than that at school. After that we went over to the town hall and passed a few tests.
 Image from Greg Livaudais via internet |
Copy from 1922 Boy Scout Handbook |
I have got the firemanship, first aid, and athletic merit badges coming to me besides a life scout badge and two service stripes. I don't have to have all that but the more decorations the better that I have on my uniform... Dad and I measured ourselves and I was the tallest.
Sunday, January 13, 1924
... I went up to S. L. but the minister wasn't there so I came home. This afternoon we went up to the Colcord's and had a good hockey game. Some rich fellows were up there from some of the houses and they were all drunk. After supper Ben came and wanted us to go skating, so Isabelle and Chick and Ben and I went in Ben's car. We skated til 10 and then went down to Needham and got a hot chocolate...
Tuesday, January 15, 1924
... About 5:30 the fire alarm blew assembly because one of the Bartlett kids had broken through the ice on the river where he had been skating and drowned. His body went under the ice. They saved his sister and the nurse they were with...
Friday, January 18. 1924
... With Dad's field glasses I looked at the moon and I could see the craters and shadows the sun made and the dead sea bottoms. It was great. After school I went up to see Miss Higgins about starting in to take music lessons again. I will come at Friday at 5:30 P.M. I never got any where before and I am going to try now... I got some local stations and WCBD, WOC, WSB, KYW, and WRC were the farthest one away...
Monday, January 21, 1924
Everybody froze all day. It wasn't below ten but there was a high wind that cut right everything. The house is cold now and the wind hasn't come down. The temperature is about 0 now...
Tuesday, January 22, 1924
It was just the same as yesterday. In our room it was 28 when we went to bed and 28 when we woke up... Last night Dad left the batteries on the radio running, and I can't get any power from the big storage battery now. It will only light one tube at a time where it should light all three...
Wednesday, January 23, 1924
... After school I was burning some rubbish and a spark flew over and lit in the tall grass. There was a good wind behind it and if it hadn't been right in back of the worn place under the clothes reel it would have come into the woods. The girls played Sherborn in basket ball tonight and got licked 17 to 15... I took our boxing gloves to school and they had some good matches.
Thursday, January 24, 1924
... At school today they had some good boxing matches. I boxed with Ally Francisco and I hammered his face out of joint. He landed one on me just below the ribs that sat me down. We went skating after school. When we were just coming home I fell off the dam into the water. It was darn cold but I swam ashore and gave my skates to Isabelle and ran home... I changed and had a hot bath. There were four fires today all of them set. One was a two alarm brush fire and about 6 Hanchett's barn burned. I never saw so many cars that came to that fire. There were at least 500. Natick came over with her fire dept. Everyone of those fires were set but they don't know who set them.
Friday, January 25, 1924
... I took a music lesson today at 5:30. Miss Higgins gave me a lot of music to have for next week. Yesterday I kicked up the old radio because the storage battery had for some reason given out. Dad took it up to the garage today...
Saturday, January 26, 1924
... I went in with Dad on the train this morning and I got a new suit with long pants. It is only a size smaller then Dad's. It is dark blue cloth. I got a couple of shirts, too... He brought home the radio battery and I hooked it up. Mother had a party tonight. Everybody played cards...
Monday, January 28, 1924
... I stayed up quite late with the radio and I got about 20 stations, 2 new ones, 10-AR Dartmouth, New Brunswick, and WPAB, State College, Pa. After supper there was a house fire down on Claybrook Rd. It was in between the partitions and some of the fellows took axes and chopped holes in the wall. We came away early because it was so cold and all there was was smoke...
Tuesday, January 29, 1924
... Dad brought out my suit and I wore it to Moltman's party tonight. He had the whole high school, teachers and all. All they did was dance so I had a rotten time because I don't dance. Dad took all the teachers up and back in the car...
Thursday, January 31, 1924
... In school today I took my science notebook and got all the kids to write their names in them. I got everyone in the school except one girl and even all the teachers... Got 18 stations on the radio. WHAM, Rochester and 1-AA, Woburn, Mass were the only new ones I got...
Saturday, February 2, 1924
... I went over to Levis' and put up an aerial for their radio. I got 50 cents for doing it...
Sunday, February 3, 1924
... I got over the radio that ex-President Wilson died just before noon today. He has been sick for three or four days... Last night Carlton Nichols' house burned down, or the house right back of it. It was the dormitory of the men on Walker Gordon's Farm and is connected with Nichols' house. The dorm burned but they saved the rest of it.
Tuesday, February 5, 1924
... Mr. Willard come up to the house after supper and arranged with dad for him to print the tickets and posters for the High School play they are rehearsing now... Mr. Benedict took me over to the grammar school and helped me with my algebra. He gave me a long talk about myself and told me I could never get into college with the grade of algebra I am doing now!...
Wednesday, February 13, 1924
Last Sept. 17 I sent up to a stamp company in Toronto for some stamps. I hadn't heard anything so I wrote another letter on my new stationery with my address on the paper asking them about it. Today I got all the stamps and they sent me a letter saying that I hadn't got the stamps before because I had forgotten to put any return address on it. That was a good joke on me... I was up til past 10 putting in those new stamps. I counted them and I had 1989.
Thursday, February 14, 1924
... Clear and fine. It was great radio. I didn't get but a few stations. When I got Louisville, Ky. I stopped and put it on the loud speaker. Came through great. There was a supper tonight at the town hall. There was the caucus after it...
Monday, February 18, 1924
... Mr. Willard kept the whole school after today because some one has taken most of the ink wells from the desks and hidden them. They must be replaced by tomorrow after school. I started sticking all the duplicate stamps we had into Dad's old album today. Quite some job...
Tuesday, February 19, 1924
... We didn't have to stay after about those ink wells but I think he is going to put out an assessment on all the fellows. Just enough to replace every one... Yesterday I wrote in to the Globe Radio Dept. and wanted to know what station signed off by ringing a cow bell. Last Friday when I stayed up late with the radio I got just the cow bells as they signed off. They said it was station WBAP, Fort Worth, Texas. That is a station I have always wanted to get that makes just 78 stations we have got altogether.
Friday, February 22, 1924
There wasn't any school today. Mr. Kinnell, Johnny and Louis and I took out our dinner and our skis and went up to Snow Hill and ate. Then we went over back of Glidden's made a track built a jump and skied there all afternoon. On the jump you could go about 10 feet...
Saturday, February 23, 1924
...Beany ..brought me some stamps I had sent for. I stuck them all in and now I have 2009 stamps. They couldn't supply 200 that I ordered just yet but they will come later. I sent an order for another lot today, $5.50 worth. I haven't got much money left now...
Wednesday, February 27, 1924
... Tonight I went up to the club meeting. I was voted in as a regular member...
Thursday, February 28, 1924
... There was rehearsal most all morning and a dress rehearsal after supper... I haven't had a chance to do but an hours practicing this week...
Friday, February 29, 1924
The play was tonight. It went off great. There was dancing afterwards til midnight...
Sunday, March 2, 1924
... I pumped up the tire of my bike that wouldn't hold air last fall and it didn't lose a bit all afternoon. The bike works like a clock. Doesn't rattle a bit... I wrote a seventeen page narration for English tomorrow. It is a bird of a story...
 Internet photo |
George's bike looked like this. |
Monday, March 3, 1924
...I rode my bike to school. I had to pump up the front tire this afternoon. The fellows play ball in the street in front of the school now as the snow is gone. Election was today. I know Dad was elected one of the selectmen. I haven't heard about anything else. The fellows are going to the new selectmen to see if we can have battery practice in the town hall. Dad will let us. Now we have to get one more over on our side...
Tuesday, March 4, 1924
... When I came home I took my bike apart and cleaned and oiled it, shined it up on the outside, too...
Wednesday, March 5, 1924
... I went up to the club meeting. Mr. Kinnell wasn't there so the fellows conducted the meeting themselves. This week I haven't got an algebra problem wrong. I had a perfect translation in Latin today. I got so much praise I think I'll study for a change and keep it up... My front tire leaks again. It won't hold air long enough to amount to anything.
Thursday, March 6, 1924
... I took the old tire off my bike and put on one of the old ones lying around the garage and took it up to the garage to be cemented on. Johnny Heard and I went up to the selectmen's meeting to see if we could have the practice in the hall and we will know in a few days. There was a church supper tonight...
Saturday, March 8, 1924
... Some of the scouts went up to snow hill and cooked their dinner with Mr. Hitch, the new scout master... I spent the afternoon up to the library...
Sunday, March 9, 1924
Ted was 8 today. We celebrated with ice cream for dinner... Some one called up Dad and said the brook above Dickens' was running over the road. We went up but it wasn't over the road at all. It had flooded and was all going into the emergency drain. There was an awful lot of water everywhere...
Monday, March 10, 1924
... I swapped seats in school with Johnny Heard today. Mr. Willard is only going to teach til the end of the month and then he is going to leave. He is sick of being the goat when he can't kick a kid out school or lick him. The school committee won't let him suspend any one. Some one cut the bell wire today during the noon hour and every fellow had to stay except those who went home to dinner, Beany, Charley Hodgson and I. He didn't find out who did it. I can't find out but Beany knows. He went up to town meeting tonight...
Wednesday, March 12, 1924
... We didn't have any school today. Dad couldn't go in town because he had to stay here to supervise the ploughing out of the roads, as he is selectman. They haven't got half of them ploughed out yet because only two ploughs are on the job. I shoveled out twice today but it is all filled in now. I practiced quite a while this morning and spent most of the afternoon in the library...
Thursday, March 13, 1924
... We didn't have school today because not enough roads were ploughed out. We will have school tomorrow all right because they were all ploughing today. I took a music lesson today. There as a church supper in the town hall...
Friday, March 14, 1924
There wasn't any school today either... Beany and Jack Railey went off this morning and no one saw them til they came home around 5:50 this evening... They were with the snow plough all day long. They didn't even want to leave it bad enough to stop and come home and eat.
Sunday, March 16, 1924
... This afternoon I went for a bike ride. The roads are bare everywhere but off them it is six inches to three feet deep... The new high school principal is around town. His name is Simmons...
Monday, March 17, 1924
... Mr. Simmons is a man we are going to like I think...
Wednesday, March 19, 1924
... There was a club meeting tonight. We are planning to do a lot of things in it. We are going to have Mr. Simmons to our next one and get him interested in it. We are going to give a play for the benefit of the High School Athletic Found. I played marbles all afternoon and when we stopped I found I had won just six. The selectmen have given up the town hall for battery practice and we have been in there every noon hour this week. We are coming along pretty well. I am out for pitcher.
Thursday, March 20, 1924
... I played marbles up to Charlie's today and we went into partnership. I won 155 altogether...
Friday, March 21, 1924
... We have a weeks vacation now... I think I'll get a job some where because I spent my last dime this after for lunch and my allowance has been stopped long ago...
Saturday, March 22, 1924
...We played marbles this morning and I lost just 100. I put hen manure all over the lawn. Went down to Needham.. to the movies. It was a dandy show...
 Needham Historical Society photo |
 Needham Chronicle
The Needham Theater was on the |
Monday, March 24, 1924
It was a peach of a day today... Chick, Beany, Ally Francisco and I were up on the roof watching a plane do stunts. It was off over Strawberry Hill and why it should be showing off over there I don't know...
Tuesday, March 25, 1924
... I stayed up with the radio and got 34 different stations. Two new ones CKCD and CJCM. I got KAO again too. That on the west, Ottawa on the north and Atlanta on the south besides Kansas City and all in between... We were playing marbles on the ball field and Lovejoy came along on his horse. He chased us into the trees and over the field. Gee I never had so much fun in my life...
Wednesday, March 26, 1924
... Beany and Charlie got fifty cents for throwing the wood into the cellar of the town hall. I watched them for they wouldn't let me help. There was a club meeting tonight... Mr. Taylor was buried today. He died from gangrene. Everybody was glad, he suffered so.
Thursday, March 27, 1924
... I was busy all morning making a stone wall at the bottom of the hill back of the house to keep the ashes back. I lugged some more big rocks from the pile over in the woods...
Friday, March 28, 1924
... Was up to Charley's trading stamps. He has got quite a few. I got about forty from him. In the afternoon I played marbles up there. I lost fifty of my own and now I owe him 150. We played baseball in the field for quite a while. It seemed good to do it again.
Saturday, March 29, 1924
... I added a lot to the stone wall in the morning... I can do a lot and not mind it if I can do it alone. Anyone with me makes me nervous and that is why I am called lazy. I can't do anything when any one is around so nobody knows what I can do...
Monday, March 31, 1924
... I felt bum and when I came home from school I went to bed. My throat was sore... The doctor came about 9:30...
Tuesday, April 1, 1924
... I felt pretty good all day but I had a little temperature so I couldn't get up. I [had the radio] from noon and can listen as long as I like. If it wasn't for the radio I would have a pretty bum time..
Wednesday, April 2, 1924
... The Dr. came and he said I could go to school Monday... I sat up late with the radio and got 30 different stations... Dad brought me a little book so I could put down the dial number of each station as I got it so now when I want a certain station I only have to look in the book and see where it is. Then I turn to it. Before I had to hunt all over the place.
Thursday, April 3, 1924
It was a peach of a day... While the kids were at school I could go down stairs but when they were around I had to beat it because I can spread it yet. I can't remember what I have. Some high sounding name that is quite popular this season. Everybody has it so I'm in style. Its something quite new and local. Boston and vicinity has the distinction of the only presence of the bug in the country... A man was here and filled in all the numerous gaps in the windows...
Friday, April 4, 1924
... I went riding on my bike down to the river, the water is the highest I have ever seen it...
Saturday, April 5, 1924
... They had the new fire truck down to the brook to show the people how it would work if they bought it. The town is thinking it over. It is a peach of a pump. It pumped water from Trout Brook all the way up hill for 2,000 feet and then threw it over the town Hall about 80 or 90 feet high...
Tuesday, April 8, 1924
... I went to school. I have got a lot of work to make up. Science is going to be the hardest... They have started chemistry in science and have gone for a week on it so I have all the signs and symbols and a lot of other stuff to learn. They had baseball practice today...
 Dover Historical Society photo |
The Sanger High School on Springdale Avenue |
Wednesday, April 9, 1924
... We didn't play Wellesley because they telephoned and said their field was flooded from all the rains. We had practice instead... We play Natick Saturday and then every fellow will have a uniform, substitutes as well because they are getting some more new ones.
Saturday, April 12, 1924
... I was all morning up to the ball field with a shovel leveling it off. It is a rotten field.
Wednesday, April 16, 1924
Wayland won 9 to 6 today. I pitched for seven innings and then I blew up and Dave went in. Every body said I did great but I don't think so. It was my first game. I let 3 runs in in the first inning. I was so nervous I didn't know what to do. I got up to bat three times. I made one run and got put out at home the other two times... When I slid home in the game their catcher tagged me in the jaw and knocked it out of place. I can't close my mouth hard yet.
Friday, April 18, 1924
There wasn't any school today because it was Good Friday and there are so many Catholics it wouldn't do any good to hold school... I lugged in a lot of wood and saved it up. I was working for more than an hour so Mother gave me 35 cents...
Saturday, April 19, 1924
... Charlie and Phil Mumford were up here in the morning trading stamps... Clarence DeMar won the marathon again. This is his third in succession... He will get to Europe this summer to the Olympic Games...
Tuesday, April 22, 1924
... Just as school let out the fire alarm rang for Hovey's barn. We got up there on our bikes while it was just starting. Dover hadn't any pump so they had to wait for Natick. They got mired about thirty feet away from the pond they were going to draw water from so they had to wait for Needham to come with an extra length of suction hose because Natick's wasn't long enough. By that time the fire had spread so they only saved the floor. It was raining all the time and that kept the fire out of the grass around it... They lost three automobiles in the barn.
Wednesday, April 23, 1924
... We played Sudbury today at Sudbury and won 11 to 6. At the end of the fifth inning it was five to five. At the first of the eleventh we got 6 runs because their pitcher went up in the air. We had five subs over there and every fellow had a complete uniform...
Thursday, April 24, 1924
... There was a rehearsal of the play in the High School tonight. We read over the first act twice. I have an important part. It is a peach of a play most of it funny.
Saturday, April 26, 1924
We played Hopkinton on their field and got licked 13 to 10. At the end of the 7th we were ahead 10 to 7. I was pitching. I seized the opportunity and by slipping let 3 runs across enough to tie the score. Louis pitched the last inning and they got three runs off him. Everybody was rotten. The fielders told me to let the batter hit it when I got in a hole so I did and they dropped all the balls hit to them so what good did it do...
Sunday, April 27, 1924
... There was a high wind all day. Fires were every where. We could see them all around. There was not a one in Dover...
Monday, April 28, 1924
... There was a fire alarm this afternoon late but it was false. Day light saving time began today. The clocks all over the state were set ahead one hour. That makes the sun set about 7:30 now. I call it artificial time. There was a rehearsal tonight. We didn't do very well...
Wednesday, April 30, 1924
... Charlie, Beany and I got out of school at 2:25 and went to the movies on our bikes... There was a fire while we were away. It was Locke's blacksmith shop. Not much of it burned. There was a club meeting and rehearsal tonight. After that I went to the town meeting.
Thursday, May 1, 1924
... There was practice this evening after supper. There was a supper in the church. A rehearsal for the play completed the day. Robert walked and crept all the way up stairs today all alone, hanging into the bannisters...
Friday, May 2, 1924
... We played Weston and won 14 to 8... I kept score, the official one and that is harder than playing. We played on the new field. We started off well on it...
Saturday, May 3, 1924
... In the morning I took all the up stairs rugs out and beat and swept them. Beany took his lunch out with some of the private school fellows. Paul and I took ours out on our bikes. We went up Powissett St. and ate up there. Then we kept on going into Westwood and from there to Dedham. We turned off just before we got to Dedham square and went by the Dedham Polo Club. Mother went to Natick and got me a pair of long pants...
Sunday, May 4, 1924
... We planted about 3 bushels of gladiola bulbs in the garden this morning... After supper Dad took some bulbs around to people who had bought them... 0This morning about 4 A.M. there was a fire down by Heinlein's. Just brush and it didn't last long.
Monday, May 5, 1924
... I wore my long pants to school today...
Tuesday, May 6, 1924
... Miss Montgomery has got rheumatic fever and she probably won't be back this year. The sub came today and her name is Star or Stark. She is a peach both on teaching and looks. There were 5 fires today but not any bad ones. We had practice after supper. We had sliding practice. It sure was fun...
Wednesday, May 7, 1924
... We played Wellesley over there and lost 23 to 7. They sure did hit the old apple. It was too one sided. They sure have improved since the last time we met. There was a rehearsal tonight. Dad brought me home a maroon sweater with my letter on it that I won in football but the D was black instead of white... I will get it tomorrow with a white one.
Thursday, May 8, 1924
... We had baseball practice from 6 P.M. to 7:15 P.M. It was raining all the time and every body was soaked. We went from there right over to rehearsal. There was a supper on in the town hall and an entertainment afterward so we had to go down stairs...
 Helen McGill Photo |
Combined Sanger Junior High and Caryl Grammar School classes in front of Caryl School ca. 1924 |
Friday, May 9, 1924
... We got our report cards in school. I got E in conduct and effort, and I went up in every subject. E means excellent. Some stamps came that I have been expecting for a long time. All Asia...
Saturday, May 10, 1924
... Dad has shut up all of the pigeons so they won't be eating up the garden and one of them got loose. Dad says to shoot it. I have had two shots so far...
Monday, May 12, 1924
... There was another new teacher. She is going stay until Miss Montgomery comes back... The dog didn't come home last night and she hasn't been around all day. I haven't seen her around town.
Tuesday, May 13, 1924
... We played Wayland at Wayland and were beaten 9 to 8. Moltman lost the game. It was two outs, bases full, two strikes on the batter and he drops a nice easy pop fly which brings in the winning run. This was the last of the 9th... After supper we played golf on the baseball field til dark then Louis and John and I rode down to Needham on our bikes for the fun. John and Louis behaved like a couple of hicks; staring in the shop windows and making fools of themselves. I was ashamed to be seen with them.
Wednesday, May 14, 1924
... The Club Party was tonight down to Bond's. We had a lot of fun. Bonds live about three miles from the center with no no near neighbors and in the wildest part of the town... The dog has come back...
Friday, May 16, 1924
... We had baseball practice after supper and after that rehearsal. When rehearsal was over we all went out on the common and had a lot of fun there til most 11 P.M We were singing and doing stunts. It was bright moonlight... Dad brought me home a new pair of baseball shoes...
Saturday, May 17, 1924
... We went over to the fire house to look at the new pump. The same kind they had on exhibition here a little while ago. It was grandma's birthday today. She is 69.
Sunday, May 18, 1924
I was 15 today... We went to ride this afternoon and.. tonight. When we came back the fire alarm blew in a little brush fire. We all went and kept going to Wellesley for a soda...
Monday, May 19, 1924
... I tried to radio for a while. It was pretty good. I have to listen just to the ear phones because the 2 stage B batteries have gone. The detecter is all right...
Tuesday, May 20, 1924
... We had practice after supper and every one was there but the coach. When we got through we were wishing there was a home fire to try out the new pump so there was one up Farm St. It was just a chimney...
Wednesday, May 21, 1924
... We went down to Needham and played them and got beat 15 to 6. They have a great team. They thought the game was a joke so the last inning their battery changed places. The pitcher could no more catch than a baby and the catcher couldn't pitch but they had a lot of fun out of it. Their pitcher Abie Gross is one of the best high school twirlers around Boston. He only pitched the last five innings...
Thursday, May 22, 1924
... We had a rehearsal after supper and every one was there. After that we all went up to Mr. Simmon's and they hung a May basket. We had a great time...
Friday, May 23, 1924
... At school today Heardy, Ally Francisco and I got sick of it and went down to Needham on our bikes. We were away all morning and when we got back the teacher didn't say much...
Sunday, May 25, 1924
... We went for a ride after supper and ..stopped in South Natick... John went over to the drug store and got a lot of the gum you can blow bubbles with. Dad and every one was trying it but John was the only one who could do it. Mother tried it and when we got to Newton Center Grandma Walker tried it but she couldn't.
Tuesday, May 27, 1924
... We went to Weston and beat them 15 to 4. We didn't have any trouble at all. I pitched the last four innings and they didn't get a run off me. The bases were full once and they almost scored but Benny nipped him at the plate with a peach of a slam from center field. I was just getting warmed up when the game was over. I was up to bat once and made a run. We had a rehearsal tonight... Nichols and I went for a ride in his car and I drove all over the place... First time I ever drove.
Wednesday, May 28, 1924
... The Women's Auxiliary play was tonight. There were a lot of people there but it wasn't so good... Ours is going to be twice as good...
Thursday, May 29, 1924
... We had a rehearsal and I couldn't remember a thing. We went out in Dick Bond's car afterwards selling tickets for it. We only sold a few... There was a fellow and girl on the bridge spooning and we drove up beside them and stopped. When we went to get out we backed into a culvert and had a good job to get out. They had the laugh on us. I fell off my bike and ruined the back wheel and tire. Ally has it down to his house. Hope I get it by Monday...
Friday, May 30, 1924
... The kids went up to the Memorial exercises. In the afternoon we played the Alumni and won 24 to 10. It was no game...
 Janet MacKenzie photo |
Memorial Day ceremony at Highland Cemetery |
Sunday, June 1, 1924
It was a peach of a day... We had ice cream for supper. After supper went up town and played ball.
Tuesday, June 3, 1924
... We went selling tickets after school. Spent 3 hours and sold only two. Gee, what a tight bunch! We had a rehearsal in the school because the Grange had the town hall.
Thursday, June 5, 1924
... The school exhibition was tonight. They had a supper and a pretty good entertainment afterwards. After everyone had gone home we had a rehearsal. The play is tomorrow night...
Friday, June 6, 1924
The play went off pretty good. We took in nearly 50 dollars at the door and with dance tickets. I thought it was fun to be on the stage...
Saturday, June 7, 1924
... We played Medway up there and lost 18 to 12. The 5th inning was their lucky one. They got 9 runs then. I pitched the whole game... I got 12 strike outs. I split my thumb on a hot grounder and I had to pitch three innings with it. Every time I threw a ball the blood would run out. It is a job to write...
Friday, June 13, 1924
... School closed for the grammar school but we have to go a week more. The high school girls played the grammar girls and won this noon... I umpired... I jammed my sore thumb and it is as sore as blazes...
Saturday, June 14, 1924
... My thumb is so sore I can hardly touch it...
Sunday, June 15, 1924
... We went to ride after dinner.. up through Medfield, Sherborn, City Mills, Franklin and home through Medway, Millis and Medfield... I bang my thumb and let most of the pus out. It feels better.
Monday, June 16, 1924
... We have to go to school all this week. I couldn't play ball at all on account of my finger... I have to dress my thumb every day I open it and squeeze about a quart of pus from under the fingernail.
Tuesday, June 17, 1924
... After school Mr. Railey and Jack and I hired two canoes and went for a paddle and a swim...
Wednesday, June 18, 1924
... We played ball after supper and then there was a club meeting. After that everyone went swimming... I couldn't go in because of my thumb. It is worse and worse...
Thursday, June 19, 1924
... Went swimming twice today. Mr. Railey made a raft and put it in the river. That makes it great. John took his lunch out with Benny all day and slept out tonight. I am diving off the bridge now all the time.
Friday, June 20, 1924
School closed. I went to Dr's.
Monday, June 23, 1924
Graduation for High and Grammar Schools. I went to the Dr's.
Tuesday, June 24, 1924
Reception for High Graduates. Swimming most all day. I went in.
Friday, June 27, 1924
... They are getting ready for the Legion Field Day tomorrow in the old ball field. After supper about twenty of us played Duck on the rock til dark then we went swimming. The water was great but cold out of water. I didn't wear any bandage on my thumb today. The nail has most grown in and healed up around it.
 Needham Chronicle |
The Legion Field Day was held on the Common and the Fireworks were set off in a field where the Legion building is now. |
Saturday, June 28, 1924
... The races began at 4 P.M. They had a mile, a 100 dash and hose coupling contests. I spent a lot of money and only got two pounds of candy. The fire works were pretty good. Charlie and I went swimming in the morning. I was up til 12:30.
Monday, June 30, 1924
... Charlie and Beany and I took our lunch and our bathing suits and went fishing. We didn't catch anything but we had a good swim... I broke the front axle on my bike...
Wednesday, July 2, 1924
... The last club meeting of the season was tonight and we had sports. I came second in the high jump and two mile bike race. Each time it was Lovejoy who beat me out. I used Louis' bike so I couldn't do any better...
Thursday, July 3, 1924
... I bought my fire works today. Just some sky rockets and big fire crackers. We built a big bonfire on the common. Someone greased the rails on the midnight and when she put on her brakes she slid a mile. When they tried to start they had to sand the rails first. We were gong to sleep out but we found our blankets up a tree where some wise guy hid them. I came home finally where I could sleep. Come in about 2:30 P.M.
Friday, July 4, 1924
We went fishing and swimming this morning accompanied by our fire crackers. This afternoon went down to Needham to the movies. I got two dozen rockets at rock bottom prices late tonight and then we set all our stuff off. The rockets went off rotten. Only one or two of them were really good. We set a fire in the woods...
 Needham Chronicle |
Saturday, July 5, 1924
An awful hot day. I was in [trouble] all afternoon and after supper. I am writing this in the dark.
Wednesday, July 9, 1924
... Dad stayed home today and we picked currants...
Thursday, July 10, 1924
... Had a thunder shower late this afternoon. Mother tried to get a drink during it and got a good shock from the faucet. She ought to have known that the radio, telephone and lights ground onto the water pipes... The convention is over. They finally decided on John W. Davis after 103 ballots. He will never beat Coolidge, tho.
Saturday, July 12, 1924
... I worked this morning picking peas and loafed all afternoon... Took an old book and cut the insides out but left the margins. Never tell by looking at it that it carries cigarettes...
Monday, July 14, 1924
... Beany went down to Needham on the train. I missed it and was going to borrow his bike but he had it padlocked so I took the front wheel off and put it on mine. Of course, I had to skid and rip the valve out of it I had to buy him a new one....
Wednesday, July 16, 1924
... We are going on an all day auto trip tomorrow. The Raileys are going with us. I suggested we go along the North Shore as far as Gloucester and I guess that is where we will go...
Thursday, July 17, 1924
... We went to Pigeon Cove a little beyond Gloucester. Just after we ate lunch we had the worst thunderstorm I ever was in. A big elm tree went down right across the road in front of us... We traveled just 130 miles.
Friday, July 18, 1924
... I worked in the garden all morning... There was a free moving picture show given by the church against liquor tonight in the Town Hall.
Tuesday, July 22, 1924
Hot as H--L. Charlie, Bill and I went blueberrying up the track. Charlie and I each got 3 qt. a piece and Bill got about 4 pints...
Thursday, July 24, 1924
... Johnny, Isabelle and I are going to Brewster over the week end because Emily's birthday is tomorrow.
Friday, July 25, 1924
... We started for the Cape about 7:15. Had a great ride and got there about 11 P.M.
Saturday, July 26, 1924
... The tide was high about 8 A.M. so we went in before breakfast. Spent the day renewing old acquaintances...
Sunday, July 27, 1924
... We started for home about 7:30. The roads were terribly crowded with people. Got home about 11:30. Hated to leave...
Monday, July 28, 1924
... I got up about 11:15 and.. went swimming. The dirty old river water was some different than the salt water. There were three fires today but no alarm was blown. If they don't blow any alarm and sneak up on the fires they think they may have a chance to catch the ones who are setting them. They are all set. There have been five over the week end and there are smokes all around on the horizon from fires in other towns.
Tuesday, July 29, 1924
Hotter than Hades without much breeze... Bill and I went out for blueberries but they have all dried up. I didn't go swimming today. The river is getting low and stagnant... There wasn't any fire in Dover today but we went up on Snow Hill and with the glasses it looks as if the whole state is afire. Smoke, smoke.
Thursday, July 31, 1924
... The papers are full of the drought. Wells are drying up every where... Last night Dad had to go out with one of the police as a member of the Board of Selectmen to put a bunch of drunks in the cooler. They were making a disturbance and had been complained of. I wish he would have taken me but he wouldn't.
Saturday, August 2, 1924
... Jack Railey and I planned to tour the Cape on our bicycles this week or next. I asked Mr. Railey for Jack. He said he would think it over...
Sunday, August 3, 1924
... Jack couldn't go. Beany and I are going tho. I don't know when but probably when we get more money. We went for a good ride this after. Wellesley, Weston, Waltham, Wayland, Sudbury, Framingham and Natick was where we went. After supper the Hoveys came down. The fire alarm rang and we went but it was out before we got there...
Monday, August 4, 1924
... We haven't done anything more about our trip. This morning we went over to Lake Waban for a swim. We had a little trouble getting in because the man in charge, the life guard, found we didn't live in Wellesley...
Tuesday, August 5, 1924
Hotter than Hades all day long. Made the whole family irritable. A catalogue came that I sent for of musical instruments. I want to get a tenor banjo. The one I want is $40.00 with case and a few necessities...
Thursday, August 7, 1924
... The temperature touched 102 and held it for 1/2 hour in the shade. Mother went to Wellesley and had her hair bobbed today. I think she looks good. She looks younger...
Monday, August 11, 1924
... Jack's.. new bike came this after and I put it together for him because he didn't know how. It is a peach. Tonight I got a saxophone. It is Lizzie Heard's. She can play a little on it but she is sick of it. Dad is going to rent it and if I get anywhere he will buy it.
Tuesday, August 12, 1924
... John and I went in town with Mr. Railey and Jack and saw G.A.R.parade... I wonder how many of those old fellows the long march in the downpour will kill. There was only about 2,000. The last time they were in Boston they had more than 40,000. Today they came from Alaska and California and everywhere between there. I practiced my sax but I can't make much headway. The hay in a big barn got on fire up on Farm St. but they put it out before it did anything much.
Wednesday, August 13, 1924
... I didn't practice because Miss Mac. was here sewing for Mother. I am going down to Kelly Waldron's tomorrow night for a little instruction. He is a good player...
Thursday, August 14, 1924
... I went down to Kelly Waldron's tonight and he did more playing than instructing...
Monday, August 18, 1924
... I practiced for quite a while and picked about 4 quarts of blueberries on the slope by the sun parlor window. Never dreamed they were there...
Tuesday, August 19, 1924
... Seems like autumn... I made a lot of corn silk cigarettes because I can't get any tobacco... Ted and I sifted a lot of dirt for a cat box. We are going to get a kitten...
Wednesday, August 20, 1924
... Ted got a kitten from Wall's. It is all grey, not a white spot on it.
Thursday, August 21, 1924
... Beany went around selling vegetables from the orchard most of the day... I fixed up the aeriel today. Made it higher on the woods end.
Sunday, August, 24, 1924
... Beany had a stand down at the orchard and sold a lot of stuff... They are fixing the old railroad bridge down at the end of the street. It sure needed it.
Monday, August 25, 1924
... I went down to Kelly's tonight. Had a good lesson. Paul Shaffner has got typhoid fever and is over in the hospital. He has been sick three weeks now and their fool doctor has just discovered what it is...
Wednesday, August 27, 1924
... I.. went to the movies with Jack this afternoon... First one I've seen in natural colors. They weren't painted but the camera took them...
Friday, August 29, 1924
... Dad stayed home and picked elderberries...
Monday, September 1, 1924
... This after we played ball til about 2:30 and we all went swimming... I broke the swing that we swing out over the river on and one diving board and I skidded the length of the other diving board on one foot and each time when I landed I hurt myself but when I came up everybody was roaring. I furnished the comedy but I didn't mean to...
Tuesday, September 2, 1924
... We went swimming and made a new swing. It was some job. Took five of us an hour and a half hard work...
Thursday, September 4, 1924
... I separated Bill from one of his colossal ivories and he grabbed my baseball results I had laid on the bed and tore it all up he was so nervous. He has been groaning over corn on the cob for quite a while but "them days is gone forever." My right eye felt as if it had something in it all day but I couldn't find anything. I guess I better get glasses before my lights go out altogether.
Friday, September 5, 1924
The round the world flyers have reached Boston... They left Seattle five months ago. What detained them? A flock of planes have been going over here from New York all day Wed., Thurs. and today. The record was broken between New York & Boston for both ways. We saw the record breaker. Gosh, he was traveling! Mr. Railey has gone to ride in one of the planes that go out to greet them. He is going to write it up for the Boston Herald. The papers tonight were full of it...
Sunday, September 7, 1924
... Dad came up and got us up early so we could go to church... There was an aviator there with Mr. Railey. He's a pilot sergt. is his rank, He was one of the escorts to the world fliers... After lunch.. Mr. Railey, Jack, Beany, the Sergt. and I took some grub and went way up river in some canoes. We went up about 5 miles and we had a race back. Mr. Railey and I won. After supper there was a fire in the Cong. church. It burnt the back of it where they kept the wood. After that we all went out to the Scout cabin and slept. Every one froze except the Sergt. and me...
Monday, September 8, 1924
About 10:15 A.M. four planes went over going toward New York and about 12:15 nine planes went over in this formation.
|
The second three were the world fliers. The last one was the one the Sergt. was piloting...
Thursday, September 11, 1924
... Dad stayed home all day. We were down to Raileys after supper and we went up in the church to measure the organ. I got the radio working great and I got quite a few stations. I got the fight between Wills and Firpo. Wills won by popular decision...
Friday, September 12, 1924
... Today was Defense Day. Just an experiment to see how long it would take to mobilize trained men in case of war.
Saturday, September 13, 1924
... School begins Monday. Darn it all. I'll be kind of glad tho because there will be something to do. One thing we won't have any football team. I almost decided to go to Needham High to play football. I bet I could make the second team.
Monday, September 15, 1924
... School began. I have 6 subjects. Only 4 study periods a week and all the rest at home.
Tuesday, September 16, 1924
... I had all my lessons in school. We have sitting up exercises every recess. Just the boys. For ten minutes steady they are going to be good. Roger McGill came down to stay over night. We did our lessons together...
Wednesday, September 17, 1924
... This after Jack and I made a little orchestra. He played the bones and I played the sax. We had the phonograph to help us out...
Friday, September 19, 1924
1st week of school finished. Kicked a football all afternoon and after supper til dark...
Sunday, September 21, 1924
... I painted my bike maroon and sandpapered it first. It came out great. As smooth and shiny as new. Beany painted his navy blue and didn't sand paper it and it is rotten...
Sunday, September 28, 1924
... We had a great game of football. We tied 3 to 3. Never had so much fun in my life. Went to Sunday School. I am to teach a class. Went to the Dr's. tonight. My other thumb has got pus down by the nail. Don't know what started it. Have to go over tomorrow and have it opened...
Monday, September 29, 1924
... Had to stay home all afternoon and poultice my thumb. Went to the Dr's. tonight but he didn't open it, said poultice it more. Baseball practice started today. I couldn't report...
Tuesday, September 30, 1924
... Dad has an abscess on his seat and has to go to the hospital tomorrow. It would be funny to watch him try to sit down if I hadn't had pimples there myself. I poulticed my thumb all afternoon. It's swelling up in great shape. Ought to be ready to open tomorrow. I hope so, so I can get it over with.
Wednesday, October 1, 1924
... Dad went to the hospital. Took his operation all right... I went to the Dr's. and he lanced my thumb. He put a wick in...
Thursday, October 2, 1924
... Dad will probably come home around Saturday... Dr. Hills.. came up here to fix my thumb. He took the wick out. It feels a lot better with that gone. Beany went in town with Mr. Railey and Jack to see a big army demonstration and sham battle at Fenway Park...
Friday, October 3, 1924
... The World Series begins tomorrow in Washington. I hope Wash. wins for the sake of their pitcher Walter Johnson. He retires this year after 18 years as a pitcher in the big league and has never even won a pennant. Everyone is for him. The Boston team deliberately threw away the last 4 games against him so he could win the pennant and go on to the World Series.
Saturday, October 4, 1924
... I had to soak my thumb in Sulplio Nathol all morning... Went to the Dr's. tonight and have to go tomorrow night.
Tuesday, October 7, 1924
... Tried the radio and it worked and took a tube I thought was no good and it worked great. I got 15 or so stations and one new one WEEI, Boston. I got the World Series game and the Senators won 7-4... We had a school picture taken this afternoon right after school let out.
Thursday, October 9, 1924
... The Alliance Fair was today. I spent about $3 and only got 31 boxes of candy for myself at chance. I gave away a box of candy and a variety card to Izzy and Chick. I kept a dandy bill fold for myself...
Friday, October 10, 1924
Senators won. 4-3 in twelve innings. What a game to listen to. Thrills. Gosh, I was sweating all through it. Its the talk of the country. A Washington team the World's Champions. Johnson finished the game and pitched the best one of his career...
Monday, October 13, 1924
... I picked some of Mr. Chickering's apples for him this morning Got six barrels in all...
Wednesday, October 15, 1924
... There was supposed to be a club meeting but Mr. Kinnell didn't show up. The lower parts of the windows in the room where our club meets would be under ground so they dug square holes next to the windows and lined them with concrete so the windows could be open. Tonight a skunk had fallen in and of course he couldn't get out. We had some fun because you could look right through the window and see the skunk's face about 3 in. from the end of your nose.
Thursday, October 16, 1924
... Bill's birthday. He was 7. We had ice cream and a birthday cake to celebrate for supper...
Saturday, October 18, 1924
This afternoon the fire alarm rang and Dad and I went. There was a brush fire on Strawberry Hill. We got in there about four and started right to work guarding backfires down a path at the foot of a hill. I've never been in a tighter place. The fire was racing down the hill with flames 20 ft. high and the smoke was so thick every one had to lie down. We kept backfires along the path til nearly 10 P.M. By that time the fire was more than a mile in and only about half way was path. A gang of us went in with chemicals and it took us exactly 1 hour 45 min to go in and come out and then we didn't get near the fire. It was black as pitch no path and in scrub oak and rocks and with a 50 lb chemical on your back is no joke. We lost our way and the siren on the truck was what led us back. They cut a path for it nearly a mile in the woods. I got home about midnight and ate took a bath and hit the hay.
Sunday, October 19, 1924
Got up at daylight and went back. They were backfiring along Powissett St. The backfire there and along the path to the Reserve Pond took til noon time. It was awful smoky work. My eyes are sore as blazes. I went home about 3 P.M. and the fire was most out. Then it started up again and we tried to get to it in the car but nobody could locate it. We were riding along Powissett St. where we had been backfiring in the early morning and there was a blazing stump pulled up and tossed over to the other side of the road. It was new and we stomped it out but someone had just set it. I've got to take another bath tonight and study for tomorrow. Some of the fellows stayed up all night. Darn glad I didn't. I would have been nearly dead like the rest. Well I put in 15 hours labor at 60 cents an hour. $9.00 for some good fun. Soft.
Monday, October 20, 1924
... There were two fires, one the old one broken out. Both were put right out...
Thursday, October 23. 1924
There were two fires today. One up to the old place and another by the orchard...
Sunday, October 26, 1924
... Threw up my Sunday School job for good and dug bulbs this morning...
Monday, October 27, 1924
... They are getting up an orchestra at school and I got some music today to practice but I couldn't make much of a go at it. Made a Jack o Lantern out of a big pumpkin. It goes great.
Wednesday, October 29, 1924
... Played football and practiced my sax after school. Went to a club meeting tonight. Made a lot of plans for this winter. I was elected Pres. and Johnny Heard was elected Sec. & Treas.
Thursday, October 30, 1924
... The High School had a Halloween party in the town hall tonight... Got home and listened to the radio. Got three new stations WABH, WQJ, WCAY and WKBF. Got out as far as Hasting, Neb...
Friday, October 31, 1924
... Tonight was Halloween. There was a gang around. We greased the tracks on the midnight but she had a light engine and slipped right over...
Monday, November 3, 1924
... Ted's face swelled up and he went to the Dr's. He has the mumps...
Wednesday, November 5, 1924
... I won't be able to go to school for at least three weeks on account of Ted's mumps. I'll have to do my work tho because three weeks to make up would be too much for me and I would lose the whole year. There was a club meeting at Mr. Railey's tonight. He read us some great stories. Coolidge won by a big majority.
Thursday, November 6, 1924
Didn't go to school. Put in a lot of wood that has been sawed up...
Friday, November 7, 1924
... Listened in after supper til 1:30 and got 33 new stations with my new receiver. The new ones are WEBJ, WEBH, CNRA, WLS, WBGS, WQAN, WFBA, WJJD, and KFNF.
Sunday, November 9, 1924
... I went over to South Natick and played football for the South Natick team. I played left end. We won 18-0...
Wednesday, November 12, 1924
... There was a club meeting down to Mr. Railey's. He brought out some foils and masks and we sure had some fun.
Monday, November 17, 1924
... There were two fires, one up near the last big one and one a chimney. There was a terrible wind all day and if a fire got into the woods as dry as they are now the fire wouldn't stop til it rained... Got a check today from the town for $9 at 60 cents an hour at the other fire.
Sunday, November 23, 1924
... Was up to the fire house after lunch and played pool til we got kicked out...
Monday, November 24, 1924
... A woman Dr. from the Life Insurance Co. examined me today. My life has been insured for $1,000. I'm worth more dead than I am alive...
 Needham Chronicle |
Thursday, November 27, 1924
... Jack and I rode down to Needham to the movies on our bikes after supper. It was a wonderful picture. A historical picture of the Revolutionary War. It sure was exciting in some fights...
Friday, November 28, 1924
... Dad brought some batteries for the radio and a tube. It hasn't been working very well but it goes great now. I am going to bed early and get up around 11 and try to get some European stations that are trying International tests. All the American stations are silent.
Tuesday, December 2, 1924
Some of the fellows were playing hockey on the mudhole. I didn't have my skates...
Wednesday, December 3, 1924
... Played hockey after school. The place we play on isn't more that 40 feet by 20. Just room enough to turn around...
Thursday, December 4, 1924
... Ted has been in bed for the last couple of days with an abscess in his mastoid ear...
Tuesday, December 9, 1924
... Ted was up and around. His left ear sags and sticks out. It will never go back but he hasn't noticed it yet. It is quite conspicuous.
Wednesday, December 10, 1924
... Spent the whole afternoon overhauling my bike...
Wednesday, December 17, 1924
... We spent most of the morning rehearsing for the Christmas pageant and play...
Thursday, December 18, 1924
... Rain froze and coated streets with ice. Dangerous going. The High School Christmas party was tonight in the town hall...
Friday, December 19, 1924
Last day of school for a two week vacation. The pageant and kids Christmas play went off well...
Saturday, December 20, 1924
Went skating this afternoon up to Colcord's Pond. We had the first real hockey game of the year. I was surprised to find how good I could play. Much better than when I left off last year...
Monday, December 22, 1924
... We mailed all our Christmas cards and I got the Christmas tree and we set it up after supper...
Tuesday, December 23, 1924
... I got a pair of tubular skates as an advance Christmas present and went up to McDowell's pond to try them. I might say here that McDowell's and Colcord's are the same pond. The runners were thinner and the skates higher so I had something to get used to. They go great tho. Today was Howard Levis' birthday... I think he was 19 years old.
Wednesday, December 24, 1924
... I went down to the movies this after and saw Abraham Lincoln. Wonderful picture. It made me feel funny somehow. We decorated the Christmas tree after supper. To bed early and wait for morning...
Thursday, December 25, 1924
Great day. I got four more college banners, Williams, Cornell, Tufts, and Tech. I got a couple of white shirts, a necktie, watch which doesn't work and Dad is going to take it back and exchange, a fountain pen, dandy harmonica, a couple of handkerchiefs, 1925 Diary and Howard Levis gave me a book of pictures of Dartmouth teams and college view which was autographed by Eddie Doley, star quarterback and captain in 1925. I am going to see if he will take it back and have some more of the team autograph it. That would be great...
Friday, December 26, 1924
... Went skating up to Colcord's. The ice was awfully rough from the rain we had but there was a place smooth enough to play hockey...
Wednesday, December 31, 1924
... I was awful sleepy all day. Started for Needham to the movies because there is a good show there but was too tired to carry on and turned back. Went to bed early. Mother & Dad have gone to a New Years Party. Isabelle has gone to a dance with Dick Hodgson. Well, he has a Stutz roadster and I have a bike.
 Hodgson family album photo |
Dick Hodgson and his Stutz Roadster |
Well here's the last of this diary. I begin a new one tomorrow. So long '24.